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apple's itunes drm
I have been following with interest the long running debate about Apple's iTunes DRM. For some reason there are a lot of people who seem to think that it is wrong for Apple to lock iTunes Store users into using an Apple iPod. The French even tried to legislate against it, but the proposed bill has been watered down and probably will not bother Apple too much. I don't quite get it. I appreciate, up to a point, the arguments around being able to use the music you have bought on any machine that you like, but that's a bit like arguing that Rolls Royce should ensure that Vauxhall parts can be used on their cars. If you want to use the iTunes Store get yourself an iPod. It's okay if you don't though, because there are lots and lots of alternatives. I know the iTunes Store is the best out there, but there is a premium to be paid if you want to use it. It really is that simple.
mr mcmuffin on 28 May 2006 @ 01:09 PM ✲ Permalink
Comments
To extend the car analogy, the part that irritates me is that they can change the nature of the DRM restrictions on the fly, so what you bought yesterday might not be what you have tomorrow... But I still by the occasional single through the iTunes store because from a cost to risk standpoint, it makes more sense than buying an entire CD for one song.
And that, as they say, is my $0.02.
Posted by: Colin | 29 May 2006 04:02:08
I don't agree with you at all, I don't think that buying from iTunes should lock you into iPods and I'm surprised that it's being allowed. I'd have though it would be declared anti-competitive, like bundling IE with Windows and so on. Of course it's not an issue for me as I've never been within a million bytes of the iTunes store, I just don't think it's right.
And isn't it more analgaous to saying that "if you want to buy tyres, you have to buy a Rolls to put them on"? Why can't I put the tyres on my Nissan?
Posted by: Steve | 1 Jun 2006 23:25:46
(Oh and anyway, there's always a hack out there that will take off the DRM - well, up to now anyway. Maybe one day they'll get it crack-proof, though I wouldn't bet on it).
Posted by: Steve | 1 Jun 2006 23:26:50
Oh, and Colin, for your $0.02, you must be using AllOfMP3. On iTunes it would be your $1 :-p
Posted by: Steve | 1 Jun 2006 23:29:02
