You Only Thought You Owned That Google Video

[Chris Gohlke]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2170676,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2170676,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Google pulled the plug on the moribund DTO/DTR portion of Google Video, in which users could pay to download videos to own or rent. It never caught on for various reasons, as outlined by the recent news stories detailing its demise. There are two things that struck me about the note. The first was the weaselly assertion that the company is killing the service to "improve all Google services." As if killing a service in order to improve service makes any sense whatsoever. In fact, I thought that this sort of BS was out-and-out insulting. How dumb does Google think its customers are? What was more important—and overlooked by most—is the simple fact that after August 15, you will no longer be able to view your purchased or rented videos. WHAT!?!?"</i><br /><br />Even if you have already read about this, I'll give you a bit of a different spin on the matter. Google is getting a lot of criticism for closing down the store, as you can see from the post above. Frankly, if they should be criticized for anything it is for starting the service in the first place. They should have known better, which leads me to wonder if in fact they did and this was all an orchestrated, deliberate process to highlight the problems with DRM. Google has deep enough pockets and just enough ethical sensibility to open a store destined to fail to pave the way for non-DRM'd downloads, which is probably what they really want to sell anyway. Those the rented from the service are not really out anything whereas those that bought (although I can't imagine there were that many) are getting a refund (albeit in Google Checkout money). What are your thoughts? Do you agree or do you think I need to get out from under my tin-foil hat?

[Felix Torres]

Sorry.
Tin-foil hat.
Google just discovered they're not half as smart as they think they are.
They're still a one trick pony.
A darned good pony, but still...
Nope, they screwed up and cut their losses, consumers be damned...

[sundown]

I think at this point Google can take the PR hit but I hope this doesn't signal a trend.

[Chris Gohlke]

I think from PR perspective, they'd have been better off had they offered at least the option of a cash refund rather than an expiring Google Checkout credit. While I am sure this was much easier to process, it leaves the feeling that they are keeping your money no matter what. Cash would have sent the message, hey, sorry this didn't work out, but here is everything you gave us back and you got to use the content for free.

[Felix Torres]

I think from PR perspective, they'd have been better off had they offered at least the option of a cash refund rather than an expiring Google Checkout credit. While I am sure this was much easier to process, it leaves the feeling that they are keeping your money no matter what. Cash would have sent the message, hey, sorry this didn't work out, but here is everything you gave us back and you got to use the content for free.

Correct.
And the geniuses finally figured it out after a week:
http://news.com.com/Google+reverses+itself+on+video+refunds/2100-1026_3-6203702.html?tag=nefd.top

[Chris Gohlke]

Wow, now you are getting a full refund AND an if you got Google Checkout credits you get to keep those too! Wishing I'd bought a bunch of videos now. :)

[sundown]

What's funny is, it would have just been cheaper and more positive to have done that in the first place. I wish companies would realize that.

[whydidnt]

This, once again points out just how EVIL all DRM schemes are. Fortunately, in this case, it was Google and their deep pockets. What if it's a smaller company going out of business? Sorry, but all that money you paid to purchase videos/songs/etc. It's gone, and no you can't use the content any longer, because we're closed and there isn't a way to validate that your content is legitimate. So, sorry...

Quite frankly, this is what most content producers want anyway, that's why they have been fighting to cripple their content with DRM. They want us to buy the same stuff several different times. The only way this will change is if consumers open their eyes and quit wasting their money on ANY DRM'd content. Thankfully, at least Google is quite visible and perhaps this will open a few people's eyes to what could happen with their bought and paid for media.