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Walmart To Close Online Music Store
UnknowingFool writes "Beginning August 28, 2011 Walmart will close its online downloadable music store. After eight years, Walmart will no longer offer music for download but will still sell physical music formats. Walmart will keep their DRM servers online for customers that purchased their music with DRM. Despite having cheaper music, the store's market is tiny compared to No. 1 and 2, Apple and Amazon respectively."
Seriously, a lot of people will never know that Wal-mart sells stuff online.
In before "Its the pirates' fault"
For how long?
the more you know. Not that I would ever use their service.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
That...is when the universe...will end.
There is just no room for the little guy anymore.
Hopefully the ignorant public who bought those hobbled files will learn a valuable lesson about the evils of DRM when the server is eventually shut down.
Customers should not have to worry how much longer a business will operate a DRM server after the profit motive has disappeared.
If they begin to worry because of Wal-Mart's announcement then hopefully they won't buy anything with DRM, ever, for any reason.
...nothing of value was lost.
So anyone who jumps aboard their video streaming service announced 2 weeks ago can get a glimpse of their future right now, eh?
We know where leadership by an anti-intellectual "strongman" who scapegoats minorities and likes boisterous rallies goes
Why would they need to keep DRM servers for music that they sell with no DRM? Or are you one of those idiots who missed the memo and didn't realize that iTunes music has been DRM-free for nearly 2 years now?
I will not buy music that is DRM. Oh you bought over 1000$ in music with DRM? Great, now you can't use it anymore.
haven't been able to use/play/burn/anything any of the old wma tracks we purchased from walmart before they switched to mp3s in over a year (even on previously 'authorized' systems with no hardware changes that would affect licensing). their service sucks, they won't do a dang thing to fix it nor will they refund our money.
Actually iTunes offered DRM free music before Amazon starting May 2007 with EMI tracks. It wasn't until 2009 before all the major studios agreed.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
Perhaps he's one of those idiots who didn't rebuy their music when Apple offered people to pay to upgrade to DRM-free. Sure he'll be fine as long as he can keep around a computer that is authorized & hopefully he has done the burn & rip option to preserve the music, but that doesn't mean that Apple might not still be in that boat (remember that IE6 & XP are still around - 10 years after release).
If I've learned anything over the years I've learned that putting any amount of weight behind a Slashtard's prediction on future markets is a foolish mistake. After all, it was you same fucks that were claiming that by 2001 Microsoft was going to have gone the way of the dinosaur, Linux would be on most desktops soon after and the iPod would fail. You fuckers don't know shit.
No, he would be an idiot for not finding the many free programs that will strip out the DRM.
I understand, but I was using the latter date to stave off the person that would have come along with the grand comeback of "NUH UH THEY WERE STILL SELLING TEH DRM MUSAK IN 2007 and 2008!!".
I never even knew they had a music store, and would have boycotted it just the same as we have their big box stores if I had.
Still, its ironic that the first time I hear about it is when it's closing.
Another example that starting AND maintaining a music / media service is not a simple task. First you have to deal with the nuts in Hollywood on DRM and music catalogs etc. --- Then you have to have a coherent vision for your service and superb software --- Oh, and it would be good if you had either a cool device for consumers ... or a seamless way for consumers to get their media to any number of other devices. Lastly you have to have staying power to go on and on and on and on
Love it - hate it - or just use it ---- iTunes has been there for 10yrs (an eon in tech time) ..... surrender, it just works .....
Its not the years, its the mileage
Now I know i just read last week that Walmart was going to open an online Video store to compete against Netflix and now Amazon. I wonder what makes them think they can succeed at this when they failed with music and now why anyone would trust the service.
DRM servers?
That means you can't listen to the songs offline?
Having used the Walmart service a few times myself, I always found it to be a pretty good one.
I remember being surprised at the extent of the catalog they offered, but that was at least more than 5 years ago.
I should say that as highly as I value Apple's hardware––and used to swear by their software (now, not so much, just give us 'BSD for cryin' out loud)––I have never liked iTunes or its store.
Walmart would've done better I think to put those "create your own mix CD" machines into their stores. I believe that was their original plan a long time ago and it's probably a better fit for their clientele.
Of course, the downside would be kids hanging around the elec. dept. like it was a "malt shop", legal challenges from the RIAA about extra fees for discouraging album-unit sales, and teeth-gnashing from tweedy musicologists about how "Walmart is killing the concept album as an artistic medium."
So, maybe it's better this way.