What's The Future of DRM?

Posted by Cliff on Thursday October 11, 2001 @06:00AM from the copy-protection-and-loss-of-fair-use dept.

Cdgod asks: "I am working on a thesis regarding DRM (Digital Rights Management). I would like to get it published and instead of having the regular recycled net material, I would like to hear opinions and thoughts on how it should and could work. Think 20 years in the future, how can you see your world with DRM in place? Will it cost you a few pennies every time you look for the time on your watch? Are you limited to only coping that CD 3 times before it is locked forever? Can you think of uses where DRM will actually give the user more rights? Try to think outside the current models in place, such as video on demand, purchasing music online, and DRM e-books. And yes, I will be arguing that the current laws are not taking the user's point of view, but of the large media companies." My personal thoughts on Digital Rights Management (copy protection, for laymen) is that as long as it interferes with the user's use of the material, it's not worthwhile. Most of the current solutions which have been proposed seem more like draconian measures that will be forced down our throats...whether we like it or not.

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How could we see the world with DRM in place? by sulli · 2001-10-11 06:03 · Score: 1, Redundant

It would royally, massively suck. Which is why we need to fight it now with everything we've got. Start by not buying anything using it - DIVX failed in the market, evil DRM can too.

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sulli
RTFJ.
The future of the library by gelfling · 2001-10-11 06:13 · Score: 1, Redundant

DRM could be used to efficiently distribute lending materials over the web while maintaining copywrite. That way you could view or download material from your house and be able to use it for the same 2 week or so period of time you can now from the library. When the time is up you can renew or ignore. Now today authors and copywrite owners are paid by some factor of unit sales be they private or to libraries. In the digital version copywrite owners get paid per a licence fee arragement. If the library wants to be able to distribute 'x' copies of the material it purchases a license to do so. Not one more version is permitted and if you the customer see it in the catalog you might be given a "all available copies have been lent out until 'xxxx'" message. That way the whole notion of infinite copies can be ignored. And certainly material could be copy protected or encrypted so that you couldn't relend. Allow printing just like photocopying is allowed today.