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Report from the ACM DRM Workshop
Anonymous Coward writes "There's open skepticism from researchers about the ability of DRM to solve Hollywood's copy protection problems. Read Edward Felten's review here... Papers from the workshop are available online as well."
The text from the article says:
Proposals for systems involving mandatory watermark detection in rendering devices try to impact the effectiveness of [file sharing systems].... In addition to severe commercial and social problems, these schemes suffer from several technical deficiencies, which, in the presence of an effective [file sharing system], lead to their complete collapse. We conclude that such schemes are doomed to failure.
Note, the article actually says that the watermarking is doomed to failure... not p2p. I've got no idea where on earth you got that text, but its not correct.
Karma: SELECT `karma` FROM `users` WHERE `userid`=138474;
This is a good reason to support Congressman Boucher and the Digital Choice and Freedom Act of 2002. They are trying to actually get fair rights usage on the law books, not just as court case precidents (esp. since the DMCA stripped a lot of our rights away and this takes some back). It is not slated to appear this congressional session. However, it never hurts to start calling your Reps and asking them to sponsor the bill.
/end paranoid sounding political rant
Info on the bill
The article about CD-Audio watermarking (which is a very good read) is in GhostScript format.
Just in case you don't have the ability to read it, you can get the viewer program by following the instructions here and here.
This might be redundant, but I didn't have it on my Windows machine, and the article was really worth the trouble to find it. Figured I'd save others the headache...unless I'm the only one here who didn't have it.
Slashdot - Come for the creative thought, stay for the lesbians!
I am developing a DRM solution for a major record label. I am a loving slashdot poster and feel the same as all of you. But the client wanted it and I had to oblige or not get the contratc.
.wma files. I had the same opinions of the recording industry as many of you. Like "they are dumb, they should be doing..." What you (and I) don't realize, is that they have access to much more information than we do. They DO know everything. They DO have their reasons for their implementation.s They have thought it out.
I had to implement Windows DRM on Windows Audio files. The Windows DRM server is a mess. With no support, incomplete and documentation that flat out LIES. They LIE repeatedly through the documentation, or they simply make statements in one instance that directly conflict with others. FYI, the windows development community is outstanding. There are tons of free apps and sample code. This is the first time I've ever had to rely soley on MS for support as there is no community for DRM. It was a horrible experience.
With all of that aside, I did get it built. The record companies know how well DRM works, especially on
They don't care if DRM only partially works. That is all it needs to do. With the low costs of distribution, they can model the risk/reward, profit/loss easily. Volume is the key in the recording industry.
Many people WILL buy the albums/songs regardless if the technology can be circumvented. ANY technology on any platform has their open flaws, this is just another. As we all do, they play the %'s.
My $.02, it may not mean much, but I have seen it all in a new light.
You mean like the Micro Music Clip Players? :-)
Belief is the currency of delusion.
that I got out of the papers so far, is that if I want to rip copy protected audio CDs, I'll get a plextor drive and use CD Paranoia (see this paper for more information).
My Slashdot account is old enough to drink...
Of course, recordings of performances of those works are protected by copyright even though the original manuscript score and direct copies thereof are in the public domain. A new printing with modern notation or annotation would constitute a work worthy of copyright, though. Works in the public domain have no GPL on them :-)
...will kill any attempt for DRM. DRM stops being effective at the component output level. But at the point where it has to pass a digital signal, DRM loses. So my computer won't let me access the section of memory with the "movie," fine. I'll just use two computers. One has a "movie" I can't touch, but ultimately I can get my hands on the digital video feed from my vid card and the digital sound feed from my sound card. How hard is it to then have a second computer, with the sound feed going into the "line in" and the digital video feed going into a video capture card? Then just splice the sound and video together. And since the pirating scene depends on really a few groups, soon after release on DVD a big MPEG will go up, DRM or no, in near-DVD quality. So I don't know who they're fooling.
-Looking for a job as a materials chemist or multivariat
Sure, maybe you won't make another LOTR, but you might make Pi, which was one of the best sci-fi movies of the 90s IMO. There are some really good independently produced movies out there, many of which are anything but 'clunky-but-adorable'.
I would recomend sending a professinaly writen *snail mail* about this bill. I have always found I get personal letters when I do so.
Make sure you play the "partyline" and "supporting my views" somewhere in your letter. It also doesn't hurt to explain how copyright works (my old congresscriter actually didn't really have a firm grasp if I am to judge by his first reply to a mailing) and why it is important to protect the public domain or abolish copyright.
Partline arguments:
R=increased goverment rights given at the expense of the citizens inherent right to copy in an effort to protect a buisness model.
D=increased corperate control given at the expense of the consumer in an effort to save a failing buisness model.
It also helps not to use the words "failing buisness model" if you don't have the qualifications to make that statment. Just be honest and clear (at most 4 paragraphs, a strong thesis and a clear closing)
I live in a giant bucket.