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Re: [News] DRM, Monopoly Debates Reach EU

Roy Schestowitz wrote:

> __/ [ Kier ] on Saturday 17 June 2006 20:10 \__
> 
>> On Sat, 17 Jun 2006 18:21:43 +0000, M wrote:
>> 
>>> Roy Schestowitz wrote:
>>> 
>>>> European officials cautious on iTunes antitrust
>>>> 
>>>> ,----[ Quote ]
>>>> | European competition officials are wary about proposals to crack open
>>>> | Apple Computer's iTunes Web store to other music players, despite
>>>> | concerns shown by consumer advocates.
>>>> | 
>>>> | The French parliament is debating a new copyright bill that would
>>>> | require Apple to permit iTunes music to play on devices other than
>>>> | its iPod.
>>>> | 
>>>> | Scandinavian ombudsmen have said they may act, and others in the
>>>> | European Union are also contemplating doing so.
>>>> `----
>>>> 
>>>>
>>>
>
http://news.com.com/European+officials+cautious+on+iTunes+antitrust/2100-1028_3-6084688.html?tag=nefd.top
>>> 
>>> BBC had a little piece on the news the other night. If you buy a CD you
>>> can sell that on OK, but apparently if you sell your iPod on ebay (or
>>> wherever) and it's full of music, that's illegal. The person who buy's
>>> the iPod has to go to the expense of downloading all that music again.
>>> 
>>> Now what sort of a cretin(s) passes a law like that!
>> 
>> Actually, in a way I can see the rationale behind it. We're allowed to
>> copy our own CDs to an iPod or such, because we own a physical copy of
>> the media, giving us that right. If we sell it on, the buyer may not have
>> those CDs, therefore, technically he has no right to the copied tracks.
>> That's how the law sees it, I presume.
> 
> 
> Also see:
> 
> http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/04/29/0537213&from=rss
> 
>                 Slashdot | Dutch Pass iPod Tax
> 
> Clearly, the government does not like the transition in the e way music is
> traded. These moves are potentially backed and motivated by corporations
> with interests. More latterly, the RIAA began targetting Google Video,
> Youtube and other such services. Where there is free entertainment, there
> has to be a spoilsport, even if most of it is free.
> 
> 
>>> One of the many reasons why I have no patience for all this DRM and
>>> associated crap. These laws are in place to allow the record industry et
>>> al to rip the public off.
> 
> 
> Since I saw it just moments ago, go and watch:
> 
> http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1647626314188526128&q=Linux
> 
> To save you the time, you probably just want to listen to the 43rd minute
> onwards (maybe 2-3 minutes where DRM and public extortion is addressed).
>

Given the DRM crap that is going into Vista, it looks as if the FSF and
Microsoft are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

I didn't realize that DRM and public extortion also extended to classical
music as well.
 
> 
>> I dislike DRM, but I think they do have some form of case here.
>> 
>> the trouble is, the law hasn't kept pace with the technology.
>> Unfortunately for the comsumer, instead of making CDs cheaper, thus
>> encouraging people to buy them, they've actually tried to put the price
>> *up*, and then added all this DRM .
> 
> 
> Once DRM is fully comprehended by the public, this entire DRM movement
> will turn out to be suicidal. People buy records because they want to
> possess media they cherish (forever, if possible).
> 

The question is how long is it going to take before DRM is fully
comprehended by the public, I have to say I'm not holding my breath.

May be as more people start using OSS and/or linux they will see the light.

There is a surprising number of people who seem to be willing to pay for DRM
music. At the other end of the spectrum, despite the best efforts of the
record industry to put P2P out of business, from what I understand it is
bigger than ever.

The BBC's program Top Of the Pops is getting axed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/

Which is probable another nail in the record industries confin. It certainly
used to be very important to them.

> 
>> But as far as I can see, they've bolted the stable door, and the horse is
>> already way past the finishing post. People are too used to copying and
>> swapping, mostly without any real intent to 'steal' - in fact, they don't
>> even think of it as theft of any kind. This of course is likely to lead
>> to Draconian methods to stop it, which will spoil it for everyone.
>> 
>> My personal take is that copying of any media for personal use and
>> personal use *only* should be permitted without restriction.

I couldn't agree more, which is why I won't let any DRM crap near my
machine.

-- 
Regards
M

http://za1012001.googlepages.com/home

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