SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT - cp.sonybmg.com/xcp
SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT - cp.sonybmg.com/xcp
Quote: November 17, 2005
To Our Valued Customers:
You may be aware of the recent attention given to the XCP content protection software included on some SONY BMG CDs (click here for list of titles). This software was provided to us by a third-party vendor, First4Internet. Discussion has centered on security concerns raised about the use of CDs containing this software.
We share the concerns of consumers regarding these discs, and we are instituting a program that will allow consumers to exchange any CD with XCP software for the same CD without copy protection. We also have asked our retail partners to remove all unsold CDs with XCP software from their store shelves and inventory. Please click here for exchange program details.
We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause our customers and we are committed to making this situation right. It is important to note that the issues regarding these discs exist only when they are played on computers, not on conventional, non-computer-based CD and/or DVD players.
Our new initiatives follow the measures we have already taken, including last week’s voluntary suspension of the manufacture of CDs with the XCP software. In addition, to address security concerns, we provided to major software and anti-virus companies a software update, which also may be downloaded at http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/updates.html. We will shortly provide a simplified and secure procedure to uninstall the XCP software if it resides on your computer.
Ultimately, the experience of consumers is our primary concern, and our goal is to help bring our artists’ music to as broad an audience as possible. Going forward, we will continue to identify new ways to meet demands for flexibility in how you and other consumers listen to music.
Please click here for an FAQ on this topic.
Better late that never. This is good for a start. I’m still considering all the implications and deciding how many points I’ll give them for this… I think part of it is that we need to see about the newer, simplified uninstall – one that doesn’t cause more problems. The offer to replace the CDs does go a long way—I’m sorry, Sony, but I think that’s a “minimum” after a screw up like this…
Maybe Sony thought they could pull a quick one… Maybe they did screw up royally on the software deal… Time will continue to tell, but this is definitely a good direction to be heading in…
Keeping in the “Stupid” category to update any who might be looking only in that category—this move is certainly not stupid…