Music, DVDs, software. What do all these have in common? They are all protected by DRM. They prevent you from doing what you want with said media, even though you have already bought it. For example, iTunes uses a form of DRM so the only MP3 player that you can use with it is Apples own iPod. The same is true of movies and other media. This is true because of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. This law enabled studios and record labels to put restrictions on their products. This is understandable, for many of these restrictions of to prevent piracy. However, under such a law, I am not allowed to copy a DVD movie onto my computer. I am not allowed to copy a DVD movie onto another blank disc as a back-up. I am not allowed to copy a DVD movie onto my PSP to watch on-the-go.
All such companies are doing is stopping fair, honest people from doing what they want with the media they have already bought. They aren't stopping the hackers and pirates because they already know how to get past DRM.
This DRM has proven itself to be nothing more than a money grab. Take a movie for example. It costs about $10 per person for a movie ticket. For a family of four, like mine, that's $40. If you enjoyed the movie, you're going to want to buy it on DVD a few months later. The average running price of a DVD is about $15-$20. That means that the average family has spent $55-$60 on one movie. Then you still aren't allowed to do what you want with it. Once you buy a Product it should be YOURS! Meaning that you should be allowed to do what ever you want with it (with, of course, the exception of illegal things such as selling bootleg copies).
Now I will admit that some companies, such as EMI Records, and Amazon, are getting rid of DRM completely. However that is not enough, and until others follow suit there will always be a problem with DRM.
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2 comments:
This is a complicated issue regarding DRM. Is it right to sacrifice one's right to insure their investment by making a backup by restricting all copying? It wouldn't be right.
However, I do understand why there is DRM. Shouldn't businesses also insure that they don't lose their revenue because of dishonest people? Look at it this way. A record company sells a cd for let's say $10. Let's say that a group of 5 friends chip in 2 dollars each to buy one cd. They'll just make 4 more "backups". In the company's eyes, they've just lost 40 bucks of revenue... What happens now? In order to compensate, they must raise prices. That's not fair to the consumer. So DRM is at least an obstacle to attempt to prevent such things from occuring. Even though pitching in 2 bucks each legally makes the cd all 5 people's property, it destroys business.
-MidNiteVirus
I agree with MidNiteVirus. Its wrong to let a company tell you what you can and can't do with what is yours! But hey..., there's always limewire. =]
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