According to John Healey of the LA Times, Microsoft is distributing videos showcasing the “improved video quality” of its new WMP9 via the P2P Application Kazaa. These videos are distributed on the network via Altnet, “a Los Angeles-based company that uses Microsoft’s digital-rights-management software to place electronic locks on the songs and videos it distributes. Those locks deter unauthorized copying, enabling companies to take advantage of the virtually free distribution provided by Kazaa without losing the ability to demand payment and limit usage.” Even more chilling is the fact that these videos automatically “upgrade” Microsoft’s Media Player to the DRM-enabled WMP9 when used to download the video.
Details of the story can be found here.
