http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp292/SharkD2161/Support/amazon_unbox_error.png

Amazon Unbox has an configuration option to disable the program from 
automatically starting when Windows starts (i.e. so that it doesn't sit 
forever in the systray). But get this: once you configure this option 
you can't start the program at all! How stupid is that?! They disable 
the program and then blame it on the user! Why even give users the 
option in the first place?

-Mike

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SharkD wrote:
> How stupid is that?! 

I can understand how that happened, but you'd think there would be a better 
way to handle it, like being able to start the service when you start up the 
player, but then that too requires administrative privileges.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Video_on_Demand#Criticism

So it looks like "don't run on startup" really means "act like it isn't 
installed, but without uninstalling it."  So why not just turn the thing 
back on? Or does it require you to actually reboot and/or log out and back 
in to start it up? That's just dumb.

I suspect there's also a component of DRM security in there, since it's 
using Plays4Sure and there are a bunch of rules you have to follow to 
incorporate that in your own programs.

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   I ordered stamps from Zazzle that read "Place Stamp Here".

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Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> I suspect there's also a component of DRM security in there, since it's
> using Plays4Sure

Kind of an ironic name, no?

And to get on a real tangent:

I thought for just a moment about whether that's really ironic or not.  But it
is, because with a name like that you'd expect things to play for sure when in
fact the additional complexity might be what prevents things from playing.  I
googled "irony misuse" just to be sure, and this was the first link:

http://webweevers.com/irony.htm

It has an "excellent" example of irony in which a news reporter reporting on
recent deaths at a dangerous intersection is hit by a car.  That's unfortunate
and maybe coincidental, but not ironic.  If it's really a dangerous
intersection and he's running around it, then I *would* expect him to get hit
by a car.  So the highest-ranked page devoted to correcting misuse of the word
"irony" it itself wrong?

Now THAT'S ironic.

Please correct me if I'm wrong about this.  If I am wrong, then I haven't a clue
what that would do for the irony, and I'd be in no position to figure it out!

 - Ricky

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triple_r wrote:
> Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
>> I suspect there's also a component of DRM security in there, since it's
>> using Plays4Sure
> 
> Kind of an ironic name, no?

The original intention was to license it so it could be ported anywhere, I 
believe. I.e., it's the first DRM where the maker thought they had the clout 
to get universal adoption. It *is* pretty widespread. I.e., you don't have 
to wonder if it has the right kind of DRM for your platform.

Now, the irony is they dropped support for it in their own products. ;-)

> Please correct me if I'm wrong about this.  If I am wrong, then I haven't a clue
> what that would do for the irony, and I'd be in no position to figure it out!

I think you're right there.

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   I ordered stamps from Zazzle that read "Place Stamp Here".

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Darren New wrote:
> I can understand how that happened, but you'd think there would be a 
> better way to handle it, like being able to start the service when you 
> start up the player, but then that too requires administrative privileges.

Yup. The problem does not occur if I log in as administrator.

-Mike

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