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Music DRM in Critical Condition?
ianare writes "Universal Music Group, the largest music company on the planet, has announced that the company is going to sell DRM-free music. The test will see UMG offering a portion of its catalog — primarily its most popular content — sold without DRM between August 21 and January 31 of next year. The format will be MP3, and songs will sell for 99 each, with the bitrate to be determined by the stores in question. RealNetwork's Rhapsody service will offer 256kbps tracks, the company said in a separate statement. January 31 is likely more of a fire escape than an end date. If UMG doesn't like what they're seeing, they'll pull the plug. UMG says that it wants to watch how DRM-free music affects piracy rates."
Everyone should make a mental note to not download anything illegal until end of Jan 2008, or at least don't get caught doing so.
Virtual Betting on Facebook for non-geeks.
That is hilarious. Universal refuses to sign a contract, and will do business with Apple strictly "at will".
Oh the irony! The music giant that doesn't believe it should have to sign a contract just to get distributed.
And apparently regretted it ever since.
Watch the evil companies, dont trust them. They will put tracking software in those non drm songs. Once they are shared on a p2p net, they will track every ip adres and every user. The p2p community will be doomed. Mwhoehahaha.... oh wait I am on the good side of this, so I should be crying.
* RSITDANTMUFG = Random Stab In The Dark At Number That Make Us Feel Good Normally I'd agree completely, but aren't you starting to get the feeling that the people that run these giant media conglomerates just have a huge cigarbox in the boardroom for their cash? As in:
Suit 1: (opens box) "Hey, there used to be more cash in here! I want more!"
Suit 2: "Oh noes! Why did the box stop making cash?!"
Suit 1: "Maybe someone TOOK OUR CASH!"
Suit 2: "Took... you mean, like... pirates?"
Suit 1: (gasp) "Pirates! Yes, must be pirates! We must kill the pirates!"
Janitor: "Hey, don't you guys actually make money from helping new artists distribute their music to a wider audience?"
Suit 1: "Huh? Who are you? Someone throw him out... Now, let's vote, who wants to kill pirates and so the box makes more cash?"
Suits 2,3: "Yay! More cash!"
Better than CD quality damn you. Oh, and a pony, I want a pony!
How we know is more important than what we know.
I do accept the "right to exist" for the music industry
Why?
== Jez ==
Do you miss Firefox? Try Pale Moon.
I dunno, I was pretty sure it meant 99 red balloons.
You are welcome on my lawn.
CEOs are people
Spoiler!!!
This post is awesome.
Suit 1: (opens box) "Hey, there used to be more cash in here! I want more!"
Suit 2: "Oh noes! Why did the box stop making cash?!"
Suit 1: "Maybe someone TOOK OUR CASH!"
Suit 2: "Took... you mean, like... pirates?"
Suit 1: (gasp) "Pirates! Yes, must be pirates! We must kill the pirates!"
Janitor: "Hey, don't you guys actually make money from helping new artists distribute their music to a wider audience?"
Suit 1: "Huh? Who are you? Someone throw him out... Now, let's vote, who wants to kill pirates and so the box makes more cash?"
Suits 2,3: "Yay! More cash!"
Did something like this happen next?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iakR7sB0skw
Only to idiots, are orders laws.
-- Henning von Tresckow
I'll download a song, and if I don't like it, I'll go buy it.
Wow, you're like the best consumer ever!
Oh no no no. Archival quality music is obviously a much higher value, so once Universal is happy with online music sales, excpect online lossily-compressed music to be priced at current CD price levels, and actual CD prices to increase by 50%. If they don't do this, they are obviously not getting their fair share of the pie! Also just think: if they start distributing lossless archival-quality music, then EVERYONE will have access to content that is the same quality as the digital master tape, and if THAT happens, people will be trading mix CDs and no one will ever buy a CD again. OH NOES, IT'LL BE ANARCHY!!
Won't anyone please think of the poor starving artists?
The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
... causing global warming.
They're one of the worst. It is they who persuaded Microsoft to let them charge Zune users a Zune-tax. Let them lift that tax first.
Here's a secret tip: you can decline to pay the Zune-tax. I did it, and surprisingly, it works like a charm!
Follow these steps carefully:
1. Do not buy a fucking Zune
2. ???
3. Profit!
Plus, with this method, you don't have yet another piece of plastic junk littering your living quarters.
Inflation is a bitch.
Check out my lame java blog at www.javachopshop.com
What female groupies provide has tremendous value and should be considered a sizable portion of the income a musician receives. Just think about how much that service would cost if purchased outright.
Why bother.