Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Rent A Downloadable Movie

Posted by timothy on from the like-divx-without-the-joy dept.

Syn Ack writes: "The New York Times is reporting (free account, blah blah blah) that five (5) major Hollywood studios (MGM, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Warner Brothers and Universal Pictures) are going to begin offering downloadable time restricted movies. The video will remain watchable for 30 days but will become unplayable 24 hours after it has been viewed at all. Sounds like if you start the movie at all, the clock starts ticking so no peaking until you're ready to watch it ALL. Downloads are expected to be in the 500MB range. However downloads will only be available well after the DVD release of the same movie so as to not cut into DVD sales. Expect to see something late this year or early next. Perhaps the Music People can get some tips from the movie people?" What a bargain.

8 of 361 comments (clear)

  1. Slash HTTP headers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Just a quick FYI. Slash headers now contain funny quotes from Futurama. A different one each request. Makes wgetting stories down fun.

    Here are a couple I have seen:
    X-Fry: I don't regret this, but I both rue and lament it.
    X-Fry: I refuse to testify on the grounds that my organs will be chopped up in to a patty.
    X-Bender: Bender's a genius!
    X-Fry: There's a lot about my face you don't know.
    X-Fry: Nowadays people aren't interested in art that's not tattooed on fat guys.

  2. Another fine example of dumb people at work by t_allardyce · · Score: 3, Funny

    The list of dumb ideas from dumb people hall of fame:

    -CSS (if i can see it i can copy it)
    -SDMI (they should have learnt from css)
    -CPRM (the hard drive protection)
    -That thing to disable electronics with GPS
    -DMCA (not such a dumb idea as an evil one)
    -SafeAudio (cut off your nose to spite your face but didn't work)
    -WMA (we want to wean people off mp3 and onto superior digital rights management)
    -DivX (the company)
    -eBook (rot-13)
    -Renting films (you cant rent data. period.)

    Anything More?

    Most companies have some sort of technical advisor/analyst/window-cleaner who can tell them if an idea is dumb or not. Obviously these studios don't. This is _very_ serious, these people along with those responsible for the list above, are making business decisions everyday. Its plainly obvious to see that something is very wrong here so i have come up with some possible explanations:

    1. They are on crack or some other expensive narcotic and need money to keep the habit growing.

    2. They have been abducted and replaced by aliens who have no business experience.

    3. They never went to harverd etc.. and just lied their ways into high positions and now they don't know what to do.

    4. They are just really really really dumb.

    5. They actually have a plan and all these seamingly dumb ideas somehow fit together to produce something big that we couldn't possibly figure out.

    -tfga

    --
    This comment does not represent the views or opinions of the user.
  3. The dilemma by quintessent · · Score: 5, Funny
    "Well, honey, we have 3 choices. We can get in the car and drive to the video store, which you know we don't want to do, because getting into the car is too much work, so that's out. we can order the DVD from Amazon and be able watch it in 5 days. Or we can start downloading it now and have it ready to watch in 4 1/2 days."

    "Didn't you say the neighbors had a copy of this on DVD?"

    --
    Donate background CPU time to fight cancer.
    1. Re:The dilemma by jack.d.ripper · · Score: 2, Funny

      "Didn't you say the neighbors had a copy of this on DVD?"

      "Yes, but they only purchased two viewing licenses. It'll cost us $5.00 each to purchase temporary viewing licenses to watch the movie with them tonight. Still, it is easier - we can just swipe our credit card through the MPAA-Enabled TV (the only type you can buy nowadays) to buy the licenses."

      "Well can't we just borrow the DVD?"

      "Honey! Are you nuts! President Valenti declared that a federal crime last week, punishable by 10 years in prison."

      Fortunately, the couple's 10 year old son, who had just completed his school's mandatory "Sharing is Un-American" program, overheard this conversation. Following the instructions he memorized during the program, he immediately contacted the proper authorities. The next day, friendly agents of the MPAA arrived to escort his mother to the nearest 'Happy Camp', for her own good and for the good of America. She completed the re-education program within a year, and is now a productive, dues-paying, consuming member of society.

  4. Re:[Flash Quiz!] Ladies and Gentlemen... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Hope they don't intend to use the PC real time clock to check the time, cuz mine's busted and resets itself to Jan 1 1997 every time I reboot...

  5. Re:[Flash Quiz!] Ladies and Gentlemen... by loconet · · Score: 5, Funny

    and the bonus question for this quiz.....

    How many bytes of perl code will it take this time?

    --
    [alk]
  6. Re:[Flash Quiz!] Ladies and Gentlemen... by zpengo · · Score: 3, Funny
    Next week, we'll discuss the ROT-13 encryption used in some EBooks. Class dismissed.

    You just gave away the secret to decrypting Adobe's format. I'm gonna call the feds on you!

    --


    Got Rhinos?
  7. Peaking? by CDanek · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...so no peaking until you're ready to watch it ALL.

    That sounds strangely sexual..