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DigitalRightsManagement posts

Filed under: Video, Web services, Apple, Microsoft

DefectiveByDesign: London and Manchester Calling

British readers be warned: the Free Software Foundation's Defective by Design campaign is coming to our side of the pond tomorrow in protest at the BBC's decision to make extensive use of DRM (and in particular MIcrosoft's DRM) in their beta iPlayer software. For those who are unaware of the iPlayer, the BBC is making its programmes available for 'catch-up' via the iPlayer - albeit only for 7 days after download.

The issue is certainly an interesting (and contentious) one, particularly as the BBC is a publicly-funded body so has to make the iPlayer platform neutral at some point in the future, and will only allow U.K. IP addresses access to the content. The protests are outside the BBC's London and Manchester studios tomorrow (Tuesday 14th August), with Download Squad paying the London gathering a visit.

Filed under: Audio, Business, Fun, Games, News, Web services

Puretracks - just says no to DRM


In a move sure to make consumers dance and sing, Canadian music download store, Puretracks, is going to sell songs online without Digital Rights Management from a group of independent labels: Nettwerk Music Group of Vancouver, Arts & Crafts Productions of Toronto, the San Francisco, Calif.-based Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA) and Beggars Banquet Records of London, England. Well known artists from these labels include Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan, Feist, Metric and Broken Social Scene.

The songs offered will be in MP3 file format and will cost 79 cents and up. The non-DRM catalog of songs is 50,000 strong and, Puretracks will add more on a weekly basis.

Some pundits are claiming the move by Puretracks is the beginning of death of DRM as we know it. They point to Job's open letter denouncing DRM and Bill Gates' remarks to bloggers in December that DRM "causes too much pain for legitimate buyers." With all this momentum against it, one thing's for sure, DRM is losing its beat.

Filed under: Audio, Windows, Microsoft, Commercial

How much is enough?

With all the digital rights management floating about in the ether these days, and fiascos like Microsoft's WGA, I found myself standing beside myself, saying "Self, how much DRM (Digital Rights Management) is enough?" Self turned to me and said, "I don't know, but whatever it is, it is enough." While I couldn't tell if this was more poignant or confusing, I think my self is right. Good grief! Why must companies ruin everything good they have going by making their customers angry (for no reason)? I agree that some DRM is needed (or something like it) to protect the interests of artists, but why make the customers suffer just to move music to places they can easily hear it? Microsoft's WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) is another way that Microsoft is trying to protect their assets. Someone need to come up with a secure yet fluid way to transfer and play music easily, without stomping on the customer's rights either. So far, I really don't see any good solutions to the DRM problem. Regardless, this WGA nonsense is ridiculous. How much DRM should we put up with, and how much do we need?

Featured Time Waster

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

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