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Playfair Relocates to India
Lord Grey writes "Imagine my surprise to see playfair 0.5.0 appear on Freshmeat's project list. Remember, the project was pulled after Apple filed a Cease-and-Desist order just a few days ago. playfair's new web site talks a bit about the move, as well as sporting the latest release of the controversial utility."
For once I don't agree with something like this and it's Playfair. Apple works with open source and even uses it in it operating system. They use the DRM to appease the recording companies. They were able and did negotiate the best possible license to download the music. They charge what they are charged per song ($.99). Granted they are no super nice guy and are still in for the profit, but they try and I have yet to find a time where I would need to strip out the DRM unless to share with the masses.
It's like picking a friends pocket.
Evolution or ID?
But probably not for the reasons you would think. Apple is probably under contract to release the music under DRM only. The sad thing is they would probably make more money if they just sold MP3's. People would probably steal less too. I know the RIAA has an antiquated business model and they probably deserve to go into the toilet, but I do feel sorry for them.
If they would just stop trying to oppress the music listeners and just satisfy them, maybe they would do a little better.
Corporations should no by now, just telling someone not to do something makes them want to do it more. If they sold MP3's, more people would take their complaints more seriously.
You can't legislate goodness. Let each to his own destiny, by will of his freely made choices.
This was exactly the wrong thing to do.
Rather than working with Apple to try to resolve their differences, whomever is responsible for this little hack (the person or persons responsible refuse to attach their name to their work or their collateral) decided to just slip through what many perceive as a loophole in the law.
This does nothing to legitimize the hack or the idea behind it. Rather, it does just the opposite: it makes it clear to all interested parties that the person or persons behind this are more interested in finding ways to subvert the system than working within it to improve it.
Apple's support for "fair use" is obvious. They specifically added features to iMovie, iDVD, and iPhoto that allow you to use purchased or ripped music in your own media projects, even if the tracks you want to use are protected by FairPlay.
Doing this kind of end-run around Apple, instead of working with them to come to a resolution, completely de-legitimizes the whole effort for me, and I'm sure for many others.
If you want to assume the moral high ground--"I don't believe the majority of the people who use my program will use it so that they can share their files on Kazaa."--then you'd damn well better stick to it, instead of cutting and running for the sewer at the first sign of trouble.
Dumb, dumb.
I write in my journal
I think this is a pretty good example of how silly laws like the DMCA only restrict commerce in their own country. If India shuts this project down, how many other places could this be hosted? Many.
How does that song from the Disney ride go again? Oh ya, "Its a small world after all..."
Great ideas often receive violent opposition from mediocre minds. - Albert Einstein
Umm .. if people are using Fairplay to remove the DRM from their iTMS bought songs then guess which format they'll end up with: AAC.
Now imagine if those said people start distributing those AAC across the P2P networks. Guess which player is commonly associated with reading AAC files: iTunes.
Which may in turn drive those people to use iTMS for those songs they can't get off the networks. Now these people have all these AAC files, which device is commonly associated with AAC support: iPod.
So it seems like either way Apple wins ?
Funtage Factor: Purple
This comment discusses some of the issues of sending work to another country: It is successful? Is it successful over 20 years? Those who outsource to another country should not assume that the laws of another country are the same as the home country, as the PlayFair author demonstrates.
I agree with the PlayFair author: "I want to be able to play the music I buy wherever I want to play it without quality loss, since I PAID FOR that quality."
Treating everyone as dishonest because some people are dishonest is abusive.
Nevertheless, moving PlayFair to another country to escape the domination of the rich, government-corrupting interests in this country shows one of the issues of outsourcing.
Apple deserves nothing but condemnation for threatening frivolous lawsuits against them. There is more "Bill the Borg" in Apple than most people think
Corporations are supposed to play by the rules of business, which are laws. "Bill the Borg" routinely broke those rules to get ahead. Apple is not breaking any laws.
Your problem is with the law, so what you are really complaining about is the lawmaking/decision skills of American legislators. So by proxy what you are really mad about is the gullibility and/or apathy of American voters.
If you don't like the US and you live there feel free to move out. Don't presume to tell Apple how to run their business though. That's what the law is for.
I would hardly call Apple suing these guys a frivolous lawsuit. Unfortunately, because people lack moral character these days, Fairplay is a necessary evil. Apple doesn't want to use Fairplay, hell, they provide one of the most lenient DRM schemes. But the fact remains that Apple NEEDS Fairplay in order to continue to distribute music. Do you think the record labels would allow Apple to sell music through iTunes without DRM? Do you think the record labels may reconsider Apple's ability to sell music online as a result of Playfair? Apple essentially has to do something about PlayFair or risk losing the iTunes music store.
Besides, Apple already provides an acceptable (By most users and the record labels) method of removing the DRM... burn it to a CD. If you're vain enough to complain about the degradation in sound that results from ripping and re-encoding, you shouldn't be buying anything other than CDs, DVD-Audio, and SACDs.
You raise an interesting point - what would happen in the US to an application developed largely in Cuba? I can't see most European countries having a problem with it, except indirectly (can't be partners with US companies because you use Cuban products -- can they still do that?) but how would it play in the US?
This is where the serious fun begins.
"If you don't like the US and you live there feel free to move out. Don't presume to tell Apple how to run their business though."
There is this little thing called the Constitution. Ever hear of the First Amendment? According to it, I can tell Apple whatever I want to, including how to run their business. They don't have to listen, but I can still tell them.
They have a flexible DRM policy (without which they wouldn't even be able to offer the service to begin with).
How do I play encumbered files on my Tivo home media player?
How do I play them at work on my Linux box, even if they're streaming off my iPod?
Thieves are thieves, if they hadn't purchased the songs in the first place they wouldn't need this utility, and there's plenty of files in sharing anyways. People use the iTunes store for convenience, and quality fast downloads. Sharing cracked iTunes files is kind of silly, frankly, because you're definitely not gonna have the same ease-of-use and quick-downloadability that makes the itms worth the 'premium'.
Remember, DRM is keeping control of a product after it is sold. It's like signing a contract that the seller can change at any time in a way that is bad for you and "good" for the seller.
See Zealots Attack for an excellent explanation about why PlayFair should be allowed, from the man who wrote the library PlayFair uses:
Zealots attack
I've been getting some emails from angry Mac zealots. Many of them start out similar to this: None of them explain how this is different and why GNU/Linux users should not be allowed to play legally bought music. Instead they go on to rave about how great iTMS is and that the imposed DRM is a good compromise. If they hadn't been completely clueless about copyright law, they'd know that Fair Use is the compromise. Some of them claim that this will lead to the RIAA imposing stricter DRM. Did they suddenly realize that it's the RIAA, and not Apple, which determines the rules for the iTMS DRM? When they complain about Microsoft's DRM used by other music stores, why do they think that it's Microsoft, and not the RIAA, which determines the DRM rules?
They have failed to understand that by buying into DRM they have given the seller complete control over the product after it's been sold. The RIAA can at any time change the DRM rules, and considering their history it's likely that they will when the majority of consumers have embraced DRM and non-DRM products have been phased out. Some DVDs today include commercials which can't be skipped using "sanctioned" players. If the RIAA forces Apple to include commercials, what excuses will the Mac zealots come up with? "It's a good compromise"?
Here's how one of the emails, from a guy in the UK who's working on his Ph.D, ends: Funny stuff. I just hope I have enough room in
"There has grown up in the minds of certain groups in this country the notion that because a man or corporation has made a profit out of the public for a number of years, the government and the courts are charged with the duty of guaranteeing such profit in the future, even in the face of changing circumstances and contrary to public interest. This strange doctrine is not supported by statute or common law. Neither individuals nor corporations have any right to come into court and ask that the clock of history be stopped, or turned back."
You are somewhat incorrect. DMCA type provisions on technological measures and rights management information stem from the WIPO Copyright Treaties (http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/wct/index.html ) for which there are a number of signatories. This does not _yet_ include India (although a draft has been completed: http://itmatters.com.ph/news/news_01172000a.html), but it does include other countries (not to mention the many that are still in draft stage ...).
_ id=15659).
These are the equivalent to offshore tax havens, yet in the context of ipr. Expect to find that (as occurred with tax havens) pressure and other activities to reduce the usefulness of them (here you can see one of them by the BSA: http://www.financialexpress.com/print.php?content
Note that a US based service providing links or references may actually be liable, I'm not sure how likely this is, but it bears mulling and thinking about.
There will be no escape from DMCA style provisions in the world. It's too late for this fight. The fight to have now is to preserve fair use, interoperability and other rights within the context of DMCA.
If you don't like the US and you live there feel free to move out.
It really irks me when people can't understand... You can be the best, and still not be good enough.
Just like Windows. (For those that believe it is the best OS. I don't.) You can still suck.
So, where would you suggest moving to? Keeping in mind that the purpose would be to live somewhere better...
--Phillip
Can you say BIRTH TAX
Does Apple have the legal right to do what they're doing? Yes.
The problem is they've spent a couple decades selling themselves as different from all those big, bad corporations. And at one time, that was true. These days, its all so much bullshit.
I'll continue to purchase music from iTMS. I'll continue to use PlayFair. I'll continue to pay for my music and get the use out of it that I am entitled to.
For the last time, you are NOT entitled to play music purchased from iTMS anywhere or anyhow you want . If you don't like it, don't purchase your music there. But this is a clear violation of iTMS's terms of service and use. So if you use *Apple's* system then *they* get to set the rules. Don't like it? Fine. Buy music elsewhere where you like the rules, but don't go into their store and complain and break their rules!
If it is fair use for my ripped music, it should be fair use for my protected music as well. I don't understand the distinction.
So just because you don't understand it you're going to violate the terms of an agreement that you made when using their service? Good to know you're an honest and trustworthy individual. If you really cared about making a statement you wouldn't have agreed to the terms in the beginning. You're trying to have you cake and eat it too. Make up your mind.
The only law I'm breaking is the DMCA, and my karma (the karma that Jobs refers to) will be just fine, because the DMCA is a bad law that I'm convinced will eventually be struck down. To say that I have fair use of my music, but that I can't use the tools to get that fair use is to say that I don't have fair use at all.
You have no clue about civil disobedience. Moreover, it's individuals like yourself and most of the rest of slashdot apparently who are giving a bad name to those who are trying to change the laws.
Who said Freedom was Fair?
How do I play my minidiscs in my tape player?
How do I play my LPs in my CD player?
Canada.
Alphanos
I've read some pretty strange DRM arguments, and come to the conclusion that although I really really like iTunes and root for its success, I'll be breaking the DRM as soon as I can.
If I were to buy iTunes music, I'd want to escape the "fair" restriction of 3 computers, certainly.
I have vinyl that's 20 years old, I have a shit-heap of CD's and I've digitised some of this. Who's going to restrict MY use of MY music?
I don't care about the true colours of other people, I don't condone copyright crime (or theft or whatever) and I LOVE iTunes and iTMS (can't buy yet).
And yes, I'll circumvent the DRM as soon as I can. Of course I will. And I don't care about any or all politics about this, I'll just do it as an extension of MY normal use of MY music.
Or do you think I've re-stocked my vinyl or CD collection after changing my stereo equipment?
And to make matters worse: I'll probably be sharing some of my music around, just as I have been doing for more than 20 years with cassettes.
You now officially have the right to despise me as much as you like.
I think, therefore I am...I think.
What I find sad is the way the newer generations (especially Americans) have dumped all discussion of "reason" in favor of "rights." They will discuss whether x is within their "rights" till they're blue in the face, but won't even think about whether x is "reasonable."
Is it reasonable to publish music CDs that install some program on your Windows box, partially crippling your ability to use your computer? No.
Is it reasonable to sell music online containing DRM (like Apple's) that only affects the sold product? Yes.
Is it reasonable to find and publish a program to defeat such DRM? Hmmm.
"So using Apple's supplied tools to burn a CD, the DRM can be removed. By using playfair, the DRM can be removed. Why is one bad and one not?"
How dare you bring logic into a discussion where Apple is involved?
Now before I get modded Troll let me make a point. I've been reading Slashdot daily for a long long time. In that time we've seen a of programs that do emulation, reserve engineering, etc etc that in the end are applauded for empowering consumers. Over the years I have NEVER seen an outburst like this over something so natural to the computing and electronics world.
Let's go back to the original IBM bios being "cracked". This ushered in a whole new generation of cheaper "clones" and brought affordable computing to the mainstream. Look at Samba, look at DeCSS, look GAIM, look at Novell DOS, look at WINE, look at any of a billion pieces of software or hardware which let people use products in ways not forseen are authorized by the product manufacturers.
Now just because its Apple suddenly we are talking about how a "Criminal" "cracked" Apple's DRM and how we are all a bunch of assholes for not supporting Apple's commercial venture. Sorry but this is just like every article on Slashdot where Apple gets mentioned. Apple users come out in droves to support whatever Apple sells no matter what the story is about. These people are actually defending the DMCA for Christ's sake when you just know that if it were somthing that didn't affect Apple but they pesonally found useful they'd be cheering it on.
This is fanboyism at its worst. I'm sick and tired of reading posts from people who benefit from reverse engineering every single day yet don't even give it a second thought. Like the parent said. WTF is the difference between burning to CD and then ripping as opposed to just ripping? The end result is the same, a nonDRM file. Apple still got paid and you Itunes users seem to think this method for circumventing DRM is just dandy. Why are people who skipped the burning to cd part criminals? Oh I get it, they didn't work within the "Apple approved framework" and we should all be obeying the DMCA when it involves Apple. Hypocrites.
If you wanna get rich, you know that payback is a bitch
Do you think the record labels would allow Apple to sell music through iTunes without DRM?
It astounds me how we look at the labels as these all-powerful lords who we beg to bestow upon us the gift of music. Give me a break.
Yes: if people stop buying CD's because they want to purchase music online, and DRM is continuously cracked or shunned in the marketplace, then the labels will be _forced_ to offer unecumbered tracks. They are subserviant to us, not the other way around. A corporation exists to please it's customers. People do not exists to feed corporations. We came first, remember?
If they continue to dick around with this, an entire generation will be raised who see music as something you download off P2P for free. Then they will be truly screwed. If they act fast, they could theoretically keep the idea of paying for music: i.e. you pay 99 cents for an "official" copy, easy searching, fast download, guaranteed quality, etc. I pay for that. And now that I can strip the DRM I've got no more reservations. I'll buy all my music via iTunes now.
Cheers.