Everyone seems to have an opinion on DRM these days and some seem to shout louder than others. Anyway, an exec from a company that builds things for brands ion Second Life popped by the office last week and we chewed the fat – and the one thing that struck us, was that he was returning to buying CDSs.
Although iTunes seems to be the default music system today on people’s computers, its format is not. People seem to prefer their portable MP3s. If you do buy from iTunes because, hey, it’s simple but then start going through computers (theft, one at home, one at office, one on lap, new girlfriend), you run out of computers you can share the tracks you have bought. Now there are programs on the web that allow you to crack the iTunes format. But what a pain.
So for this exec. The best way for him to be as free as he could from DRM was to return to buying CDs. We’re not saying that this is some sort of trend. It’s just something to think about.
(We didn’t ask him if he worried about the environmental cost of his decision either ;)
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You can reset your iTunes authorized computers if they are stolen (or sold). Apple will reset all your authorized computers up to once a year allowing you to re-authorize just the ones you need. Not many people have more than five computers (that they use regularly, themselves). The Apple DRM seems pretty relaxed compared with most other online music stores. However, I still buy CDs (and rip to unprotected AAC), but mainly because of quallity, rather than DRM.
October 6th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
About time people started giving this a second thought.
Wonder if I know this person.
October 6th, 2006 at 10:18 pm