Microsoft DRM To Get Even Tighter

Toreo asesino writes, "Microsoft is tightening the screws on their up & coming DRM platform. First, Windows Media Player 11 removes the right to move music from one machine to another. According to their website, WMP11 'does not permit you to back up your media usage rights (previously known as licenses).' Worse, if you rip your own CDs and the 'Copy protect music' option is turned on, WMP11 will require you to 'connect to a Microsoft Web page that explains how to restore your rights a limited number of times.'" The Inquirer has an even more jaundiced take on Microsoft's turn of the thumbscrew.

DRM

[kaleco]

Between this and the Zune's 3 days/3 plays model of DRM, it seems like Microsoft are trying their hardest to confuse people as to when they can and cannot play their music. It almost sounds like they want to generate bad public opinion.

This is just going to piss people off.

[Z1NG]

I don't really listen to CD's that often, only owning three or four, and I don't download music (except when I get it for my wife, and then I pay for it). But this kind of asinine, punch consumers in the nuts philosphy almost makes me want to make copies of my few CD's to give to everyone I know. If only I weren't so lazy, and didn't still respect the rights of the artist. Will most consumers do anything about it though? Probably not. They will just bend over and ask for more, as Microsoft takes away any concept they might have of "fair use".

Re:More reasons to get Vista, hey!

[trazom28]

Heh.. my main PC still runs Win98SE. I can't afford a new PC, don't game as much as I used to, and it plays the games that I enjoy anyway. It's a P3/1GHz, 512MB RAM so I could easily run XP on it, but if it's stable, and does everything I need to.. and I keep my computer secure via other means (firewall, AV, etc) I figure why bother. I'll likely put SUSE or somesuch on it at some point when I get bored, I just don't have the $100 to spend on an OEM Windows XP license and CD, much less affording Vista.

Illegal?

[truthsearch]

Won't these changes actually be illegal in some European countries? Some countries make certain restrictions on copying illegal, or at least that's what I've read in many /. comments. Will Microsoft have to release a different version of the software in Europe?

Re:nice

[tttonyyy]

This is beautiful. Microsoft goes even further in restricting your rights for material you already own (god knows what purchases will be like).

Paranoia mode ON

And before you know it, it'll be applied to software as well:

"Your system has detected new hardware - please purchase a new Vista licence".

Pananoia mode OFF

Re:it's obvious

[Opportunist]

Obviously so. They are putting all that bad crap DRM really is so blatantly on display that nobody with a sane mind could say it's a good idea (well, unless he'd profit from it, of course).

If I was the RIAA, I'd sue them for bad publicity.

This DRM will backfire

[AB3A]

I read recently that 7" vinyl record singles are starting to sell again. I guess people like the idea that they can sell, resell, and re-record their music. It may not be a CD one could rip, but at least it can't infect your computer with a rootkit while you weren't looking. People just want to listen to music they like. They'll pay once for the privilige of owning a recording. However, they won't pay attention to any ephemeral bit of legal nonsense which keeps them from using the recording wherever they might like in their personal lives.

This unilateral effort Microsoft is attempting is doomed. Other OS vendors will eat Microsoft's home PC market away when it becomes clear that they can do what Microsoft will not. The work PC market will continue to thrive based upon inertia of the PHB class of managers.

As for RIAA, their online sales will fizzle as they focus on more DRM, while the very musicians they recruit get disgusted and start voting with their feet.

Once Microsoft puts this thing on the market, I look forward to new lawsuits from RIAA against other OS firms, saying in effect that Microsoft does DRM, and you should too. We can look forward to whole new classes of peer to peer music rips. We can expect RIAA's online sales to fizzle. And over the very long haul, I expect the RIAA to shrivel in to an agency for lawyer welfare once their cash cow has left the barn and she discovered that it really isn't too bad outside.

Re:Easily by-passed

[King_TJ]

I used to think this too. I purchased a copy of "Muvaudio" for my PC, for just that purpose. Since it installs a "virtual audio patch cable" device that it routes though, it would seem the whole process stays digital (so no "loss" like you'd get from actually using analog patch cords from an earphone/spkr out to a Mic/Line in).

I converted a whole slew of music files out of protected WMA format to MP3 192-bit with it, and they sounded good.

*BUT*, I tried playing with one of those programs that simply strips the DRM off of the .WMV files, vs. re-recording the audio, and then used a converter tool to go from the DRM-free .WMV file to 192-bit MP3 in a seperate step. And I'm almost positive I'm getting better quality MP3s now as a result.

It's hard to describe the difference, but I especially notice it at lower listening volumes on my car stereo. The ones made via Muvaudio tend to make the listener want to turn the stereo up louder to hear the track more clearly. And when you do, it sounds good - but your ears get "fatigued" more quickly than normal. There's a little less "warmth" to the overall sound than there should be.

Re:Ahem...

[Fordiman]

Heh.

I give away CDs at the local PC hardware shop with OSS software on it, called the "Week's Free and Easy". It costs me about five hours and $20 a week, but I feel it's a good thing. I usually set it up so that people have a way to contact me for suggestions / changes.

This week, it's going to be a modified version of MPlayer with an auto-install and reassociate via HTA.

Independant Media Gets DRM Too?

[BlueStrat]

So, let me get this straight. I'm an independant artist with a published and distributed CD, on which it's stated: "Please feel free to copy and use this music however you see fit, share it with friends, put it on P2P, make a mix, or include it into other works. Do not include, encode with, or wrap this work in any anti-copying system or use any technological protection measures upon this work. If you value this work, feel free to contribute. Donation details can be found at (website addresses). Enjoy!".

So, by one of my fans simply playing my content with WMP11, their DRM will be imposed on my copyrighted content without my knowledge or consent, my rights as a copyright holder, content creator/artist are trumped/destroyed, as well as my revenue stream from donations from people who've been given copies of my work is effectively terminated?

Makes me want to reach for a rapid-fire assault-lawyer with a huge assault-class clip of C&Ds, injunctions, and claims for real and punitive damages, as well as possibly motions for class-action status, and do a legal drive-by on their butts firing on full-auto!

Cheers!

Strat

This is a good thing

[a-freeman]

One of the major hassles of downloading music from alternative sources is gettings songs that are badly ripped. Unfortunately, secure ripping, proper encoding (with a decent encoder) and complete tagging takes a fair bit of work, and the average PC user evidentally doesn't want to go through that. So we have a huge bunch of crummy MP3s floating around.

By limiting the ability of a clueless user to rip CDs, the average quality level of pirated MP3s should go up nicely. And that is a good thing for all of us.

This is going to hurt consumer electronics sales

[Animats]

What this means to the general user is "buy a new computer and you lose all your stuff". That's going to hurt Dell and HP (both of whom are already hurting big-time).

We've already had this happen with TV sets. The HDMI/HDCP debacle is interfering with big-screen HTDV sales. Anyone who bought a HDTV screen and discovered it wouldn't work with a Blu-Ray player has been badly burned already. HDTV adoption has been much slower than expected, and botched DRM is partly to blame. The display DRM, the set-top box DRM, the broadcast DRM, and the PVR DRM all have to work together seamlessly, and they don't.

Re:nice

[Dahlgil]

I suspect this is because of different strategies. Microsoft is doing what appeals to the music industry at the expense of users, while Apple is doing what appeals to users at the possible expense of support by the Music industry. Sure, Apple has a lot of support by the Music industry now as demonstrated by the iTunes store, but Microsoft has to compete against them somehow. So they're betting on making themselves a favorite of the music industry by supporting draconian DRM policies, and simultaneiously betting that the bulk of users don't get it or care until its too late. This isn't a conspiracy, but a calculated business decision. That's why its so important that people let Microsoft know that they *do* get it and *do* care by either writing them or moving to alternative products.

Sigh....

[Brent_Litzer]

I'm just tired of all this crap. Aren't you? I refuse to be an indentured customer to a specific music store and a specific computer and a specific portal device.