WD cripples NAS HD

[Rik]

El Reg is reporting that "Western Digital's 1TB My Book World Edition external hard drive has been crippled by DRM for your safety."

According to the company's website, "Due to unverifiable media license authentication, the most common audio and video file types cannot be shared with different users using WD Anywhere Access."

So, if you wanted to store your own camcorder recordings, it would seem this isn't a good device to buy.

I'm, surprised they aren't checking Word files for inappropriate language. 

[cavillas]

'Tis the latest security measures so no one can see or hear anything from anywhere by anyone.  I wonder if the same person was a non-pall bearer at a recent funeral, they used a trolly because of H & S.  Same principles seem to apply.

[Rik]

The world is, undoubtedly, going slightly mad, Alf. I'm surprised there isn't a ban on breathing when air pollution reaches a given level.

[Gary]

Read the EULA of Windows, it says you agree to not being able to access certain files on your own computer, more DRM hell  pure evil

[Rik]

If they keep going this way, Gary, it might do more for the conversion to Linux than any amount of evangelising could achieve.

[Gary]

With you all the way on that Rik 

[Glenn]

Easy way to get around the problem, don't buy one. Instead, go to your local computer fair, get an old spacesaver PC (Compaq D500 is ideal), put in your own HDU and install FreeNAS http://www.freenas.org/ you now have a full functioning NAS file server.

[Rik]

It only seems a problem with the WD unit, Glenn, but you make a good point. Now, all we need is for router manufacturers to realise that many of us now have gigabit ports on our machines...

[Ted]

If they keep going this way, Gary, it might do more for the conversion to Linux than any amount of evangelising could achieve.

I'm saying absolutely nothing!!