[Speed Gibson,
Monday December 26, 2005 at 10:20pm]
Bad Santa
I was a bad Santa in that I picked out a Sony portable music player for my son that was, in every way, a piece of junk. I told him we'd go find him a real one once the shelves are replenished.
Most annoying was the software that came with it. Essentially, you could copy purchased CD's (or titles from their online music store) to it. Anything more required you run with Admin privileges, which given Sony's insistence on loading secret spyware, is out of the question. This Sony disk installed about 6 different components and somehow re-activated Windows Instant Messenger, which I don't want. My firewall was soon reporting unauthorized requests to access the internet, which I blocked. After finding out all the things I couldn't do, I finally uninstalled all of it.
I am writing this on a Sony PC that I have been very happy with, but as far as computer media hardware and software, Sony - you're fired.
Most annoying was the software that came with it. Essentially, you could copy purchased CD's (or titles from their online music store) to it. Anything more required you run with Admin privileges, which given Sony's insistence on loading secret spyware, is out of the question. This Sony disk installed about 6 different components and somehow re-activated Windows Instant Messenger, which I don't want. My firewall was soon reporting unauthorized requests to access the internet, which I blocked. After finding out all the things I couldn't do, I finally uninstalled all of it.
I am writing this on a Sony PC that I have been very happy with, but as far as computer media hardware and software, Sony - you're fired.