Western Digital drive is DRM-crippled for your safety

[admin]

Western Digital's 1TB My Book World Edition external hard drive has been crippled by DRM for your safety.

A kindly Reg reader tipped us off that the remote-access HDD won't share media files over network connections.

-- snip --

From the WD site:

"Due to unverifiable media license authentication, the most common audio and video file types cannot be shared with different users using WD Anywhere Access."

http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/12/07/western_digital_drm_crippled_harddrive/

[doctorhardware]

What a bunch of BS,I wont be buying WD any more.

[rago88]

Read this story yesterday and IF I am correct,

this DRM thing only comes into play if you install the included WD software which I don't think anyone ever will....

http://digg.com/hardware/New_Western_Digital_HDs_Won_t_Let_You_Share_Files_On_Network

note:
this is a byline above diggs article..

Warning: The Content in this Article May be InaccurateReaders have reported that this story contains information that may not be accurate.

[admin]

You can get around it by using a different method of sharing (SAMBA), WD even provides instructions on how to do it:

http://tinyurl.com/25chpo

But the question is, if the drive is capable of sharing media files through your home network by using an alternative method, and that WD provides instructions and support for it, why go down the DRM route and cripple your own software? It's certainly not good for public relations, and it will no doubt mean less sales, mainly due to the public outcry, rather than any physical limitations the drive may have.

What I don't like is where this will lead, because today it's an optional piece of software, and tomorrow it might be a hardware based locking features that's a little bit harder for the average user to get around.

This BBC article also discusses this and future ramifications in detail:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7136069.stm

[doctorhardware]

But the work around is a real pia. It is alot of work to avoid the drm properties of the hard drive and provided soktware.