[FC-discuss] What really kills DRM in music?

[Conor Schaefer]

I agree here. How does DRM benefit Apple directly? If it does at all, I
don't think it possibly could long-term.

Implementing DRM was very likely a bargaining chip with the major labels. It
made them feel safer in the spooky waters of the pirate-infested internet.
It also mandated that people buy individually from the store, curbing
sharing and leaks and ensuring a swelling consumer base for Apple.

Now that consumers swarm to the iTunes Store in droves, DRM doesn't really
serve a purpose anymore.

And it's only thanks to activism by groups like SFC and DBD that Apple is
being lauded as a hero in the industry. We've been saying for years that DRM
is evil, and that corporations should abandon it. They did what we wanted
them to do. Why aren't we celebrating?

On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 9:49 AM, Fred Benenson <fcb at fredbenenson.com> wrote:

> I don't want to give Jobs more credit than he deserves, but I actually
> think he hates dealing with the music industry and probably would not have
> chosen DRM if they didn't force his hand initially. As far as I understand
> it those were the conditions for iTunes even existing.
>
> Again, not calling him an hero, but I do think he understood at least the
> practical (if not the ethical) objections to DRM in the store.
>
>
> ~ ~ ~
> thoughts / http://fredbenenson.com/blog
> work / http://creativecommons.org
> sights / http://flickr.com/fcb
> sounds / http://www.last.fm/user/mecredis
> status / http://twitter.com/mecredis
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 9:42 AM, Clifford Conley Owens III <ccowens at vt.edu>wrote:
>
>> Random rant on this discussion:
>>
>> Does anyone find it really annoying how everyone acts like this is Apple
>> sticking it to the recording industry?  As though they couldn't have
>> done this from the minute iTunes started?  Even Wired said: "Since the
>> dawn of time, or so it seems, Steve Jobs and the major labels have been
>> at war on two fronts: digital rights management and pricing. Apple wants
>> to sell music without DRM, so that it's easier for consumers to use.
>> Meanwhile, the labels want Jobs to budge on pricing to let them sell
>> songs in iTunes at prices other than 99 cents."
>>
>> Remember that letter Jobs wrote about DRM.  Afterward, everyone acted
>> like he was such a hero.  Give me a break.
>> http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/
>>
>> ~Conley
>>
>> --
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