DRM damaging growth of legitimate music sales

[Steve]

The differing audio formats and digital rights management implementations used by the big online music download services is slowing growth. Reuters reports:

Just ask anyone who has ever tried to put a Napster track on an iPod.

At the heart of the problem are dueling digital-rights-management (DRM) systems from bitter rivals Apple Computer and Microsoft. Files using either company's DRM are incompatible with players that support the other DRM.

The recording industry and many of its digital retail partners flagged this problem 18 months ago. Today they are no closer to finding a solution, thanks to a lack of cooperation among the tech heavyweights.

Experts say the DRM dilemma might not be resolved for another two years.

Some companies are avoiding DRM altogether, resulting in the best compatibility. However, record companies don't like us doing what we like with products that we have purchased, and so tend to steer clear of companies offering DRM-free downloads.

DRM is creating divisions. It isn't just being used to protect artists, it is being used to increase income for record companies, music service providers and music player manufacturers, by locking people in to specific hardware and software. DRM is proving to be a tool of profit rather than a tool of protection, stifling the spirit of the web.

[Stoo]

Now there's a shocker - "DRM is proving to be a tool of profit rather than a tool of protection, stifling the spirit of the web."

Never saw that coming

[directhex]

people don't like to buy ****e?

alert the media!

oh wait, someone already did -_-

[Steve]

I could rant on about why I hate the way DRM is being implemented, but I think plenty of other people like me (and you guys by the looks) have already said enough, and wasted their breath, it seems.

[Dougal]

The problem with the big companies is that they pay advisors to tell them how to get around people copying their music.

Those advisors *probably* then get paid by the DRM people to say "ooooh, DRM is the only way to help us!"

So the big companies are told by people they pay to research this (in a uncorrupt world this would be fine) what the big companies then believe to be the truth.


*The above post is not a statement of fact and cannot be proven or diproven without me being paid to do so*

[Twigman]

tech-"news" huh?

[Mike Fishcake]

So DRM is all going to go pear shaped.

Hooray!!

[bradcapo1]

Thanks so much for sharing the post.

[Clunk]

Thanks so much for sharing the post.

That's quite alright Humphrey.

[Steve]

Thanks so much for sharing the post.

[shaithis]

Holy free-scan-delivery-thread-rivial batman!