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French Lawmakers Approve 'iTunes Law'

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the play-together-and-enjoy-it dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Lawmakers in the French government have passed a controversial iTunes law, which has the stated intention of forcing Apple to allow purchased music to be universally useable." From the article: "In a statement issued after lawmakers hashed out the final compromise text last week, Apple said it hoped the market would be left to decide 'which music players and online music stores are offered to consumers.' The final compromise asserts that companies should share the required technical data with any rival that wants to offer compatible music players and online stores, but it toned down many of the tougher measures backed by lower-house lawmakers early on."

3 of 423 comments (clear)

  1. The market can only decide if it CAN decide by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's quite cynical from a patent holder to invoke the right for free trade and the idea that in a free market the customer will settle the question which good is better.

    He cannot.

    Actually, the French decision IS the epitome of free trade: BOTH products, the iPod and iTunes have to succeed as the best platform. You can't have one product "tag along" with the other one. BOTH have to be successful to be the main player.

    Now, I wonder if that verdict can be applied to the hassle around Windows and Media Player/IE...

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  2. This story is misleading - that was is awfully bad by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    This article presents the DADVSI law as if it would be good for free software. It isn't.

    With the law as it is passed, there is a very real risk that anyone in France who distributes software such as libdvdcss could face up to three years in prison.

    Don't be distracted by the headlines about Apple. This law could be a major blow to legal playback of DVD and other protected digital media using free software.

  3. READ WIKIPEDIA'S ARTICLE by Submarine · · Score: 5, Informative

    Just read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DADVSI
    Most news sources just tell rubbish about this law.

    This so-called "iTunes law" began as a law meant to criminalize peer-to-peer file sharing as well as any circumvention of DRMs.

    The so-called "iTunes" clauses were introduced as amendments, proposed by free software activists who wanted to save the legal possibility of making free software players. Apple was a side casualty.