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September 02, 2005
EFF on DRM
Posted by Sandy
Donna points to a guide to DRM (Digital Rights Management) published by the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation).
...in this brave new world of "authorized music services," law-abiding music fans often get less for their money than they did in the old world of CDs (or at least, the world before record companies started crippling CDs with DRM, too). Unfortunately, in an effort to attract customers, these music services try to obscure the restrictions they impose on you with clever marketing.
Beginning with the iTunes store, the guide outlines the various restrictions that are placed on copy-protected digital downloads.
Although I strongly dislike DRM and usually buy music on CD, I'm willing to buy single tracks from the iTunes store. There's enough flexibility in the iTunes "Fairplay" license for my taste. The music is not locked into protected AAC format as long as I can burn it to CD. (The EFF guide fails to note that the 7 burn limit imposed by Apple's DRM applies to playlists, not individual tracks. This strikes me as a reasonable compromise between creators' rights and consumers' rights.)
The EFF guide is good and useful, but it leans towards the All DRM is Evil end of the spectrum. Those who know nothing about DRM should probably read the Wikipedia entry before reading the EFF guide.
Comments (2)
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1. name on September 2, 2005 10:28 PM writes...
Of course all DRM is evil. We managed for eons without it, and copyright and patent for that matter, yet mankind advanced in spite of this. The argument for it all is but a crock. Only the silence of the lambs gives it power. When they learn their dollars truly wield control will balance be restored.
How am I supposed to accept DRM today when copyright and patent law is so skewed in favor of big business? I don't see anyone losing but the consumer. I've already quit buying protected CDs and DVDs because I cannot exercise my rights as a consumer and decent human being. What does big business want me to give up next? I don't need no thought control...
Permalink to Comment2. david on September 4, 2005 08:49 PM writes...
You mean not all DRM is evil? That's pure BS! DRM is unacceptable, if for no other reason, than it prevents me from selling my legally purchased product to someone else if/when I no longer have any use for it.
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