DRM and the PRO-IP Act - Limited time opportunity?

[Leo Mauler]

--- On Sun, 10/26/08, Jon Pruente <jdpruente at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sat, Oct 25, 2008 at 9:53 PM, Leo Mauler
> <webgiant at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > The author of XKCD would like to point out 
> > that Amazon.com's online MP3 store sells 
> > non-DRMed MP3 files, so strictly speaking 
> > you probably do have a choice other than 
> > the instant-criminal pirate download or 
> > the delayed-criminal DRM option.

> Of course, Apple offers DRM-free files for those 
> who actually look for them.  It's up to the 
> labels to put them on there, but the option for 
> no DRM on iTunes purchases is there.  That's one 
> reason I get annoyed at some who write about DRM 
> and bash it's use in iTunes.  It's not up to Apple 
> to add the DRM, it's a label decision.  Apple just 
> has the ability to handle both types of files and 
> leave the choice to those who put the content in 
> the store.  I don't think Apple/Audible/others
> are particularly to blame, so much as the recording 
> labels.

So "Apple" isn't to blame for *allowing* razorblade-spiked Halloween apples among their other Halloween apples because "Apple" didn't put the razorblades in the spiked Halloween apples?

iTunes is an enabler of DRM, if nothing else, and the complaints about iTunes are thus valid and should be there, if for no other reason but to poison DRM in the minds of Apple execs.  Whether or not the label chooses to put the DRM content into iTunes or not, its still up to Apple whether to *sell* the DRM content or not.

With any luck the extreme hatred EA Games is getting from gamers over the draconian DRM in "Spore" should have a chilling effect on DRM in general, but DRM needs to be opposed on all fronts: both the content creators and the content distributors need to be told just how much people want to be able to control content they buy.