[indahouweres]

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/20...otection_x.htm

I really hope these people do give up, crack, or give in on DRM.

I just recently bought a CD for my wife that could not even be played in the car because the head unit is a DVD-ROM and the CD was copy protected.

For anybody that missed Bill and Steve's stand on DRM:
Bill and Steve agree DRM is bad

Record Industry striking back at Steve:
Warner and Steve

Just wanted the post the info for ones who have not seen this. I really hope this is the beginning of the end of DRM!

[Farson]

Yeah but how is the music industry going to make it without DRM?

[carlsberg21]

Yeah but how is the music industry going to make it without DRM?

You do realize that music has been sold without DRM for decades...? Record albums....cassette tapes....CDs.....

[ClapekDodki]

Yeah but how is the music industry going to make it without DRM?

I can't speak for others, but DRM is keeping me from buying music downloads. I want a high quality, non-DRM music file in a widely compatible music format (eg, MP3 @ 256kbps or better)...which none of the major music sites offer. I think I've only bought a total of 3 songs from those sites so far (and that's just to try their service out), the rest I get from my own CD rips. And sometimes buying CDs is too much of a hassle because I'd have to wait for shipping or go to a store - so I'm definitely not buying as much music as I probably would otherwise.

[Farson]

You do realize that music has been sold without DRM for decades...? Record albums....cassette tapes....CDs.....

Yes but most of those were before MP3 (aside from CD). MP3 makes it super easy to copy and send the file to a friend. Even with CD's, you still have to rip them to your computer before you can send them. Most people don't know how to rip them to their computer (aside from using Itunes, which protects the files from being sent to other computers and played). However, most people DO know how to copy and send files on their computer via e mail, which would be all that is necessary without DRM.


AND NO, I AM NOT DEFENDING DRM. JUST ASKING A QUESTION.

[selayeffethy]

Man, that article is so right. People who pirate will always pirate anyway. DRM just alienates and frustrates the paying customers, and in the end, you lose profit.

DRM sucks.

[Promalada]

I can't speak for others, but DRM is keeping me from buying music downloads.

Bingo... also I want a very high quality lossless audio. I don't want it in a format that has had the **** compressed out of it. Also to buy an album it better be much cheaper than a CD. Otherwise I'd rather take the CD.

Also another thing is that because Australian broadband has download caps and I'd want an album to be stored in lossless quality, that would mean it would typically surpass 300MB of downloads. So Australian broadband caps are stopping me from doing alot of things online.

[KLIMOV25gyi]

DRM can't be that good. If there is a track I really want I will buy it, download it, burn it with WMP and rip it back to the PC using WMP, the music will now be DRM free

DRM is pathetic [rofl]

[Wrasialat]

I only reason i don't buy music online is because of DRM. I just buy the CD's (usually from live shows) and rip them when i get home. I dont want to be limited in anyway what i do with my music.

Same reason why i haven't bought HL2

[sanddrareyk]

Is there a more respectable source than The Economist?

http://www.economist.com/daily/news/...ory_id=8660389

[serius_06]

It's a valid problem tho. We live in an age where CD/DVD copying takes moments. CD's can be ripped to MP3 format and shared to dozens of people for free within minutes.

Now, I buy my music on CD's, and rip to my PC to listen to while gaming etc, I don't share that music, but I also don't want it locked to my hardware.

Problem is, there are massive amounts of people who aren't honest with music. Companies are faced with mass piracy, with no obvious method of stemming the tide. Like a merchant in a market place full of theives. He can shut up shop and nail everything down, but that just stops the legitimate buyers from buying. Equally he can keep the store open and un-guarded, but then he's ripped off left right and centre.

I may hate DRM, but I can understand it's existance.

[Farson]

Is there a more respectable source than The Economist?

http://www.economist.com/daily/news/...ory_id=8660389

Since when did the economist become an illegitimate source?

[texbrease]

Companies are faced with mass piracy, with no obvious method of stemming the tide.

Companies foster mass piracy,how long have cd's been around now?,weren't they supposed to become less expensive as the manufacturing process got better?,and has that happened?

If all these companies weren't concerned about shaking everyone down for every single penny they can get we'd probably have less people saying "fXXk it,I may as well just download it off the internet".

[Finanziamento]

I only reason i don't buy music online is because of DRM. I just buy the CD's (usually from live shows) and rip them when i get home. I dont want to be limited in anyway what i do with my music.

Same reason why i haven't bought HL2

What's HL2, and I presume you're getting at Steam, got to do with this?

[indahouweres]

Is there a more respectable source than The Economist?

http://www.economist.com/daily/news/...ory_id=8660389

Nice find and reiteration on the subject, seriously.

I hope that with all the "big heads" speaking out for the consumers that we may see DRM free music soon, and like YCH said in higher quality formats would be nice.

[indahouweres]

Companies foster mass piracy,how long have cd's been around now?,weren't they supposed to become less expensive as the manufacturing process got better?,and has that happened?

If all these companies weren't concerned about shaking everyone down for every single penny they can get we'd probably have less people saying "fXXk it,I may as well just download it off the internet".

Sorry for the double post but amidst all the piracy and DRM rants of records companies the record industry got caught and nailed with price fixing a few years back if you did not know.

Music Industry Price Fixing

I got in one the deal and got the cost of a CD, a check for like $14-$18, when the big music companies settled.

Goes to show just how dirty they can be with exaggerated piracy rants, my opinion on the matter anyway, and cutting the consumers throats at the same time.

[sanddrareyk]

and like YCH said in higher quality formats would be nice.

well, it's not so much a format than a quality problem


A 320 kbps MP3 plays on everything and players can be optimised to decode that codec with a minimal amount of power. Yet, it is pretty close to CD audio.