Thanks for all the great input about digital cameras. It has been really
helpful and I have learned a lot.
My wife and I really like the Sony DSC-P92. At 5 mega-pixel, it's as cheap as
most 3 mega-pixel cameras I've seen (though I understand that 3 is probably
acceptable for my needs). It also has most of the other features that we
wanted. It does have a major problem though: the dreaded Sony Memory Stick.
Besides being more expensive than Compact Flash, it seems that Sony wants you
to use the Memory Stick Pro which incorporates the Evil(TM) MagicGate
copyright protection technology. A quote from a page which has been removed
from Sony's website (Google cache:
http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:1tX2xcgdrtMJ:www.sony.net/Products/SC-HP/CXPAL/CXNEWS-20/PDF/TW.pdf+MagicGate+Technology+PDF&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
)
"This copyright protection technology is incorporated in both the MG Memory
Stick semiconductor media and appliance that uses that media . . . This
technology provides two main functions.
"Mutual confirmation between the media and the appliance that both the media
and the MG appliance support copyright protection (authentication). . . .
"If authentication is not established mutually, data exchange operations are
not possible This prevents inappropriate copying and protects the copyright
on the content."
To me this says that if I buy a camera enabled for Memory Stick Pro, then
even if I use a conventional memory stick I am still supporting theft of fair
use rights because the technology is already in the camera. So, I reason that
it isn't a big deal because I own the copyright to my photos. But this
article says that I still can't use Free software to access the a Memory
Stick Pro because it can't legally (due to the DMCA) speak MagicGate's
protocol to the card.
So if Sony wants to lock consumers into using the MagicGate technology (which
appears to be their strategy), the day could come when I need a new Memory
Stick and can only buy a Memory Stick Pro.
Does anyone know for certain? Do Magic Stick readers work in Linux? Even with
a Magic Stick Pro? Is it likely that Sony won't continue making Magic Sticks
in the future without consumer crippling technologies built in?
I would still like to buy this camera (if I can verify that I won't ever have
to buy a Memory Stick Pro), but I'm not sure if I can feel good about it
anymore. Sony often has the best technology out there, and then they ruin it.
Frustrating.
Can anyone suggest a comparable camera without the ethical baggage?
Richard Esplin
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