Sony Hell, as the Rootkit Scandal Continues

For the first time a company hits both ends of the spectrum on this blog. After praising the Bravia LCD advert I now have to spill my venomous thoughts on the rootkit saga that has been plaguing Sony BMG this month.
I neglected to mention that the advert notably leaves tagging on its Sony brand right at the end and then only very briefly. Smarter would have been to leave it out, here's why.

I have never heard a comment so disgusting from a company executive but I have mixed feelings about whether I want to hear the like again.

Try this for a quote: "Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?"
That comes from Thomas Hesse, president of Sony BMG Global Digital Business, on a NPR radio report. I couldn't believe it when I read it on Neville Hobson's blog and so had to listen for myself.

This company forces you to download software, reportedly with no good notice of the rootkit, which leaves a hole for exploit on your PC opening it up for malicious code. Yes that could be as sinister, perceivably, as a key logger program looking out for your bank details. Nothing to worry about?

I have never heard anything so flippant and horrible from a trading company and I live not 20 miles away from a company in Britain that got caught up in a pickle, selling arms to Iraq.

So, confirmation that if Sony chiefs have this sort of attitude, I will not knowingly be purchasing any of their products again. Playstation 3 Vs Xbox 360, it's a walk in the park for what my decision there is going to be.

Why the mixed feelings? Well, I'd rather have the company spill out their policies on this issue now than when I've got the disc in the drive.
If any other company wants to lose business by saying what you don't know won't hurt you, speak up.

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