Slashdot Mirror
Sony's Idea of DRM-Free Music
edmicman writes "Leave it to Sony to mess up DRM-free music downloads. What is the point of DRM-free tracks if you still have to go to a retail store to buy them? From the Infoworld article: 'The tracks will be offered in MP3 format, without DRM, from Jan. 15 in the U.S. and from late January in Canada... The move is far from the all-digital service offered by its rivals, though. To obtain the Sony-BMG tracks, would-be listeners will first have to go to a retail store to buy a Platinum MusicPass, a card containing a secret code, for a suggested retail price of $12.99. Once they have scratched off the card's covering to expose the code, they will be able to download one of just 37 albums available through the service, including Britney Spears' "Blackout" and Barry Manilow's "The Greatest Songs of the Seventies."'"
bad form to reply to my own post, for those who can't wait to get their hands on the amazing content listed in TFA and that are currently not in a position to get their card from the local store (due to financial, weather or ethical constraints) here you go:
http://torrents.thepiratebay.org/3823582/Barry_Manilow_-_The_Greatest_Songs_Of_The_Seventies.3823582.TPB.torrent
http://torrents.thepiratebay.org/3958971/Britney_Spears_-_Blackout_(2007)_Dance_%5BBYANOUS%5D.3958971.TPB.torrent
Seriously though, when Sony decided it was ok to include a rootkit with their music I think they did not realize just how much damage they were doing to their brand.
MP3 Search Engine
It means kids can buy them rather than having to rely on a credit card. They take up no shelf space so a lot of convenience stores can offer them rather than just record stores.
Sony is trying to prop up the existing music distribution chain. Instead of going into Wal-Mart to buy a CD, you instead go there to buy a card. Either way, you still had to go to Wal-Mart to get your music. Obviously Wal-Mart will receive some sort of profit off of that sale, in lieu of profit off of an actual CD.
I don't know if this is good or bad. On one hand, it may keep a music section in retailers a bit longer, providing a place to walk in and lay hands on a physical album set. On the other hand, that extra middle-man keeps the cost of music slightly higher. I think this is a fairly responsible thing for Sony to do, because it will help prevent a drastic change which could be detrimental in the short term.
Dan East
Better known as 318230.
Even in a number of Berne Convention signatory countries it is de facto legal because police do not prosecute piracy (and, in some cases, actually facilitate it). Sure, most nations on Earth might have been muscled into signing copyright laws, but add up the populations of countries where piracy flourishes, and it seems that the vast majority of the world doesn't recognize this odd concept of "intellectual property".
Not every country has the ridiculous fine/damage levels as the US. This means that in some countries, you could get caught without being indebted for the rest of your life.
No. But there is a major economic difference: If a car stereo costs $200 at retail, chances are that divides up as something like $125 for parts and assembly cost, $25 transportation costs, and $50 profit divided among manufacturer, middle-men, and retail outlet. For a digital download, "parts and assembly" costs (payment for studio time, session musicians, etc.) are a few thousand dollars ONCE, then never needs to be paid again, transport is dirt-cheap (on the order of pennies per track, even lower in volume), and once the initial costs are recouped, close to 100% of the consumer's cost is profit to the record company. (iTunes has a lower profit margin for the record companies as Apple gets a cut as well.) You will NEVER find that with a physical product.
And I would happily buy a car stereo (or GPS device) that retails new for $200 for $50 at a pawn shop - assuming that I'm fairly certain the owner of the pawn shop was not knowingly in receipt of stolen goods.
Loose things are easy to lose. You're getting your hair cut. They're going there to see their aunt.