SunnComm Says It Will Change

from the 'bout-time dept

This came out last week, but it’s still worth noting that SunnComm — one of the companies whose copy-protection software was behind the recent Sony BMG fiasco — has had a change of heart, pledging to mend some of its ways. SunnComm says it will rectify a major complaint with its software, namely that it would install even if users declined the EULA, and also says it will submit future versions to a third-party firm to test for security vulnerabilities as well as include an uninstaller. The company also says it’s working with the EFF to “ensure” that security researchers investigating its products won’t be sued under the DMCA, as some have been concerned. While SunnComm’s actions are certainly nice, what’s so hard about “ensuring” it won’t sue people? Given its history, there’s good reason to be skeptical here. Can’t it just come out and say it won’t sue researchers, then stick to its word?


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Comments on “SunnComm Says It Will Change”

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1 Comment
Just one guy says:

A company is not a guy

While SunnComm’s actions are certainly nice, what’s so hard about “ensuring” it won’t sue people? Given its history, there’s good reason to be skeptical here. Can’t it just come out and say it won’t sue researchers, then stick to its word?

Carlo, a company is not an individual, and future boards of directors are not bound by the word of honour of the current one. Even if the current CEO agreed, out of fairness, not to pursue any endeavour that the letter of the law allowed them, that does not exclude that a future one change idea and completely reverse that decision.

As an example, SCO used to be a Linux company… what irony, isn’t it?

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