Last week, Steve Jobs put out a public letter calling for the end of Digital Rights Management. Here, we present a brief overview of just some of the industry pros to cons…
All kinds of sources in the online music biz are buzzing about Apple CEO Steve Jobs and his “Thoughts on Music” open letter to the music industry. He makes a pretty convincing argument — even though he’s probably in the best position to profit from the concept.
Thus his letter begins:
“. . . some have called for Apple to “open” the digital rights management (DRM) system that Apple uses to protect its music against theft, so that music purchased from iTunes can be played on digital devices purchased from other companies, and protected music purchased from other online music stores can play on iPods. Let’s examine the current situation and how we got here, then look at three possible alternatives for the future.”
You can read the whole letter at apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic
Pros and Cons:
tech.blorge.com says:
” . . . Despite attacks on Jobs, he’s still the technology industry’s golden boy, even though it appears that his popularity, power and passion, are getting on some people’s nerves.“
DRM Maker responds
Macrovision Corporation’s chief executive and president Fred Amoroso has now responded to Thoughts on Music, from Apple’s Steve Jobs with an open letter To Steve Jobs and the Digital Entertainment Industry. (Macrovision, you know, is the company that provides the copy protection system used for VHS tapes and most DVD movies
Jack Schofield
“. . . If you don’t like DRM, then Macrovision is DRM is Public Enemy Number 1.”
Also from Amoroso:
” . . . Without a reasonable, consistent and transparent DRM we will only delay consumers in receiving premium content in the home, in the way they want it . . . consumers who don’t want to own content, such as a movie, can rent it,”
Boing Boing says:
“. . . Macrovision is a company that makes abusive DRMs (the system that stops you from hooking up your VCR and your DVD player in series, the system that stops your TiVo from recording “accidentally” crippled Fox shows, etc.” Read the article
ABC News: Everything in One Place
ABC interviews “Xeni” from NPR… “Drop DRM in a heartbeat”
Xeni Jardin and Alex Chadwick for NPR in MP3 audio format: “drop DRM in a heartbeat”
Jupiter : 60%
A survey by Jupiter Research found that more than 60% of European music executives believed that DRM was hurting sales.
Survey sez:
“. . . Almost two-thirds of music industry executives think removing digital locks from downloadable music would make more people buy the tracks…”
BBC NEWS (print version)
Defective By Design: We Oppose DRM!
DefectiveByDesign.org is a broad-based anti-DRM campaign that is targeting Big Media, unhelpful manufacturers and DRM distributors. The campaign aims to make all manufacturers wary about bringing their DRM-enabled products to market. DRM products have features built-in that restrict what jobs they can do.
Sez DBD: Our aim is the abolition of DRM as a social practice.
Nothing New
See video produced back in December of 2005 where Real Network’s CEO Rob Glaser speaks out about Apple’s iPod, DRM, iTunes, and Steve Jobs…
Real Networks: Apple Pigheadedness
Read the article by Greg Sandoval …
Glaser turns wrath on Apple, Jobs
L.A. Times: Long before Steve Jobs penned his anti-DRM screed, lots of people were telling the major record companies that slapping electronic locks onto 99-cent downloads was a dumb idea.
Microsoft: We Like DRM
Dan Frommer for Forbes sez:
” . . . Steve Jobs wants the music business to drop restrictions for digital tunes. But Microsoft, which began competing head to head with Apple in the digital music business last fall, is happy with the way things are” … he’s quoting MS media exec Robbie Bach.
Read more… spam version; print version
Where it ends is anyone’s guess. It’s obvious the world needs some kind of intellectual property rights protection — but in a money-thirsty, corporate world, the artist is usually the last to enjoy protection.
Is it right? Is it wrong? We invite your comments below.
