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this is why the DCMA is broken.
SunnComm CEO Says Princeton Report Critical of its MediaMax CD Copy Management Technology Contains Erroneous Assumptions and Conclusions
PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 9, 2003--
In evaluating the alleged objectivity of Alex Halderman's report titled "Analysis of the MediaMax CD3 Copy-Prevention System," it should be noted that Halderman has stated in writing that he believes that his alleged "... discovery will compel the music industry to abandon their copy-resistant efforts."
SunnComm Technologies Inc. (OTC: STEH), a leader in digital content security and enhancement for optical media, announced today that it intends to take legal action against the writer of a critical report titled: "Analysis of the MediaMax CD3 Copy-Prevention System." According to Peter Jacobs, SunnComm's CEO, "The conclusions contained in the Princeton University grad student's report issued last Monday were derived from incorrect assumptions by its author. The author did not ask for, or receive, SunnComm's MediaMax 'white paper' documentation available on the technology prior to concluding that 'MediaMax and similar copy-prevention systems are irreparably flawed ...'"
SunnComm believes that by making erroneous assumptions in putting together his critical review of the MediaMax CD-3 technology, Halderman came to false conclusions concerning the robustness and efficacy of SunnComm's MediaMax technology. Based on several of these incorrect assumptions, Halderman and Princeton University have significantly damaged SunnComm's reputation and caused the market value of SunnComm to drop by more than $10 million.
In addition, SunnComm believes that Halderman has violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by disclosing unpublished MediaMax management files placed on a user's computer after user approval is granted. Once the file is found and deleted according to the instructions given in the Princeton grad student's report, the MediaMax copy management system can be bypassed resulting in the copyright protected music being converted or misappropriated for potentially unauthorized and/or illegal use. SunnComm intends to refer this possible felony to authorities having jurisdiction over these matters because: 1. The author admits that he disabled the driver in order to make an unprotected copy of the disc's contents, and 2. SunnComm believes that the author's report was "disseminated in a manner which facilitates infringement" in violation of the DMCA or other applicable law.
Concluded Jacobs, "This cat-and-mouse game that hackers and others like to play with owners of digital property is over. No matter what their credentials or rationale, it is wrong to use one's knowledge and the cover of academia to facilitate piracy and theft of digital property. SunnComm is taking a stand here because we believe that those who own property, whether physical or digital, have the ultimate authority over how their property is used. Owning copying technology is not an unconditional 'free pass' to replicate or distribute protected work."
Critical reviews written in part as an attempt to pressure the record industry into abandoning further development of technically protected audio CDs are ethically suspect when based on inaccurate assumptions. The act of publishing instructions under the cloak of "academic research" showing how to defeat MediaMax such as those instructions found in Halderman's report is, at best, duplicitous and, at worst, a felony.
Today's news comes on the heels of BMG's successful release last month of the music giant's first commercial MediaMax CD in the United States -- "Comin' From Where I'm From," by singer-songwriter Anthony Hamilton and released on Arista Records. In 2001, SunnComm commercially released America's first audio CD containing a copy management system -- "Charley Pride -- A Tribute to Jim Reeves" released by Music City Records.
MediaMax CD-3 is a collection of technologies that provides copy management for optical media, while simultaneously enhancing and expanding the consumer's experience. MediaMax CD-3 is tightly integrated with Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Media Platform and the Digital Rights Management capabilities associated with the latest Windows Media Platforms. SunnComm licenses and uses Windows Media Audio DRM capabilities from Microsoft Corp. as the security feature for music files which end up residing on the consumer's computer.
About SunnComm
SunnComm Technologies Inc. became the first company to commercially release a content-protected audio CD utilizing an early version of the Windows Media Data Session Toolkit. SunnComm's copy-management technology was commercially released by Music City records in 2001, which became America's first copy-protected audio CD. It has become a leader in digital content enhancement and security technology for optical media with its MediaMax CD-3 suite of products.
SunnComm's MediaMax CD-3 Suite of Digital Content Enhancement technologies are built using Microsoft Windows Media 9 Series, but operates on both Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Windows-based systems. For more detailed information about the company, its vision or philosophy, personnel, partners and customers, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.sunncomm.com, or call the company directly at 602-267-7500, and ask for shareholder relations.
MediaMax Digital Content Cloaking Technology, DC2, PromoPlay and SunnComm are registered and/or trademarks of SunnComm Technologies Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Notes about Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this release, which are not historical facts, may be considered "forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and the current economic environment.
We caution the reader that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Unknown risk, uncertainties as well as other uncontrollable or unknown factors could cause actual results to materially differ from the results, performance or expectations expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 9, 2003--
In evaluating the alleged objectivity of Alex Halderman's report titled "Analysis of the MediaMax CD3 Copy-Prevention System," it should be noted that Halderman has stated in writing that he believes that his alleged "... discovery will compel the music industry to abandon their copy-resistant efforts."
SunnComm Technologies Inc. (OTC: STEH), a leader in digital content security and enhancement for optical media, announced today that it intends to take legal action against the writer of a critical report titled: "Analysis of the MediaMax CD3 Copy-Prevention System." According to Peter Jacobs, SunnComm's CEO, "The conclusions contained in the Princeton University grad student's report issued last Monday were derived from incorrect assumptions by its author. The author did not ask for, or receive, SunnComm's MediaMax 'white paper' documentation available on the technology prior to concluding that 'MediaMax and similar copy-prevention systems are irreparably flawed ...'"
SunnComm believes that by making erroneous assumptions in putting together his critical review of the MediaMax CD-3 technology, Halderman came to false conclusions concerning the robustness and efficacy of SunnComm's MediaMax technology. Based on several of these incorrect assumptions, Halderman and Princeton University have significantly damaged SunnComm's reputation and caused the market value of SunnComm to drop by more than $10 million.
In addition, SunnComm believes that Halderman has violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) by disclosing unpublished MediaMax management files placed on a user's computer after user approval is granted. Once the file is found and deleted according to the instructions given in the Princeton grad student's report, the MediaMax copy management system can be bypassed resulting in the copyright protected music being converted or misappropriated for potentially unauthorized and/or illegal use. SunnComm intends to refer this possible felony to authorities having jurisdiction over these matters because: 1. The author admits that he disabled the driver in order to make an unprotected copy of the disc's contents, and 2. SunnComm believes that the author's report was "disseminated in a manner which facilitates infringement" in violation of the DMCA or other applicable law.
Concluded Jacobs, "This cat-and-mouse game that hackers and others like to play with owners of digital property is over. No matter what their credentials or rationale, it is wrong to use one's knowledge and the cover of academia to facilitate piracy and theft of digital property. SunnComm is taking a stand here because we believe that those who own property, whether physical or digital, have the ultimate authority over how their property is used. Owning copying technology is not an unconditional 'free pass' to replicate or distribute protected work."
Critical reviews written in part as an attempt to pressure the record industry into abandoning further development of technically protected audio CDs are ethically suspect when based on inaccurate assumptions. The act of publishing instructions under the cloak of "academic research" showing how to defeat MediaMax such as those instructions found in Halderman's report is, at best, duplicitous and, at worst, a felony.
Today's news comes on the heels of BMG's successful release last month of the music giant's first commercial MediaMax CD in the United States -- "Comin' From Where I'm From," by singer-songwriter Anthony Hamilton and released on Arista Records. In 2001, SunnComm commercially released America's first audio CD containing a copy management system -- "Charley Pride -- A Tribute to Jim Reeves" released by Music City Records.
MediaMax CD-3 is a collection of technologies that provides copy management for optical media, while simultaneously enhancing and expanding the consumer's experience. MediaMax CD-3 is tightly integrated with Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Media Platform and the Digital Rights Management capabilities associated with the latest Windows Media Platforms. SunnComm licenses and uses Windows Media Audio DRM capabilities from Microsoft Corp. as the security feature for music files which end up residing on the consumer's computer.
About SunnComm
SunnComm Technologies Inc. became the first company to commercially release a content-protected audio CD utilizing an early version of the Windows Media Data Session Toolkit. SunnComm's copy-management technology was commercially released by Music City records in 2001, which became America's first copy-protected audio CD. It has become a leader in digital content enhancement and security technology for optical media with its MediaMax CD-3 suite of products.
SunnComm's MediaMax CD-3 Suite of Digital Content Enhancement technologies are built using Microsoft Windows Media 9 Series, but operates on both Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Windows-based systems. For more detailed information about the company, its vision or philosophy, personnel, partners and customers, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.sunncomm.com, or call the company directly at 602-267-7500, and ask for shareholder relations.
MediaMax Digital Content Cloaking Technology, DC2, PromoPlay and SunnComm are registered and/or trademarks of SunnComm Technologies Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Notes about Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this release, which are not historical facts, may be considered "forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and the current economic environment.
We caution the reader that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Unknown risk, uncertainties as well as other uncontrollable or unknown factors could cause actual results to materially differ from the results, performance or expectations expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
this isn't a thread about whether piracy is wrong or not.
it is. get over it.
this is a thread explaining why the DCMA is irreparably broken. these *******s, upon learning that their vaunted "copy-protection" scheme is utter ****e, have decided to sue the messenger rather than trying to improve their own technology.
ridiculous--especially because they just might win.
so you hold down a shift key, and/or disable autorun. or you delete a single file. if their scheme is as simple as that, then they ought to get sued by the company that uses their product, because it's utter ****e--even more easily bypassed than sony's draw-on-the-cd-with-a-magic-marker scheme.
except no, suncomm's going to sue the grad student who pointed out that their product doesn't work.
what's next? chilling effects is starting to get a lot colder...
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