WHILE I DO NOT condone what SonyBMG did with rootkits on computers, I think it's important to note that Sony electronics is another part of the conglomerate and that some Sony equipment helps us deliver educational multimedia better than any other option. We use the Sony ICD-MX20 to rapidly produce audio segments that complement classroom sessions. It's handy to walk around with 1GB memory cards containing podcast snippets and work files. Most of our mobile and studio microphones are Sony kit. Our default sound editing package (SoundForge) is a Sony product. All these things work seamlessly in several modules that train third level students who are becoming multimedia producers and multimedia programmers.
Along the way, they learn about the evils of DRM and the important cultural dimension of Open Source. With that balanced perspective, they come to appreciate the distinction between Sony Entertainment and Sony Electronics. It must be stressful to focus the combined energies of the Sony conglomerate. In the future, I hope the entertainment side listens to its electronics colleagues before stupidly bundling pernicious DRM on products.
