The New York Times belittles the concerns of TiVo users:
FALSE ALARM There was a short panic in blogland this week after someone wrote to the keeper of the PVRBlog to warn that his TiVo box had informed him that an episode of “The Simpsons” that he wanted to save was “flagged” by copy protection software — the episode would self-destruct at a certain date.
Reporters from CNET and elsewhere quickly determined that the flag was just a software bug, but some TiVo devotees remain convinced that they may soon be unable to save their favorite shows. Sure, it was just a bug, writes Matt Haughey of the PVRBlog, but it “demonstrates what could very well happen in the near future with TiVos and other sorts of P.V.R. devices.” Once the ire is worked up, it’s hard to just let it go.
The Times writer totally misses the point. The “bug” revealed a secret: that the TiVo box includes code designed to take control of recorded programs away from the user.
The “bug” was a programming accident. The anti-user capability it revealed is no accident, but a deliberate feature of the TiVo software, programmed at some considerable expense and effort. It was put in there to be used. You may rest assured, it will be used. Personally, I think that’s worth getting “worked up” over.
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