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Latest Toast Update Combats Fair Use
gsfprez writes "Apparently, demanding future DRM installations isn't just for Windows anymore. Roxio has added a very Microsoft-esque paragraph to the Toast 5.1.4 upgrade. In part, if you install it, you 'may affect your ability to copy, display and/or play Secure Content through the Software or other applications that utilize the Software.' I'm sorry, but this is a big reason why I'm sticking with Apple, but looking for new CD/DVD burning software..." Let me know when you find it.
Is there anything illegal about a content provider (someone who works his ass off to make content that others might enjoy) saying "ok, you have two choices". "I can leave my new movie in my underwear drawer where noone can see it, or I can sell it to you under the condition that you will only be able to view it with devices that cannot easily copy the movie". Is there anything ammoral with this?
The BIG content providers who make this stuff want to protect their investment. Why shouldn't they try? Some of you have suggested that the whole process is futile ; people will always be able to hack it. The latter may be true, but if the recording companies can make it hard enough (with only allowing DRM devices to play their content, ect) they can make it so that the customer who is "on the fence" between warezing and buying it (i.e. someone who could do either) makes the right choice because warezing it is tedious.
Thus, for the goal that the content providers want : to gain more sales from people who might otherwise pirate; DRM and other techniques may actually work! Now, for the people who cannot or will not buy the content : yeah, they'll warez it...but the anti-piracy measures can make it tougher. By breaking up the big P2P networks, it becomes slightly harder to pirate music. By copy protecting cds, it becomes less convenient for the average customer to burn his friend a copy. Macrovision has stopped many casual copiers.
I'm saying that while us /. pros may be able to blow past just about any protection scheme the content providers devise, we might not buy the content anyway. But for the average joe who's been working all day and just wants to see a movie : he is probably going to get the legitimate copy to avoid all the technical headaches piracy can involve.
While making music may be an art that people do just to enjoy it, making a major movie is anything but. Yes, there are fun parts...but remember, only a few people out of the hundreds that make the movie get to express their creativity. The others have to obey orders "Build this set, clean this trailer, hold this camera like I want it, say these lines but don't call attention to yourself...ect". While movies can be fun, its a lot of work especially for the people who add in all the extras that separate a big budget production from an Indie film. Those people have to be paid, or they are likely to tell the director to go shove it. So if noone paid for movies, films of the quality we currently experience would not be made.