09-26-2006, 08:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Why You Should Never Buy DRM Content
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=3626
"By way of Cory Doctorow, comes a pointer to the Electronic Frontier Foundation's take on Microsoft's new Zune: a brand that has broken ranks with the Redmond-based company's previous digital rights management (DRM) strategy that attempted to establish an ecosystem of compatibility (under the name "PlaysForSure") between content merchants (ie: AOL, Yahoo, Amazon, etc.), the copy protection on the content they sold, and the software and devices that could play that content."
If you look at footnote 4 in Microsoft's press release you'll find "Zune software can import audio files in unprotected WMA, MP3, AAC; photos in JPEG; and videos in WMV, MPEG-4, H.264."
Now, maybe it can redownload content from Napster, Rhapsody, Cinemanow and other DRM suppliers, it just can't import it, but I really doubt this is the case. For whatever reason, Microsoft is charting a new course with the Zune that will leave any of you with DRM protected content out in the cold. This is why I have purchased less than $50 of protected content over the years and 100% of it has been burned to a CD and ripped back with no protection. Those of you that left the "Protect Content" box in WMP9 or WMP10 checked and didn't realize you were protecting your own content may have to rerip all of your CDs to play on the Zune. Personally, I am still looking forward to the Zune. I have no purchased protected content and don't really plan to, but it would be nice if it could play Tivo2Go files, which are protected as they are transferred across my network.
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09-26-2006, 10:18 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,079
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If you didn't know DRM stands* for Dramatic (Dreadful) Restrictions Madness :evil: .
Says it all :twisted:.
I have NEVER and will NEVER buy DRM protected files, even when my local McDo had a promotion with every meal; I just trashed the tickets.
I once tried to register at a DRM infected site, but reading the fine print you see it all is an unacceptable mess: so many restrictions, every file has their own rights and set of rules as to which restrictions you will face.
I don't have time to mess with all this CRAP (Content Restriction & Alienating Protection).
You get infected with tons of viruses (virii), spam and other obnoxious stuff when you get some kind of CDs, register on DRM infected sites, etc.
0X
* unofficially 
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09-26-2006, 10:24 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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Re: Why You Should Never Buy DRM Content
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Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
...and didn't realize you were protecting your own content...
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...and protecting it from yourself, I might add!
Maybe we don't want to start the whole DRM rants all over again, but I sure am stymied by the fact that the best minds in companies like Sony and Microsoft haven't been able to come up with schemes that actually work for both sides of the transaction. I agree that sharing files in ways that don't reimburse the legal rights owner is wrong, but there HAS to be a better way than what's been available so far -- and ESPECIALLY a system that isn't outdated, abandoned or otherwise changed a few months or even years after its introduction.
While I understand (I think) where Microsoft is coming from on this, I think they're shooting themselves in the foot. It's my belief that customers will accept systems that are inferior in many ways, as long as that system WORKS. iTunes doesn't have the breadth of selection of other stores, but it works (especially with the iPOD) and it works and it works.
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Old Market Researchers never die...they just get broken down by age and sex.
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09-26-2006, 10:30 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by jlp
...I have NEVER and will NEVER buy DRM protected files...
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I'm just curious, and I pose this question to every/any- body:
Do you not purchase DRM- or otherwise- protected files because the protection systems keep you from using the files yourself the way you want to, or are you basically opposed to protection because you feel you should be allowed to share files in any way you see fit?
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Old Market Researchers never die...they just get broken down by age and sex.
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09-26-2006, 11:08 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 94
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For me, personally, it's not the sharing. I've never even passed CDs around with anyone other than my sister (and it usually wasn't willingly with her, either).
I don't buy DRMed content because I believe it takes away the customer's agency. It's like buying a car. Most of us take out a loan, so the car really belongs to the bank (until the loan is paid off, that is). So, even though we don't own it, the bank doesn't get to dictate what we can and can't do with the car. DRM is akin to the bank saying: "You can have this car, but you can only drive it on Maple Avenue with no passengers".
We need to have a right to choose for ourselves. Most people aren't going to be sharing their music with every Tom, Dick and Harry on the web, and the ones who are will find a way to do it anyway. Just let us honest people have the ability to copy it to and from whatever devices we use.
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09-26-2006, 11:26 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,079
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Brad Adrian
Quote:
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Originally Posted by jlp
...I have NEVER and will NEVER buy DRM protected files...
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I'm just curious, and I pose this question to every/any- body:
Do you not purchase DRM- or otherwise- protected files because the protection systems keep you from using the files yourself the way you want to, or are you basically opposed to protection because you feel you should be allowed to share files in any way you see fit? |
I'm opposed to any form of technology restriction (defective/limited by design) that stops me from listening to my own legally aquired music on any music playing device I own and will own in the future.
I can play any CDDA* on any CD, DVD drive and probably any subsequent technology invented in the future based on it (HD-DVD, etc.).
However music is the content and CDDAs are the container.
I want to freely use the content that has to be easily and freely separateable from the container. MP3 players come to mind; PPCs, PMPs etc. as well.
They use different technology than the almost half a century old optical technology used in CDDAs.
Whatever the support, the content has to be freely and easily transferable to any current and future support one uses or will use.
DRMatic is the technology enemy to it.
*that was rather 100% true up until DRM started to infest/infect audio CDs as well.
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09-26-2006, 11:34 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 69
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This is why I always buy my music in high bit rate from the home of водочка. Otherwise, unless you go to great lengths, you WILL be re-buying it when your PC/iPod/Zune dies or you replace it. Don't think next year, think 4, 5, or even more years down the road.
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09-27-2006, 12:03 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 110
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well nobody buys drm here ... how come ipods are so successful ?
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09-27-2006, 12:17 AM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by x51vuser
well nobody buys drm here ... how come ipods are so successful ?
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I need to find the article on this, but the amount of ipod owners that actually purchased music from itunes was 15-20%. most just rip their CDs.
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09-27-2006, 12:24 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Ed, you're talking about this article. I do buy some iTunes DRM stuff -- mostly international stuff that's expensive to import or CDs that are only available in copy-controlled form at music stores -- but, like others, the majority of my stuff is ripped.
(Of course, 17% is a solid number for an online music store at this juncture.)
--janak
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