The question at hand is if we also let Apple get away with it, or if we enforce the law against them, thus guaranteeing MS takes over the market. Apple's tying to the iPod is the only thing holding them back right now.
This is rather contradictory. You seem to state that we must choose whether to enforce the law with Apple or not...and if we do, MS will step in to this recently vacated market slot. When it comes to DRM at this point, if we enforce anti-trust law against Apple, we will not allow MS to step forward and do the same.
There is no tenable argument for allowing DRM to proceed, be it with Apple or MS. Let Apple slide today, here comes Vista. Get tough with Apple, as the EC wants to do, and it gets harder for Vista as well.
demanding that Apple open up its music
This is bothersome to me. Apple has managed to blur the line to the extent that people refer to "Apple's music". Apple is licensed to sell music through their store, but that is all.
Average mp3 users don't recognize the basic elements in this, because of this tawdry marketing blitz. Average users used to think that mp3s themselves were illegal.
My preferred method of obtaining music is to purchase whole CDs, not individual tracks. I buy CDs through the artist sites, or through sites like CDBaby, or through Amazon-listed stores. The moment I get the CD in my hands, I immediately "rip" the files onto my computer, because CD end up getting damaged. When that happens, I burn a replacement CD right away.
I load my ripped songs onto my ipod. I burn CDs of my favorites, to leave in the car, use in other players, etc. Not a bit of that is illicit - it's all fair use.
Apple has paid a lot in licensing fees, they have a big store. Other than that, they have brought absolutely nothing to the equation but confusion for users, and an ultimately lawed business model.
Your zeal is impressive. Don't let it somehow convince you that I am interested in seeing MS slide on DRM. I don't want MS to be able to do it any more that I do Apple. The point is, this is the firing line for Apple's DRM efforts; the battles are yet to come with Vista. First things first.
That's all well and good - but there is no reason to ease up on Apple. If anything, their failure to institute DRM on their terms will ultimately aid in the fight against Redmond. Everyday consumers are not far from the point where they can understand what's on the table with DRM. If Apple serves as sacrificial lamb, so be it. Why should a special status be accorded Apple when they fail?
DRM is nothing more than a lazy revenue model. Yes, ITMC owns the rights to the music catalogs...but they add no value for the consumer. They've staked out too much ground, and they will fail as they try to defend it - rightly so.
You have:
1. A music file
2. A music file player
3. An online store for the music files
None of those elements should be laden down with branding. If I want to buy music song-per-song, I should be able to do so easily. The product should not be tied into some proprietary player. It should not degrade when I convert it to a different format - not by design, anyway.
I should be able to buy, listen, and collect the music in whatever way I see fit. Anything they add to that equation is doomed to failure.
Let me raise the bugbear of The Artist who created the music. What does any of this market scheming do for them? What does sit do for me, as a User?
I realize that Apple is doing what it can to make money - just as MS does, and plans to take far, far beyond this - but that doesn't mean I have to applaud or play along. Too bad if it endangers their revenue model - make money by improving your computers and hardware, Steve! Lots of work to do there, IMO
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What has not been achieved by FOSS in the world of video will be in due course. Video presents no special barriers.
How about this - nail MS, then nail Apple. Sound good?
The question at hand is if we also let Apple get away with it, or if we enforce the law against them, thus guaranteeing MS takes over the market. Apple's tying to the iPod is the only thing holding them back right now.
This is rather contradictory. You seem to state that we must choose whether to enforce the law with Apple or not...and if we do, MS will step in to this recently vacated market slot. When it comes to DRM at this point, if we enforce anti-trust law against Apple, we will not allow MS to step forward and do the same. There is no tenable argument for allowing DRM to proceed, be it with Apple or MS. Let Apple slide today, here comes Vista. Get tough with Apple, as the EC wants to do, and it gets harder for Vista as well.
demanding that Apple open up its music This is bothersome to me. Apple has managed to blur the line to the extent that people refer to "Apple's music". Apple is licensed to sell music through their store, but that is all. Average mp3 users don't recognize the basic elements in this, because of this tawdry marketing blitz. Average users used to think that mp3s themselves were illegal. My preferred method of obtaining music is to purchase whole CDs, not individual tracks. I buy CDs through the artist sites, or through sites like CDBaby, or through Amazon-listed stores. The moment I get the CD in my hands, I immediately "rip" the files onto my computer, because CD end up getting damaged. When that happens, I burn a replacement CD right away. I load my ripped songs onto my ipod. I burn CDs of my favorites, to leave in the car, use in other players, etc. Not a bit of that is illicit - it's all fair use. Apple has paid a lot in licensing fees, they have a big store. Other than that, they have brought absolutely nothing to the equation but confusion for users, and an ultimately lawed business model.
Your zeal is impressive. Don't let it somehow convince you that I am interested in seeing MS slide on DRM. I don't want MS to be able to do it any more that I do Apple. The point is, this is the firing line for Apple's DRM efforts; the battles are yet to come with Vista. First things first.
That's all well and good - but there is no reason to ease up on Apple. If anything, their failure to institute DRM on their terms will ultimately aid in the fight against Redmond. Everyday consumers are not far from the point where they can understand what's on the table with DRM. If Apple serves as sacrificial lamb, so be it. Why should a special status be accorded Apple when they fail? DRM is nothing more than a lazy revenue model. Yes, ITMC owns the rights to the music catalogs...but they add no value for the consumer. They've staked out too much ground, and they will fail as they try to defend it - rightly so.
You have: 1. A music file 2. A music file player 3. An online store for the music files None of those elements should be laden down with branding. If I want to buy music song-per-song, I should be able to do so easily. The product should not be tied into some proprietary player. It should not degrade when I convert it to a different format - not by design, anyway. I should be able to buy, listen, and collect the music in whatever way I see fit. Anything they add to that equation is doomed to failure. Let me raise the bugbear of The Artist who created the music. What does any of this market scheming do for them? What does sit do for me, as a User? I realize that Apple is doing what it can to make money - just as MS does, and plans to take far, far beyond this - but that doesn't mean I have to applaud or play along. Too bad if it endangers their revenue model - make money by improving your computers and hardware, Steve! Lots of work to do there, IMO