Filed under: Audio, Internet, Security, Video, News, Windows, Macintosh, Podcasting, Apple
iPod cracked, so what
by Ryan Carter Oct 26th 2006 at 6:20PM
I know it is incredibly difficult to crack DRM in some cases. Now that DVD Jon has cracked the iPod, but it doesn't matter to me that much. Many times a poorly executed DRM system can be bypassed with almost no effort, but some of the well-coded ones can be hard (i.e. the iPod and iTunes "FairPlay" DRM). It is isn't that I don't appreciate the effort of it, but I really don't see the point of it. Is it really going to help the music sharing problem go away, is it going to stop all the lawsuits by the RIAA? I know that many iTunes fans will download the crack and use it, what are the chances that anyone will get caught using it right? I feel like this is just another trip around the circus ring. I still maintain that the music problem (meaning DRM, sharing, digital rights) is not any better. I don't care who cracks what anymore. Call me obscenely critical, but come on, when is the bouncing-fairy dance going to end? The issue hasn't improved for either side in my not-so-humble opinion. What do you think? Are you sick of hearing about DRM, sick of having to do all kinds of dumb things, jumping through hoops to be to use your music, when clearly record companies are clinging to a dying business model with their dollar-clenched fists? I want problem resolution, I want results, and I want to see real change in the industry. Are there reasons why the cracking and repatching and recracking of DRM and its minions is a good thing that will drive change and usher in the new world of music downloading utopia? If you have a good reason that cracking is a good thing in this case, please let me know, but right now I just don't see it.
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The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Peter said 8:06PM on 10-26-2006
The only thing that is going to get the content providers to listen is if people who oppose DRM stop buying products with DRM. Let them know that their use of DRM is hurting sales. It might just mean that you have to do without your favorite band's latest release, but that is what it is going to take.
If people would show companies that they will pay for quality products without DRM, the companies will listen.
Cracking DRM just shows them that there is huge demand for the product and they will work harder to make it more intrusive and more difficult to crack.
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Diddle said 8:06PM on 10-26-2006
Hear hear. I'm with you on this one Ryan. I'm a DJ and I have to deal with all sorts of music-rights crap all the time, even between the US and Canada for legal music-pool or professional subscription services.
There are DJs in Europe who can't take CDRs to nightclubs anymore because they'll be fined. Excuse me but if I want to leave several thousand dollars worth of legitimately obtained music at home to prevent theft or damage and take a copy of it to work, I think I'm entitled.
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kyle said 9:46PM on 10-26-2006
i'm not sure if i am reading your post right, but a little while back dvdjon announced that he had cracked fairplay, and was going to license it to other parties interested in selling music and videos capable of playback on the iPod.
i don't think dvdjon has any interest in removing the fairplay drm from itms music and videos
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Harvey said 10:58PM on 10-26-2006
The hack actually *adds* DRM to songs purchased through non-iTunes sites.
It's M.O. is to fool your iPod o/s into thinking that the song you're playing was downloaded from iTunes.
So this hack doesn't free up protected music, it just makes non-iTunes music playable on your iPod.
Also... the hacker plans to license it to music-sellers, who will then compete against iPod.
Sounds like this hacker is going establishment...
Harvey
http://www.zunerama.com
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Michael` said 10:58PM on 10-26-2006
kyle,
That was my understanding as well
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Dazza said 2:19AM on 10-27-2006
I have yet to find ANY music or video that can not be copied if wanted.
Video and Audio capture is that easy now that its almost pointless putting DRM on it to start.
I will NEVER pay more than once for any single media item, music, video etc. I buy a CD, (or iTune) and burn it on to CD, MP3, or what ever format a particular device wants.
DRM promotes piracy! I don't support piracy, but I do support fair use!
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Richard said 11:17AM on 10-27-2006
As some people have pointed out, you've misunderstood what DVD Jon is trying to do.
If I set up a music store today, I have two choices:
1. Provided DRM free music from a bunch of artists that aren't particularly mainstream and a small percentage of what the public want to listen to.
2. Provide Windows Media DRM'ed file after signing deals with the big music labels but have no way to let over 70% of my potential customers listen to them on their iPod without making them jump through hoops to remove the DRM.
DVD Jon has allowed me, as a music store, to sell DRM'ed content that will allow iPod owners to listen to music on their device.
This is both good and bad for customers. Good because wWe get other sources to get our music from, Apple gets competition enter in on its monopoly on selling music to iPod owners and - ideally - we'll see the prices drop and a larger range of content.
However bad because at the moment the only way to sell to iPod users is with non-DRM'ed content and I'd far prefer that the music industry woke up to this fact and allowed competition to do exactly that. At present if you want to compete with Apple you would have to remove the DRM - but DVD Jon is changing that which means that we'll be stuck with DRM for longer.
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Bob Jones said 5:00PM on 10-27-2006
Cracking is the Digital Version of Terrorism, it hurts everybody & doesn't change anything.
When the losers over at that Windows Media so kindly cracked the Windows Media DRM, a legal movie download service I use was suspended - I didn't gain anything. Its back now, and I can use his silly crack to steal the movie to DVD and copy it all I want ("fair use"),but with this service I can download movies for free - I am I entitled to burn it to any DVDs I see fit?
Like "free speech" people hide behind it to do unacceptable things, you don't hear people saying "free speech" with every comment they make do you? Nope, only the ones which are clearly wrong.
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Lance Sells said 1:42PM on 10-27-2006
I'm not sure how people think they should have all rights to their entertainment as far as DRM goes. The sense of entitlement is really strange to me. Just because the files can be easily copied you should have the right to copy them? I'm not saying it's some big horrible act to copy entertainment files but the sense of entitlement is crazy. Using the argument that you should be able to make backup copies doesn't work for me either.
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Ryan Carter said 2:48PM on 10-27-2006
To me, it's like buying a candy bar. Who should tell you that you can't share it with a friend? Who should tell you when, where, and how to eat your candy bar? You bought it, it is YOURS! After the sale, no one should be able to tell you what to do with it. If you wanted, you could go home, reverse engineer the candy bar and start making something similar to give to friends, if you wanted. No one except the media companies are trying to control consumers post-purchase. Car manufacturers don't tell you how you can and can not modify your car. You could strip it down, and give away parts of your car to anyone if you want. It should be the buyers right to do with their purchase whatever the heck they want to, period!
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