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Community weekly poll: What's your take on DRM technology?
- 3/15/06 4:21 PM
Some DRM is ok.
by danacolors - 3/17/06 7:52 AM In reply to: What's your take on DRM technology? by Marc Bennett
Some DRM is fine and an appropriate response to piracy but I should not have to jump through hoops to make personal copies or transfer movies from my TIVO to my Ipod or between my own different computers or media centers. The problem really is that most DRM does interfere with those personal fair uses. Apple seems to be the first to have minimally invasive DRM technology in teh IPod but even there they need to make it easier for me to convert and import media I've purchased.
DRM is a false sense of protection
by gmclam - 3/17/06 8:02 AM In reply to: What's your take on DRM technology? by Marc Bennett
There is NO METHOD that will stop a real pirate from duplicating media. All DRM does is **** off the people who actually pay for the product.
Another Example Of Greed
by WAC - 3/17/06 8:02 AM In reply to: What's your take on DRM technology? by Marc Bennett
To those who have doubts about what can happen with DRM; this happened to me.
Had/have problem with controller on Mobo which resulted in HDD going South. It tested good so I reformat and re-install XP - no trouble with activation. Than began the battle to use the downloaded music, but with Microsoft not the supplier.
To make a long story short - the Mobo problem manifested itself a couple more times and I find Microsoft telling me that I cannot renew my license because I have installed the music on four (4) computers. When dealing with DRM, reformatting a HDD constitutes another computer. I lost the battle with M$. I advise anyone using a Music Download Service that includes Microsoft-In-Control (DRM), burn the music as-soon-as possible. Don't believe their bull concerning backing up the music and license - it doesn't seem to do any good.
can be necessary evil
by sawcat - 3/17/06 9:01 AM In reply to: What's your take on DRM technology? by Marc Bennett
I think when it's something coded on a cd or purchased song from online it's a necessary evil. But when it loads a program or process onto your computer without giving you a choice of denying it is the same as the spyware that spammers, hijackers and thiefs use and it should be treated as such by the spyware checkers.
Not necessarily necessary...
by the_sixth_pilot - 3/17/06 9:42 AM In reply to: can be necessary evil by sawcatI have to disagree with you. The problem with DRM for online downloads is that it's easily bypassable, so there's really no point in the first place. All it does is cause a major hassle for consumers who now have to convert their files and whatnot so that they actually own the music they supposedly 'purchased' (but are in fact renting) from online music services, and put even more money into corporate pocketbooks.
When I download a song from iTunes, I want to be able to make as many copies as I please for my own use. I want it to be on all three of my computers (two PCs and my beloved Mac). I want it on both of my iPods. I want to be able to burn it to a CD for my stereo, and another one to go in my car. I paid for the bloody track, and I should have full rights to do whatever I want with it for my own use. Same with CDs. I should be able to rip music to my computer for my own use, or copy the CD so that I can listen to it in my car while leaving the original in my collection at home, without having software installed on my system, or being told that, 'Oops, you have a Mac! This CD is not compatible with Macs, because we're upset that Apple is having such success with iPods and associated software and programs and we just can't keep up. But thank you for your $18!'
DRM is just a stupid technology that punishes the collective for the misbehaviour of a few individuals. What makes matters worse is that the miscreants who are responsible for the record and distribution companies having major spazz attacks are perfectly capable of bypassing said technology, as are those who behave and simply want to be able to enjoy the music that they paid good money for as they see fit.
Far from being a necessary evil, it's an unnecessary evil.
Too restrictive/violation of fair use
by DIZZY130 - 3/17/06 9:02 AM In reply to: What's your take on DRM technology? by Marc Bennett
Just as record companies fought to stop people from coping to tape years ago it is impossable to stop now. Instead they should work out a fee for CD'S and other recording medium and charge it for blank Medium sales.Some thing would not be covered under this like books and schools but if a person has it on his computer for study and not for resale he should be allowed to. Record companys would get a share of the fee based on their sales and everyone would be happy.
Please, fees on blank media not a good idea.
by redm - 3/18/06 11:16 PM In reply to: Too restrictive/violation of fair use by DIZZY130I buy a lot of blank media and put my OWN creations on it. I don't want to be paying fees to cover what other people may do. There are just too many places in this world where we pay for other people's dishonesty, laziness or mistakes... stores have to charge extra to cover shoplifting, parents pay taxes to public schools even if they send their kids to private schools, add your own favorite irritation here. Please, don't gouge me again!
DRM's!@@#$%!
by Falcon7 - 3/17/06 9:32 AM In reply to: What's your take on DRM technology? by Marc Bennett
the short version is they suck! i've gotten so much grief just trying to put my collection of CDs in WMP on my laptop-just so i only have to carry one thing and not 3or400 disks. i've already paid for this music and i'll do what i want with it, or i simply will stop buying any and get XM - especially if they fulfill their threat to make CDs unreadable by a PC. there's no way for me to politely express my utter contempt for the production lables' paranoia. but at the same time none of this would be necessary if they took all the pirates and other business theives out and shoot the bas...
a good analogy...
by captainapostrophe - 3/17/06 9:32 AM In reply to: What's your take on DRM technology? by Marc Bennett
A good analogy would be that in order to stop shoplifting, the only place you could wear new clothes would be in the store they were purchased in or in your own home. And nowhere else. And you couldn't lend them to your broyher.Under penalty of law... ...and if you wore them outside they would disappear...
A step towards (more) Orwellian society
by Claptrap - 3/17/06 8:13 PM In reply to: a good analogy... by captainapostropheDRM doesn't stop piracy. Its a matter of fact that criminals (and in IT, the technically savvy) always get around any security measures. DRM is only a ploy to totally control the average guy's life, whatever means. I see it working like this:
1) Software does not allow itself to be copied. (ALREADY IN PRACTISE)
2) Software only works in the hardware you used it first time (IN A PLANNING SATGE): you have to buy a new copy for each and every hardware if you want to listen to your favourite song on the move as well as home, or even in different room.
3) You have to pay a continuous subscription (read extortion money) if you want to use the software (ALREADY IN PRACTISE) and the company can still take it away any time they like; afterall you don't own it. As you have no choice but buy all those ''legal'' copies, prices will go up. ''The money goes to combat piracy and 'improved' DRM''... the song writers etc don't see any increase in their salary.
4) You cannot buy songs/software but have to pay for Subscrition/licence fee every time you use it. (IN A PLANNING STAGE) Companies reserve the right to install whatever software they see fit, ''in the interest of security and improved service.'' If you stop paying for your subscription, even if you don't want the ''service'' any more, not only it stops working but the computer also develops faults untill you start paying again. Then the company remotely will fix it for you - afterall they DO have a control of your computer via rootkit or some other means. Removing any extra unwanted software can be done only by an expert, even then the gadget could be rendered useless.
5) The songs and software only will work with a proprietary hardware, so all your music as to be bought from a list of *aproved* shops or websites. Surprise, surprise: prices will go up because the retailer has to pay for the music industry for the privilege of selling them (this is ultimately paid by the customer, of course). Of course, music moguls have a large share in the big retailers.
6) Small companies try to offer an alternatives that will allow disks from two different companies to be used in the same hardware, but they either are bought, die a financial death or taken to court. There wasn't much left in terms of music anyway, as all the great names in music are already in the big stables.
7)Computers (and other gadgets) are used to spy people in their home, in case someone plays a song, or sings without paying royalties. Anyone not writing a song, even just for fun, is sued if they are not employed by the company, because in the bar 7 there are 3 notes that are exactly as in the song X. Oh, the middle note is actually a minim, instead of a quaver, but it is still plagiarism, if not a copyright.
Privacy, individual rights, choice, fair pricing and music is dead. Long live copyright!
#7 was always in effect
by ackmondual - 3/24/06 7:27 AM In reply to: A step towards (more) Orwellian society by Claptrap<I>7)Computers (and other gadgets) are used to spy people in their home, in case someone plays a song, or sings without paying royalties. Anyone not writing a song, even just for fun, is sued if they are not employed by the company, because in the bar 7 there are 3 notes that are exactly as in the song X. Oh, the middle note is actually a minim, instead of a quaver, but it is still plagiarism, if not a copyright. </I>
It is a widely known fact that artist often "borrow" their inspiration from other songwriters/artists. They should be accountable too
too buggy
by brewnetty - 3/17/06 10:30 AM In reply to: What's your take on DRM technology? by Marc Bennett
It takes a computer guru to fix Microsoft's version of DRM. I think that fact alone will guarantee that intellectual property theft will continue.
Look at it this way...
by mustangwll - 3/17/06 11:16 AM In reply to: What's your take on DRM technology? by Marc Bennett
As far as I'm concerned, DRM is intended to discourage the 'casual pirate'. People who aren't technically inclined and don't mind paying $.99 for a song or $9.99 for an album from the iTunes Music Store shouldn't have a problem with it. Take a look at what Apple allows you to do by using FairPlay DRM (safe to say the most widely used in music now):
You can burn a song an unlimited number of times.
You can burn a playlist either 5 or 7 times (more than enough, and obviously you can copy that CD that you already made without any hitch)
You can play that song on 5 different computers
You can synch your library with an unlimited number of iPods.
With that said, you can obviously burn songs you download and reimport them without DRM. Still... who really would want to go through all that just to have tracks without DRM? Unless you're trying to do something illegal in the first place, there's no need to complain about it. I have no problem paying a buck for a song, legally downloading it.. and actually have it be the song I wanted and at decent quality. Most of the songs pirated on LimeWire/Kazaa or whatever else have horrible hiccups in the encoding, skip, turn to static noise or aren't even the right song/artist.
All in all, I think it should be looked at as a necessary evil. In an ideal world, we wouldn't have any DRM because everyone would be honest. We wouldn't need police, court systems, government, or any security cameras anywhere... The list goes on and on. However, there are the occasional times when they do come in handy, as does DRM.
Failures Always Precede Success
by LDanix - 3/17/06 11:48 AM In reply to: What's your take on DRM technology? by Marc Bennett
Before anyone can succeed at anything, attempts must be made and failures must occur. The only way one can succeed is to recognize these failures and modify them or change tactics completely.
The record industry's ultimate goal and definition of "success" is the elimination of piracy. DRM is one of their attempts to achieve success. Until they recognize DRM as a failure, they cannot learn from it and take the required steps to achieve success.
I believe that DRM is a necessary attempt in the record industry's fight against piracy, but DRM will not be what leads them to their ultimate goal.
Let's not forget the rights of consumers as well.
by webjunky2 - 3/17/06 12:55 PM In reply to: What's your take on DRM technology? by Marc Bennett
I do understand why the movie/music producers feel the need to try this type of restriction but one thing is being overlooked here as well. I think that every consumer who purchases a DVD or CD and pays the price at the store has a right to make a copy for themselves to backup the store bought copy they paid for. After all the store bought copy only cost the producers smittens to make and if I am paying $20.00+ for a DVD or CD I want to be able to protect that investment as well. Accidents do happen which are out of our control and to not have a backup is not financially prudent. I think that there are other ways that musicians, actors, movie and music producers can get their due payment for a job well done. Instead of trying to stop what they call piracy they should jump on the bandwagon in regards to getting revenue from the places that are making the piracy possible in the first place. They should stop looking at these sites as the enemy and embrace the technology and figure out a way to get their revenue from those sources as well as retail sales, concert seat sales, movie ticket sales etc. The big boys in the business such as Sony are making record profits doing the things that they are good at so the other producers should do the same. Quit picking on the little guy who only wants to protect his investment and get with the program.
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