Sky staff have been venting their frustration after a lengthy wait for Microsoft to patch the flaw in its digital rights management (DRM) software, which led to the suspension of Sky By Broadband for many weeks.

As a precaution BSkyB had suspended its movie download service on 31st August after Microsoft's DRM software - which is supposed to protect movies from being copied - had been cracked.

Microsoft patched the software only to be hit by another security loophole. As a result BSkyB suspended its download movie service. For many weeks the service was unavailable to customers while Microsoft worked on yet another patch.

The Sky By Broadband "free" service is exclusive to Sky Movie subscribers and provides popular media content including football clips and Hollywood movies.

According to a BSkyB spokesperson “the service was reinstated at the start of October after consultation with Microsoft and with content partners." You might have been forgiven for missing the restart.

Either way, it seems that the DRM debacle has left a bad taste in the mouth at Sky headquarters. One anonymous source who claims to work for Sky emailed El Reg and said “we at Sky are FURIOUS with MS's ‘look we'll get a patch to you in a few weeks’ attitude. It sucks.”

He also sent in this alternative take on the George Formby ukelele classic When I’m Cleaning Windows, the source explained it’s “a song penned by someone at Sky and mailed round in frustration at MS, the studios and the other download services ...”

"Now I go ripping content to my hearts content

It's easy for a teenager with a technical bent

Now it's a hobby that suits me

If a Windows user I must be

Then I will take what I want for free

When I'm creaming Windows

Even older people too can take stuff just like me and you

Cos Fairuse makes it easy to just steal stuff from Windows

You don't need a hacker's kit Just download stuff bit by bit

Then give it any almighty rip With Fairuse for Windows

Cos this hacking isn't hard I will never stop I'll rip any content

And fill my hard-drive to the top

These movies they just look divine

But why pay through the nose each time

When two clicks makes it yours or mine

With Fairuse for Windows

Now Steve Jobs he should lose the grin

There's a version that's coming

That makes light work of DRM On Macs - just like on Windows

Cos this hacking isn't hard I will never stop I'll rip any content

And fill my hard-drive to the top

Now there's this famous Napster mob

Whose music service costs a bob

Let's hope they don't all lose their jobs

Cos' Fairuse has fucked Windows

Broadband gives me access to

Every tune and movie too

And I can give it all to you

Thanks Fairuse for Windows!

Turned out Shite again!"

To which we can only add, er, that's all folks.®

Related stories

Sky to offer broadband to non-TV punters (29 August 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/08/29/sky_freeview_broadband/
Ofcom to pick over Murdoch's ITV stake (27 February 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/27/darling_ofcom_bskyb/
Sky signs up Google (7 December 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/12/07/sky_signs_google/
Sky Broadband users speak out about support woes (14 November 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/14/sky_tech_support/
Armchair downloaders want it all (8 November 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/08/television_downloads_survey/
Big labels are f*cked, and DRM is dead - Peter Jenner (3 November 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/03/peter_jenner/
MS accuses DRM hacker of source code theft (27 September 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/27/ms_fairuse4wm_lawsuit/
Sky responds to DRM headache (13 September 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/13/microsoft_drm_bskyb1/
Sky movies paused by DRM security flaw (13 September 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/13/microsoft_drm_bskyb/