Will People Really Boycott Apple Over DRM?

Ian Lamont writes "DefectiveByDesign.org is waging a battle against DRM with a 35-day campaign targeting various hardware and software products from Microsoft, Nintendo, and others. On day 11 it blasted iTunes for continuing to use DRM-encumbered music, games, TV shows, movies, audiobooks, and apps with DRM, while competitors are selling music without restrictions. DefectiveByDesign calls on readers to include 'iTunes gift cards and purchases in your boycott of all Apple products' to 'help drive change.' However, there's a big problem with this call to arms: most people simply don't care about iTunes DRM. Quoting: 'The average user is more than willing to pay more money for hobbled music because of user interface, ease of use, and marketing. ... Apple regularly features exclusive live sets from popular artists, while Amazon treats its digital media sales as one more commodity being sold.' What's your take on the DRM schemes used by Apple and other companies? Is a boycott called for, and can it be effective?"

Comments

Apple boycott is an oxymoron

[meist3r]

People that buy Apple products don't care about logic or reason in any case.

People that boycott stuff would never buy from Apple for reasons of logic.

Mutually exclusive.

Attacking the short poll in the tent

[goombah99]

There DBD folks have the head up their asses. They win no freinds when they go after the short poll in the DRM tent.

It was not till apple came along and prices songs at $1 that it became attractive to put up with the conveniences of their system versus free but inconvenient pirated music.

They created the speed bump model of DRM for music. So actual barriers but speed bumps to limit the rate of spread of music sharing over music purchasing.

With video it appears they may be moving to a more locked down model. It's too early to tell. But why begin by attacking apple? go after the long poll in the tent.