[mdlug-discuss] [Fwd: WD following up]

[allen]

Aaron Kulkis wrote:
> I would add...
>
> Since when does WD take on the obligation of making sure
> that their customers are behaving legally or not.  Are Ford
> and General Motors responsible for for how fast someone drives?
> Or is it up to the driver of a car to obey the traffic laws.
>
> Crippling hardware that I purchase just because someone else
> MIGHT break the law is no better a solution than putting
> governors on car engines so that nobody speeds...and in the
> process, killing the acceleration needed to go from a dead
> stop into high speed traffic on any car equipped with an
> automatic transmission.
>
> No car customer would like an automaker playing nanny to
> how they drive.  Why does WD consider it proper to play
> nanny to their customers?
>   

Under the assumption that WD management isn't installing software just 
to be disagreeable, maybe the intellectual property bunch are passing 
out some cash to have them do it.

Kind of like Microsoft's funding of the development of Windows driver 
software to encourage hardware manufacturers to ensure compatibility 
with Windows. Maybe the RIAA/MPAA pays to help defray the cost of what 
they consider "doing the right thing", i.e. they're bribing WD.

 From the point of view of hardware manufacturers DRM is just a big pain 
in the ass since their customers don't want it. Being unable to force 
more onerous DRM requirements on the hardware manufacturers via 
legislation maybe the IP holders are trying to get with the almighty 
dollar what they can't get with a stick.

Allen