Topic: This would definately prevent me from buying a PS3

[J. Carney]

The $60 price point won't last. If you remember, Nintendo did that for a while with N64 games, and it didn't stick. Besides, it's all rumor until we see it on shelves.

Ice, $60 prices will stick as long as they sell.

Remember, $50 games have stuck with the PS2.

...and the PSOne, and a ton of Genesis and SNES games and 90% of all PC games.


See my point?

Yeah, and if people are stupid enough to pay $60 for those PS3 games, like they are stupid enough to pay $50 for the others, then the price will stay $60.

A product is worth only what people are willing to pay for it. If they buy at $60 and are happy because they think that it's worth the money, then they will keep the price that high.

[Dracho]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20051121/D8E11QVG0.html


Texas Sues Sony Under Anti-Spyware Law


AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The state sued Sony BMG Music Entertainment on Monday under its new anti-spyware law, saying anti-piracy technology the company slipped into music CDs leaves computers vulnerable to hackers.

The lawsuit is over the so-called XCP technology that Sony had added to more than 50 CDs to restrict to three the number of times a single disc could be copied.

After a storm of criticism, Sony recalled the discs last week.

Without asking users, the CD automatically installed the copy-protection program when discs were loaded into a PC - a necessary step for transferring music to iPods and other portable music players.

Attorney General Greg Abbott accused Sony BMG of surreptitiously installing "spyware" in the form of files that mask other files Sony installed as part of XCP.

This "cloaking" component can leave computers vulnerable to viruses and other security problems, Abbott said, echoing the findings of computer security researchers.

"People buy these CDs to listen to music," Abbott said. "What they don't bargain for is the consumer invasion that is unleashed by Sony BMG."

Security researchers say XCP is spyware because it secretly transmits details about what music the PC is playing. Manual attempts to remove the software, which works only on Windows PCs, can disable the PC's optical drive.

Sony executives have rejected the description of their technology as spyware. A spokesman for the New York-based label did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment on Abbott's lawsuit.

Sony BMG initially rejected the uproar over XCP as technobabble.

But after security experts discovered that XCP opened gaping security holes in users' computers - as did the method Sony BMG offered for removing XCP - Sony BMG agreed last week to recall the discs.

Some 4.7 million had been made and 2.1 million sold. CDs that had XCP included releases by Van Zant, The Bad Plus, Neil Diamond and Celine Dion.

The Texas spyware law allows the state to recover damages of up to $100,000 in damages for each violation. Abbott said there were thousands of violations, and that any money would go to the state.

[Commander Maxillius]

I'll just keep hoping that Sony litigates itself to death.

[Nemesis]

I'll just keep hoping that Sony litigates itself to death.

I don't want Sony destroyed.  Too many innocents will be hurt. 

I would like to see enough damages in enough countries around the world to be an example.  I'd like to see enough damage that the board is replaced and no one be willing to hire them for a few years.  I'd even like to see countries where those executives will never dare go for fear of personal jail sentences.  All so the rest of the media companies and executives will look on this as something they can't risk doing.

If Sony gets away with this without penalty then there is nothing to dissuade others from doing the same.

[Iceman]

The $60 price point won't last. If you remember, Nintendo did that for a while with N64 games, and it didn't stick. Besides, it's all rumor until we see it on shelves.

Ice, $60 prices will stick as long as they sell.

Remember, $50 games have stuck with the PS2.

...and the PSOne, and a ton of Genesis and SNES games and 90% of all PC games.


See my point?

Yeah, and if people are stupid enough to pay $60 for those PS3 games, like they are stupid enough to pay $50 for the others, then the price will stay $60.

A product is worth only what people are willing to pay for it. If they buy at $60 and are happy because they think that it's worth the money, then they will keep the price that high.

You're totally missing my point.

I'm trying to say it would only work if EVERYONE jumped on that boat, and not just Sony. Nintendo tried it and the N64 games went back down to $50 eventually.

[J. Carney]

The $60 price point won't last. If you remember, Nintendo did that for a while with N64 games, and it didn't stick. Besides, it's all rumor until we see it on shelves.

Ice, $60 prices will stick as long as they sell.

Remember, $50 games have stuck with the PS2.

...and the PSOne, and a ton of Genesis and SNES games and 90% of all PC games.


See my point?

Yeah, and if people are stupid enough to pay $60 for those PS3 games, like they are stupid enough to pay $50 for the others, then the price will stay $60.

A product is worth only what people are willing to pay for it. If they buy at $60 and are happy because they think that it's worth the money, then they will keep the price that high.

You're totally missing my point.

I'm trying to say it would only work if EVERYONE jumped on that boat, and not just Sony. Nintendo tried it and the N64 games went back down to $50 eventually.

It will work as long as people are willing to pay the money, Ice. The other companies don't have to raise their prices... they have nothing to do with this.

You apparently don't dip, smoke or chew... lucky you. Copenhagen is $4.25 a can and Red Seal (basically the same stuff, made by the same company) is $2.90. Yet I and millions of others will spring that extra $2 for a can of Cope.

You can get whatever people are willing to pay... and that's not always the average going price.