Steve Jobs embraces abolishing DRM entirely.

[Darwinian Dude]

In a letter from Steve Jobs on the Apple website today, Steve has put down his own thoughts on what is wrong with DRM, why we need it now, and why he'd like to abolish it entirely in the future.

 

Some convincing arguments are made, including pointing out that 97% of music sold by the record companies is sold DRM-free on conventional CDs which consumers can take home, rip, upload for others to illegally download.

 

Why should they be concerned with protecting DRM on the remainding 3% of their sales?

 

It's a good point. How many of you would purchase more from the iTunes store if you had less restrictive DRM attached to those files?

 

Read the full article here.

[Urbz]

I do buy from the iTunes store, and I don't mind the DRM.

But stripping the DRM would be very cool and extremely nice, I agree with Steve. As long as people understand they still don't own the song, they own the rights to play that song, wether or not there is a DRM.

[bwhsh8r]

I think that drm should die! its just annoying for the people who legitimately buy teh cd

[Urbz]

if you buy the CD, you aren't subjected to DRM: once you rip it, there are no limitations.

[head]

interesting to see that steve wants to go "the other way"... he "thinks different", hm?

 

we will see.....

[BlackShadowWolf]

Im going to have to say wow on that. Of course this in response to Europe trying to open up FairPlay, but I'll admit it seems Steve is with the DRM free people. He is right, iTunes doesn't own the music and is licensing it from the music companies. The people need to focus their energies in the right direction.

 

The one thing that really struck me was Job's clear message that DRM doesn't work. Pretty nice compared to Mr. Balmer who charges a $1 music licensing fee for the Zune >_>.

 

Apple needs to get people on these companies board of directors to help shift the balance way from DRM.

[semthex]

Halleluja, there is a god, now I know there is. That is the best news since long times, after the TPM chip has been abandoned. The Vista DRM masacre made me sad that noone would ever stop the insanity but that really promising step really made my day. My opinion on DRM can be read in some other threads on the forum. Now I hope the dream of "free" music will become reality.

[xtraa]

It's really a shame that a CEO has to explain these basics in 2007 to those moron

politicians. They seem to not even know what internet, music and DRM is all about.

 

I hope Norway will understand now.

Edited February 7, 2007 by xtraa

[Suzuka]

I think DRM is just pointless, what about people who have more than 5 computers?, where as, buying the CD from a music store, for possibly less, and your free from DRM

[Urbz]

It's really a shame that a CEO has to explain these basics in 2007 to those moron

politicians. They seem to not even know what internet, music and DRM is all about.

 

I hope Norway will understand now.

I couldn't agree with you more. It's not Apple, it's the "big 4" and the politicians should be after removing DRM rather than expanding it to other stores and music players.

[jgrimes80]

Am I the only one who doesn't have a problem with iTunes DRM???

 

burning to a CD sounds more than fair to me... Though I don't think the absence of a DRM will niether hinder nor boost iTunes sales. I do think it will boost availability of songs on the "black market." Buying a popular CD from iTunes + burning it is still $3-4 less than I was paying for CDs 10 years ago.

 

Aw well....

[Darwinian Dude]

Am I the only one who doesn't have a problem with iTunes DRM???

 

I don't have a problem with DRM. I buy music on iTunes, and it suits me fine, but cause I only use computers for playback. I have one iPod. However, I have an MP3 cd player in the car. I would like to be able to burn a disc of MP3's (not audio) to listen to in the car. Without having to use the iPod. DRM free would be easier than the other options open to me. (I know I can burn audio, then reimport as MP3s, but I may as well just go the higher quality lossless audio cd from my local retailer!)

 

Here's the biggie from my perspective:

 

 

I don't think most people illegally downloaded music only because it was free. People still have taste, so they won't download everything

 

The record companies are the first to condemn people for downloading music (think early on, like Napster here...) but yet they still haven't come up with a competing solution. iTunes etc is close, but you can only get some music on there. It has DRM.

 

It all comes down to convenience. I'm happy with iTunes, but as i'm working full time I want the same thing for movies. I want to be able to search, easily find any movies, login with my details with stored credit card info, and set a movie downloading for me to watch the next day. This exists for music, but not for movies, not properly, and until people actually are offered the option of paying, how the hell are they going to stop torrenting?

 

If everyone was out to steal music, no one would ever have bought anything on iTunes. Many people want to do the right thing. iTunes is so very convenient, but in Australia we don't have any movies or TV shows on it, which sucks.

 

Even with some (fair) DRM I wouldn't mind, I just want to be able to buy movies online, keep them on my HD to watch on my projector, my laptop (in my lunch break at work) or on my iPhone. But ALL major movies have to be available otherwise people will still go looking to the illegal sites.

 

I have spent over $2000 DVD's over the last two years and have them in a folder but it's a pain to go through them all. I now have them all ripped onto the mac and can access through front row, it's way nicer this way, and the original DVD's are safe. Why can't i just download them, paying for them? Because they aren't offering this choice yet.

 

Sorry, /rant off

Edited February 7, 2007 by Darwinian Dude

[solaar]

Let's face it, DRM is the materialisation of the hypocrisy of the major labels, as much as their moaning about 'piracy' is nothing but a smoke screen for their own incompetence.

 

I'm musician for 30 years and used to work for major labels in the 80s. I eventually turned my back to the majors and oriented myself to independent labels in the 90s. It seems things haven't changed much since the 80s regarding many issues. Piracy has always existed. The difference to our digital world of today is that, back in the days of vinyl bootlegs and tape rips, certain people with sticky fingers made a lot of cash on the back of artists. Although those 'fruit market sales' still exist, all the focus is on the internet and P2P. File sharing actually appears downright innocent compared to the 'real' criminal bootleggers. Another fact that people seem to keep forgetting is that a compressed format still doesn't provide the same sound quality as an uncompressed wave file.

 

And there lies the hypocrisy. I would very much prefer that people listen and share my music for free on the internet than to find it on some 'funny' compilation CD sold for 5 quid by some slimey {censored} next to the veggie stand.

 

Surprisingly enough, when the sales figures of the majors began to go south NOBODY seemed to dare challenging the major's competence when they all shouted "PIRACY" When the sales of any other brand name that is being notoriously bootlegged go down (eg. Rolex, Louis Vuitton etc...) you won't see the same reaction.

 

BTW the sales figures of independent labels consistently went up over the last 7-8 years. And they're not singing the same old piracy blues...

 

With the arrival of mp3 et al the majors have finally found their easily attackable scapegoat.

 

Edit: here's some interesting reading. History repeating...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Taping_is_Killing_Music

Edited February 7, 2007 by solaar

[Zealot]

im agree with you Solaar in all counts.

 

gt

[A Nonny Moose]

if you buy the CD, you aren't subjected to DRM: once you rip it, there are no limitations.

 

Uh, yes there are. You can't allow someone else to "borrow" your music via file sharing, for instance. That's copyright infringement.

 

On the article itself, it is a rather interesting read. While I do agree that we shouldn't need DRM, the basic concept behind it is to prevent (illegal) copyright infringement. That core concept is not necessarily evil; if you believe that is evil, then you obviously don't need the police either since both prevent illegal activities.

 

Where it does become evil is in the implementation of it. This whole idea is an issue of trust, and how much can a company feels that it can trust the consumer. Again, FairPlay is one of the most liberal DRM's out there and it strikes a good (to most) balance between what a user can do and can't. Adobe, on the other hand, tends to go on the dark side and communicates with a central server every time it's fired up. Does Adobe not trust us as much as Apple? It certainly doesn't seem that way.

[BlackShadowWolf]

If the music industry cracks under Apple's pressure and Apple fulfills their belief of DRM free music, it would seriously be totally kick ass. I doubt Apple could do DRM free video content though as thats a lot sticker situation.

 

As of right now Steve Jobs is my number 2 idol , right under Jack Bauer. So if you read this Mr. Jobs, get one of those cool carrying bags, a pistol, and save the world from terrorists and you'll be my number one .

[gwprod12]

DRM is the same old corporate BS in a new package. It's a fundamental misunderstanding of the consumer-producer relationship.

 

The business needs the customer more than the customer needs the business.

 

The DRM nonsense has existed almost the entire 20th century. Movie producers at one point were highly skeptical and in some cases outright hostile to the video rental industry, seeing it as competition.

 

I for one always download games before i buy them. Star Trek Legacy is a good example. I could have done the "right thing" and paid $50 for this game, or I could have downloaded it, realized it was utter garbage on the grandest scale, and not have lost my money. Obviously my choice was the correct one.

[Guest goodtime]

If Steve is serious, I would love for him to get rid of DRM on their iTunes Videos. I would by some if it did not have a DRM. Pirated videos don't have DRM. Videos that I record myself are also DRM free! Here's to a DRM free world. Darn HD-DVD and Blu-Ray have DRM. Maybe Apple can show them that DRM = more clock cycles and less customers.

gt

Edited February 8, 2007 by goodtime

[kevin_4e]

Is the DRM stupid, of course not (not in my opinion), but yes there are definately some flaws in the system. It's nice to see some attention being brought up from someone of importance, especially when they're leaning in a unexpected way.

[Urbz]

Uh, yes there are. You can't allow someone else to "borrow" your music via file sharing, for instance. That's copyright infringement.

I meant that there is no DRM, or limits to how YOU can use the music you've purchased the rights to listen to. Copyright infrigment, wether you agree/disagree, is still stealing in that someone who didn't buy something now has it in their possesion. You may argue that it is harmless, less important than "real" theft, but that doesn't make it anything less than stealing.

[skn]

Halleluja, there is a god, now I know there is. That is the best news since long times, after the TPM chip has been abandoned.

 

Has the TPM chip been abandoned? By who? Apple? AFAIK both Tiger and Leopard use the TPM chip, right?

[semthex]

No they don't. Tiger developer versions did to bind the in-dev OS to the developer machines. retail OSX does not. Tehy had TPM chips on board for a long time but even they are gone now. The only technical part still haveing TPM in it is the CPU with it's la grande stuff, but that is normal with Intel CPU and no usable with additional on board hardware which does not exist.

[skn]

No they don't. Tiger developer versions did to bind the in-dev OS to the developer machines. retail OSX does not. Tehy had TPM chips on board for a long time but even they are gone now. The only technical part still haveing TPM in it is the CPU with it's la grande stuff, but that is normal with Intel CPU and no usable with additional on board hardware which does not exist.

Semthex,

Thank you for your clarification! But I still have a doubt... Since artoo is necessary, it means the TPM chip is still used by Tiger, isn't it?

[DiaboliK]

artoo isnt nessisary any more since ahmit singh posted the magic poem to the world.

[skn]

artoo isnt nessisary any more since ahmit singh posted the magic poem to the world.

But Artoo is embedded into Semthex kernel...