Western Digital drive is DRM-crippled for your safety

[nick]

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. Which is, as you can see here, the entire stinking point of it.
It's a scary world full of potentially unlicensed media. We're fortunate there's a hard drive vendor willing to step forward and do some indiscriminate policing for us.
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."

You have 20 seconds to comply
WD's list of banned file types encompasses over 35 extensions. This includes AAC, MP3, AVI, DivX, WMV, and Quicktime files. And why not — Windows TMP files too.
The storage device is billed as a "surprisingly simple and secure way to access and share data and photos" using your home or office network. And technically that's true — namely, the "way" in question is not letting you do it. Abstinence is simple and secure. You've got to hand it to Western Digital.
If you must have the drive, you could work around the crippled WD Anywhere Access client app. Or be satisfied sharing your impressive collection of .doc files. But this is — supposedly — a remote access hard drive.
So what's the point if WD is going to use a shotgun feature killing technique and assume there isn't a legitimate and legal reason to share an AVI file? (Hello, digital camera).

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/07 ... harddrive/

Defective by Design

Nick

[Husse]

It sucks
But to be correct it's not the drive but an application in its external casing
Would be really bad if it was in the firmware of the drive itself

[Sorensei]

Nevertheless it's not a nice trend... the vendor has no business policing what I might try to do with something I legally purchased... especially when it's a legitimate use! WD is now off my "acceptable vendors list" and will stay there...

[deadguy]

well, I wont be buying anything from WD anymore!!!!
too bad I like there external hard drives but that is unacceptable!!

guilty till proven innocent??


bye bye WD

[Helmut]

Hard to believe, disgusting and bloody ridiculous!

Imagine buying a motor cycle helmet, and receiving it with the visor painted black inside and out to prevent you from actually using your own motorbike - in order to protect you from yourself by preventing you from using a potentially hazardous form of transport!

Is this some sick form of imposition?

Helmut

[exploder]

I will not be buying any Western Digital Hard Drives!

[McLovin]

well, off to newegg to change my wishlists for my new rig. no more wd drive for me, this is absolutely retarded, they are going to tell me what I can and can't do with MY hardware and software, to quote Anthony Cumia from Opie and Anthony, "GO SCREWWW!!!!!!