Can Hollywood Learn From Intuit? 232
Ironica writes "Readers will recall the furor over Intuit's activation scheme for TurboTax 2002, which prompted a lawsuit and subsequently was removed from TT2002 and all future products. Here's an interesting editorial on CNNMoney suggesting that other DRM proponents could take a page out of Intuit's book ... if they have the sense."
If you had a perfect memory... (Score:5, Funny)
One slight problem... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:One slight problem... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:One slight problem... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:One slight problem... (Score:5, Insightful)
Not to mention I think that those people who have enough money to buy any significant number of CDs at $20 a pop are very likely to be people that also have enough money to get a PC and use it.
MP3s and P2P are no longer the realm of techies...
Re:One slight problem... (Score:5, Insightful)
While I do know many younger people have no problems with, and infact embrace technology, it would seem to me like many/most people still haven't a clue how to download music, or copy it onto a cd.
Re:One slight problem... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:One slight problem... (Score:3, Interesting)
Napster let the cat out of the bag. I put it on the machine I built for my parents in the early days of Napster, expecting that she maybe possibly might use it, but not really expecting her to.
She used napster until it's dying day, I haven't put another p2p on the machine (burn it on cd, remember the cd, remember to install, hamster is in my name for a reason), but I'd be willing to bet she would be downloading again. The nice VCR I bought her still flashes 12:0
Re:One slight problem... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:One slight problem... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:One slight problem... (Score:5, Interesting)
the reason it helps is because of people like me. I never purchased a cd before, the radio took care of all my music needs. But with the advent of the internet, i was introduced to new artists. Because these artists aren't played on the radio, and because I wanted to support them, I bought their cd. Never would have paid for music otherwise.
not to mention that people have been swapping music LONG before the dawn of the internet. tape to tape recording and such.
Re:One slight problem... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:One slight problem... (Score:5, Interesting)
If file sharing is helping them out, why are revenues down?
Crappy product ? Seriously how many artists have some kind of a "message" today ?? Very few, They all look alike and are as much food for the mind as corbonated water with colorants is to the stomach.
Your arguement makes no sense. They had no copy protection and revenue went down.
No, actually while they had no copy protection, the revenue was at a all time high. It didn't start going downhill until Napster was shut down..
Personally I think that's a coincidence but people should remember the things as they were.
Intuit started using copy protection and their revenue went down. Two entirely different situations.
Says who ? The recording industry for sure, but they (belive they) have a good reason to want you to belive that .
Re:One slight problem... (Score:2)
I've only laid hands on one copy-protected CD, the VNV Nation "Genesis" single, and cdparanoia [xiph.org] made a perfect copy of it, as if it had never been copy-protected at all.
Re:One slight problem... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:One slight problem... (Score:4, Interesting)
My strategy is to call in to radio shows that interview artists (whether "big time" or "small time"), and tell them that I would like to buy their CD, but probably won't, because of my concerns over not being able to eject a CD from my iBook (these are apparently VALID concerns). Many seem to be unaware of the situation, but the ones who are, aren't happy about it (they realize that their fans will blame THEM, even though they have little control over distribution).
The business people will never be on our side (their jobs are directly threatened, not just because of revenue, but because their jobs are only relevant if they have control of distribution). But the artists need to know that we DO care about them, and are willing to support them, even if we hate their corporate masters. The artists DO have media clout (fans want to hear from them, not the marketing drones), and they are the ones who can bring these concerns to the attention of the masses. At least, I hope so.
Re:One slight problem... (Score:5, Insightful)
One might argue that this is because Intuit has competition, while Hollywood is in fact several dominant companies working together in a de facto monopoly.
Losing a customer to a boycott is nothing -- there's a line behind you, skippy.
Losing a customer to your competition, now that's a real problem.
--
Re:One slight problem... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:One slight problem... (Score:2)
Re:One slight problem... (Score:5, Funny)
thats it ! i am switching to Bollywood. I might as well pick up some hindi before I move to India for some good programming jobs.
Re:One slight problem... (Score:2)
Gonzo: I want to go to Bombay India and become a movie star!
Fozzie: You don't go to Bombay India to become a movie star! You go to Hollywood, like us!
Gonzo: Well, sure... If you want to do it the easy way...
Re:One slight problem... (Score:2)
Better still, you might even get a role as a US-returned software engineer who's "separated by destiny and united by fate" with his dacoit brother [rediff.com] in a Bollywood movie![1]
Seriously though, Bollywood isn't all about mindless Hindi flicks; if you are really interested, there is a small, but growing, segment of low-budget, but intelligently-made, Indian English films who's appeal is more universal than the Hindi movies. Google for "Monsoon Wedding", "Bombay Boys", "Snip" (good stuff this!), "Bend it like Beck
Provide competition for the RIAA (Score:5, Insightful)
Providing an alternative to the MPAA that will be as attractive to an average consumer is not really feasiable, but for the RIAA it can be done.
Imagine a P2P sharing network that contains only legal content (how? probably something to do with only allowing non-anonymous posting, and a DMCA-protected login (flame away), among other things). Consumers have a legal, non-threatening way to get so much new music RIAA can feel a two-digit-percentage sales drop (on top of the current situation). You'll effectively be cutting off the RIAA's "ear supply", if you will.
In less than a year, they'll sign up for accounts to post some of their own tainted music.
Re:Provide competition for the RIAA (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Provide competition for the RIAA (Score:2, Interesting)
The RIAA makes money by sorting through the crap, picking bands they think people will like, and promoting them.
To be more accurate, the RIAA makes money picking the bands that most people will like enough to buy the album. This is different, in that someone who really likes one style of music won't be pleased, as the music they find of that style will have other styles blended in for largest audience.
I won't even go into the economics of bands producing music with no chance to earn money from
Re:Provide competition for the RIAA (Score:3, Insightful)
Only in approximately the same sense that McDonalds does this for food. It makes them a safe choice but not necessaraly the best, or even good.
The vast majority of bands allready do this.
Re:Provide competition for the RIAA (Score:2)
This type of system would actually be fair if, and only if, the underlying copyright and other IP laws were fair also. DMCA is not fair, it's even unconstitutional; copyright laws are not fair, it's not fair that congress can extend copyright unlimited times; nothing will ever go into public domain this way and
Re:Provide competition for the RIAA (Score:2, Insightful)
In all actuality, the internet itself is huge competition for the RIAA and major media organizations, and the only reason they aren't doing poorly financially is because (big suprise here) mainstream media companies don't report on what they are doing bad and they already have name. Going to MSNBC and beliefing whatever they tell you is so much easier than using google to
Re:Provide competition for the RIAA (Score:3, Informative)
Hmmmm.... you mean like etree.org [etree.org]
Re:One slight problem... (Score:3, Insightful)
The problem is not entirly Hollywood's (Score:5, Interesting)
They have had a devil of a time trying to sell other software companies for the last 10ish years on the idea, but now they have a new market open and this market isn't as technically sauvey as the Software Industry was back in the late 80's early 90's when we all decided the copy protection wars were not feasible.
Ted Tschopp
Re:The problem is not entirly Hollywood's (Score:3, Insightful)
Now the (MP|RI)AA are going to learn the same lesson the hard way, it seems. Though I predict that they just won't get it, and will go out of business. And honestly, I can't wait. When they go under, we'll have a lot less bad mus
DVD's without protection (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:DVD's without protection (Score:5, Informative)
Can Hollywood Learn From Intuit? (Score:5, Insightful)
But seriously, I joke, I kid...
Hollywood will learn eventually, after they've been subjected to extreme pressure, loss of profits, and humiliating defeat of any copy protection mechanism they can devise. The same goes for any group of companies that have forgotten they exist because their customers allow them to, and not by some natural right.
Re:Can Hollywood Learn From Intuit? (Score:2, Insightful)
If you think nobody will pay for DRM controlled entertainment because they don't like it, you're wrong. We're already doing things we don't like to do so we can see movies.
I have to answer yes to all those questions, and so do a lot of people. Why do you think DRM will be any different?
Re:Can Hollywood Learn From Intuit? (Score:2)
Re:Can Hollywood Learn From Intuit? (Score:5, Insightful)
Not at all! I like them very much. Not the self-promotion in the local cinema's trailer, or the slideshow, but I do like the trailers. The ones that represent movies I dislike, I get to see what I'm not missing. All the groaning and cringing I would do during the movie, I'm done with, and I will NEVER be in a position where I think I might enjoy the film. The trailers for the films I *do* like, are part of the experience that is not included in the movie itself.
I remember the first trailer for Alien, back in '77 I think. I knew that was a movie I had to see. Think about how you feel when you see clips for movies you really anticipate, like Star Wars (admit it), or LOTR.
>Do you dislike the fact that when you watch a
>DVD, you often can't skip opening sections on a
>disk?
What I dislike about it, is the theory that the production company owns both my DVD *AND* my $20.
For rentals, I don't really give a crap. I think it would be cool if there was a writeable trailer section so the rental places could put localized adverts, current trailers, etc. It doesn't really bother me that I can't skip them, but it does bother me a lot that it's a crime in the US to make a device that can skip them. I don't really believe the DMCA will stand the test of time, but I also realize that "the test of time" takes a hundred years or more.
>Do you still go to the theater
Hardly ever. Only for the films that I really, really don't want to miss. The ones that come every 5-10 years, if that. LOTR. Maybe I'll go see the Matrix, probably not. Certain foreign films that I'll only ever see screened one time and might never make it to home video. This has more to do with my life priorities than my regard for the film industry.
>and rent/buy DVDs?
Again, there are certain films whose subjects or whose importantce transcend "entertainment" and are essential. I'd buy them for 4x the price. Rentals are cheap enough also, and I don't see the problem, DRM or no.
My problem with the restrictions of digital copyright stems entirely from my views as a musician. I do not appreciate being constrained in my means of production by artificial barriers. Many of the barriers between amateur and professional music production are created specifically to raise the bar, and are not really based that much on technical merit.
Also the whole attitude about copying music actually works against the independent artist who doesn't seek any money at all from his work, but would like it to be heard, shared, etc.
Whenver I hear something that implies that "downloading copyrighted material" is always wrong, or a crime, I see red -- because that blanket statement would also cover my own copyrighted work. But what if I *want* it to be downloaded, P2P'd, etc? Copyright law is going in a direction that will severely curtail the rights of independent content producers.
I use Activation schemes (Score:3, Interesting)
What lesson? (Score:3, Interesting)
One would think so (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:One would think so (Score:2)
Re:One would think so (Score:3, Interesting)
So, when you go to the theater, you pay for your films on the way out? Also with concerts, plays, rock tours, etc? Or do you just not go out? Maybe you rent movies but only pay for them at the time of return?
Not trolling; sometimes we just have to buy things sight unseen. Do you have a telephone? Have you "seen" your telephone service with your eyes? (What's it look like?)
Ther big difference between movies and software (Score:5, Insightful)
Movie makers do. They pay artists a flat fee to make a movie, grab all copyrights & sell the movie for the next 70+ years.
So - Software makers dont *need* DRM as much as movie makers.
We're going to have to wait for (or force) a change in the (frankly corrupt) Hollywood business model.
So. No. Hollywood won't learn.
Re:Ther big difference between movies and software (Score:4, Insightful)
Also, most software written for PCes at least won't run on current machines without kludges. I mean it kinda works, but it's hard to integrate WordStar into a workflow with any new program. Basically, if you want to use old programs, you can only use old programs.
And of course, most old games just don't work any more. Maybe wing commander one still works, but I don't know. Anyone tried to play Ultima One for the PC lately?
PC software makers innovate because that's what everyone else is doing and it hasn't stagnated like movies have.
Re:Ther big difference between movies and software (Score:2, Informative)
What?!? Have you ever heard of royalities? Actors get them, writers get them, directors get them, producers get them.
Every few years (Score:2)
Re:Every few years (Score:2)
Difference being: you might be able to re-release your game 20 years later as a "classic," *if* it was really tremendously successful and you bundle it properly... and you'll make not very much. Disney can re-release their animated features about every 16 years to a whole new crop of kids, and make consistently strong box-office grosses. And it is those kinds of expectations that have broken cop
Re:Every few years (Score:2)
That's really the bottom line; everything depriciates, and the copyright should respect the fact that the value of a movie or any other IP is reduced over time, as new products come out, and as tastes and needs change.
Every so often, you get a band or movie that has a cult attraction, but the laws should not be based on the exception to the rule.
Re:Every few years (Score:3, Insightful)
The MPAA would not care one whit about piracy if it relied on initial box office to line their pockets. A whole lot of the gross revenue from your typical movie is expected to come from video sales, television licenses, and so on.
IP can depreciate or appreciate over time. The Star Wars franchise isn't a case of no depreciation; it's worth a whole lot MORE than it was when it
Re:Every few years (Score:3, Funny)
Tax software, however, is a cash cow (Score:4, Insightful)
Intuit realized that many customers were sharing their product with others and that probably looked like lost profits.
But if someone lets a few others copy TurboTax, odds are one or two of those people will buy their own copy next year rather than hassle with chasing down the shared CD to install the program. Instead Intuit alienated the users that purchased the product as well as those who didn't. When they asked their buddy to borrow the copy of TurboTax, they were told "Sorry, the CD has some lame copy protection stuff". Now the purchaser and his/her buddies say "Intuit s**cks".
Keep dreaming (Score:5, Insightful)
TurboTax is an unique piece of software in the sense that it has a very specific goal. It is used only once, and then it needs to be replaced by a newer version. Combine this with the fact that it would appeal even to users who would never install anything else on their computers, and you get a large number of disenchanted customers. You will never get the same protest base with programs like Windows, which come largely preinstalled, or different office suites, which the user installs and forgets, until he replaces the computer.
As for entertainment products, there is a possibility of such a backlash only when the products don't work on common players. The people who want to play CDs on their computers may be vocal, but they are too small of a minority to hurt the companies' revenues signifficantly, in the case of a boycott.
But....What if.... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:But....What if.... (Score:2)
Well, it would be in keeping with their stalwart insistence that the problems with DRM are entirely fictional...
French Class (Score:5, Funny)
So...
DRM = soufflé
soufflé = to blow (in French)
Therefore, DRM Blows!
And thats a wrap!
Its very simple (Score:2)
Re:Its very simple (Score:2)
Boycott Intuit. (Score:5, Insightful)
And, I might take this opportunity to mention that product activation wasn't the only thing that made doing last year's taxes with TurboTax a completely disgusting, and revolting experience. Almost every other screen was filled with Intuit's sales pitches for other unrelated garbage that I didn't need, or want. First, Turbotax haggled me to upgrade to a premium version of TurboTax. All they want is my credit card number to "unlock" the extra crap; there's nothing to download. Of course, after reviewing the list of additional "features" in the premium version it was pretty clear that no more than, perhaps, 1% of people could possibly use it.
Then, TurboTax haggled me to use Intuit's electronic filing service, against for a premium cost. Then, another sales pitch to upgrade to premium TurboTax features, Finally, TurboTax wanted me to pay for storing my tax return in an "electronic vault", for safekeeping (whatever the fuck it means).
This year, doing my taxes was a totally nauseating experience. Literally, my wallet had a bullseye painted right on it, in bright red colors, and Intuit tried everything they could to grab as much of it as they can. I JUST WANT TO DO MY TAXES AND LEAVE MY WALLET ALONE.
Intuit is hoping that this controversy is over. But I hope that it's not over. Even though Intuit is now furiously backpedaling and groveling that's not enough for me. I will follow through on my promise, and no matter how many times Intuit will now swear that their spyware/DRM is history, I will still use a competing product next year. And if I like it, I'll continue to use it. If not, I'll perhaps go back to Turbotax the following year.
I firmly believe that Intuit should not be allowed to get a get-out-of-jail-free card simply by issuing a bunch of warm-sounding press releases, full of vague and nebulous promises. They must still have to deal with the consequences of their decisions, and I'm hoping that others feel the same way too, and will still use some other competing tax preparation package next year.
Re:Boycott Intuit. (Score:5, Interesting)
Your government doesn't have a free e-filing service? Every tax program in Canada will generate a
Re:Boycott Intuit. (Score:2, Informative)
we do. this year i got blanketed by junkmail from the IRS telling me to "use e-file!" i assume turbotax is just preying on the ignorant or fearful ("i can't trust myself or my own computer, so i should trust a corporation's since they're sure to be secure").
Re:Boycott Intuit. (Score:2)
Re:Boycott Intuit. (Score:5, Insightful)
I did too, making a point that I had been their customer for 6 years straight. In fact, I don't thinks the issue is "Can Hollywood learn from Intuit?" Rather, the issue is, "Can Hollywood's consumers learn from Intuit's consumers?"
Piss. Moan. Tell them about the titles you will *not* buy because of it. Compare them to seal-clubbers and boys who wear Jeff Foxworthy shirts to school. Tell your neighbor all about region coding. Send your congressman a voided check saying "this is what you would have got if not for your support of the DMCA (or replace with the name of your particular nasty legislation)."
Even an issue backed by a silent majority of consumers will fail without a vocal minority getting the message across in this day of megacorps, highest-bidder legislation, and perpetual copyright.
Re:Boycott Intuit. (Score:2)
Re:Boycott Intuit. (Score:2)
Re:Boycott Intuit. (Score:2)
Yes, Peachtree is far more convoluted and obfuscated that Quickbooks. Quickbooks (at least up until Quickbooks 99, the last version I used before dumping it) is definitely much easier to than Peachtree.
However, I'd rather stick to Peachtree, and my mind is at peace knowing that I'm not subject to privacy-invading spyware that phones home, and rest of Intuit's bullshit. Peachtree has a steep learning curv
As simple as that! (Score:5, Funny)
Q: Can Hollywood Learn From Intuit?
A: No.
Re:As simple as that! (Score:2)
Q: Can Hollywood learn from Intuit?
A: That's not the right question.
Q: Well, what is the right question, then?
A: The right question is, "Will Hollywood learn from Intuit?"
Q: Oh, OK, then. Will Hollywood learn from Intuit?
A: That would be...no.
I'm Quite Sure Holywood Is Learning (Score:5, Interesting)
"Customer reviews on Amazon.com (AMZN) tell the tale. For the 2001 version of TurboTax (which had no activation feature), the average customer-satisfaction rating was four and a half stars. For the activation-enhanced 2002 edition, the average rating dropped to one and a half stars, and the reviews bore titles such as "scumbags," "disaster," and, perhaps presciently, "the demise of TurboTax.""
I think the lesson the DRM-and-associated industries will take from this is the Boiling Frog story.
For those not familiar with it (there might be a few), the theory goes that if you put a frog into a pot of boiling water it will immediately jump out. If you place that frog in a pan of warm water and slowly raise the heat to boiling, the thing won't budge until it's dead (and then it still won't budge. =)
In other words, the lesson learned is "erode their rights slowly, don't yank the carpet out from under them all at once. Start with the minor potatoes like so-called "fair use." They're entitled to protection from litigation if they're copying something for their own use but that doesn't mean we have to make the item copyable so we can leverage the DMCA for all it's worth. The politicans are cheap. Consider them as insurance or rent money -- just another cost of doing business. The consumer (and oh how I love that word) won't even know they have rights nevermind miss them in 20 years. Just do it slowly."
Oh yeah. Holywood can learn. The question is "can we?"
Re:I'm Quite Sure Holywood Is Learning (Score:3, Informative)
http://www.snopes.com/critters/wild/frogboil.htm [snopes.com]
... if they have the sense. (Score:2)
I remember a quote from Jack Valenti (Score:2)
That was a couple a years ago and the subborn old man has learned nothing.
Another article (Score:2, Interesting)
Why.. (Score:2, Interesting)
I mean software companies would rather sell you a product every year than once for life. (Not including M$ wich wants to sell you 1 product for life.....every year.) Why don't the music and movie companies see this?
I am not a real music person but there are several songs I would enjoy owning, but only if i can get them for a reasonable price. I mean I would be happy to pay a couple bucks to download a song, so long as i can then do whatev
Re:Are they blind? (Score:2)
Do you have any numbers to back up your theory of the demand curve? A good controlled study that showed you were correct would be worthy of a journal article, if not a Ph.D.
Hollywood... learn... (Score:4, Funny)
We knew it all along, and they still don't get it. (Score:5, Insightful)
They still don't get it.
This isn't about technology, rights or anything. This is about simple plain good business sense. This is about bad management. It is a fallacy for a company to think that their product is so delightful that people will put up with being treated like a criminal for the right to use it. Intuit only has one major competitor (H&R Block's Taxcut). The RIAA has thousands of small labels that are chomping at the bit in anticipation of the market the big labels are about to surrender.
The nice thing about a market economy is that the RIAA's folly is our opportunity. It's actually in the small labels' best interests for the RIAA and Microsoft to continue down the DRM path.
So let's keep this news quiet, okay?
Re:We knew it all along, and they still don't get (Score:2)
the real question... (Score:2)
They won't learn (Score:5, Insightful)
The music industry has an excuse, music fans are often fickle and can throw out a band after one CD because their style "isn't cool anymore." Most music is disposable because people don't want anything artistic or refreshingly original. I listen to old stuff by The Cult occassionally as well as more recent stuff like Stabbing Westward. You don't see that kind of rock anymore. It's the same tuned-down, crunch-your-head-off distortion filled, 3 power chord bullshit. I mean WTF is up with a band like the All American Rejects? I just started playing bass a week ago after having been playing guitar on a semi-active basis for 5 months and can play at least one of their bass lines they're that fucking simple! Swing, Swing has only 4 notes in the entire bass line and you just hit them as 8th notes in sets of 8. Again, pathetic... even I a total newbie write cooler bass lines than that. I want my recording contract now that I know that the bar has been thrown out, not lowered.
The IP cartels are greedy and they're not bound to full market forces. Whoever heard of a Korn CD competing with a TRUSTCompany CD? They don't, except for this week's $15 allowance. Buy one this week, buy the other next week. They won't learn because the government is going to step in like a good fascist state and save them from the pirhannas of capitalism that are now about to descend upon them. America will slip backward, other countries will take our economic lead, but a bunch of neocons will be able to sleep peacefully at night knowing that the market is safe for Britney Spears and Limp Bizkit. Too bad that a bunch of our IT sector will be in ruins and our economy's growth will be fizzling out. "Property rights" will be have been protected, except for your right to modify your DVD-R/RW or DVD player so it can play non-CSS DVD-Rs. Hey, property rights in the neocon world belong only to those who produce, not those who consume.
I'm a neo-liberal/libertarian and yes, I openly and freely admit that I vehemently hate neo-conservatism and wish enlightenment for them first, and if that doesn't work a pox on them.
Re:They won't learn (Score:2)
OH I love this comment! (Score:4, Insightful)
They really thought that creating softwer that when installed actually wrote something on my MBR was not going to upset me?
How dumn are they?
Up till this year I used turbotax for the past several returns, but this year I use TaxAct [taxact.com]. And although their interface was not as nice as turbotax, it saved me money and didn't tamper with my machine!
Re:OH I love this comment! (Score:2)
Something that if you mess up, I won't be able to fix for you. (Drawing the line between what I will ("can") fix and won't ("can't") fix works wonders for me.)
Maybe timothy & slash readers should read firs (Score:5, Informative)
Think Intuit is giving up on drm?
Maybe timothy and the slashdot crowd should check their facts first [theinquirer.net], before crediting Intuit with anything.
Looks like Intuit's spin is working wonders.
No DRM a mistake for Intuit too. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:No DRM a mistake for Intuit too. (Score:2, Insightful)
Rule #1 of all DRM schemes should be to make 'em just restrictive enough to keep the honest users honest... since the crooks will find a way to rip you off no matter what.
Why bust on the RIAA? (Score:2)
..No, because it doesn't have to... (Score:2, Insightful)
On the other hand... (Score:5, Interesting)
Here's the bottom line, if we (media users) don't act responsibly and avoid the urge to pirate videos, music, and software (at least buy it or otherwise support the creator somehow), these companies will force DRM onto us.
As consumers we do have significant "wallet" power, however, if we don't act responsibly, the powers that be will make sure that we do [act responsibly].
Call me conservative, but the creators of digital content (videos, audio, etc) should be able to make a living; however, they also shouldn't be able to destroy consumers by partnering with an unavoidable monopoly either.
If we don't take responsibility for our actions (and our peers' actions) now, we can't complain about losing our [said] rights in the future.
Re:On the other hand... (Score:3, Insightful)
Significant wallet power also went to Apple's new site to download buck a piece songs. Apple has already sold millions of them.
The market has spoken and RIAA/MPAA -STILL- hasn't listened to it.
Hollywood? Learn?? (Score:3, Funny)
No.
Historical Perspective (deja vu a.o.e.) (Score:3, Interesting)
Our investment management firm was, for the time, highly IT intensive. All of our investment selections were based on statistical/computer models; the only way anyone could order a trade was through a (mainframe) computer interface. We started buying PCs early on, together with an early version of Lotus 1-2-3.
Then, Lotus introduced copy protection. Initially, we didn't have a big problem with that, in principle; but then we started to encounter the practical realities of unusable machines, software that we could not reload, and so on.
I can remember a meeting with some senior people from Lotus in my office. I told them a couple of things:
--We liked 1-2-3: it was really useful.
--We would never, from that time forward, buy any software with copy protection, under any circumstances.
As I told them then, and as I want to make clear now, we were NOT trying to cheat or get more licences than we were paying for. We were, however, unwilling to do business with another firm that treated us under the assumption that we were criminals.
This story had a happy ending. we were able to negogiate a deal for a "non-copy-protected" version of Louts's software. Not long after, the offer was made generally available.
I'm glad to hear that Intuit has figured things out. Perhaps some day others will ;-).
Rich
Intuit has competition... (Score:3, Interesting)
Hollywood has no serious competition, even less than MS. Nobody can match their global marketing prowess and astronomical budgets. Certainly none can match their political clout either, the lobbying power of the RIAA is but a shadow of the MPAA.
Can Hollywood learn from Intuit? NO!!!!!!! (Score:3, Insightful)
D.R.M. is D.U.M. (Score:5, Insightful)
Why would these people buy these songs instead of just downloading them for free on Kazaa/Gnutella/etc?
Getting a song for free:
- cost: $0
- ease of use: pretty easy
- time to get: depends
- availability: depends
- quality: depends
- platform: mp3s will play on any system
- usage restrictions: none
- legality: not legal.
Getting a song from apple:
- cost: 99c / song, $9.99 / album
- ease of use: really easy
- time to get: really fast
- availability: about 20% of commercial music
- quality: guaranteed good.
- platform: mac only
- usage restrictions: medium-restrictive D.R.M.
- legality: legal.
And those are basically all the issues.
So apparently, ease of use + time to get + quality + legal vs cost + platform + restrictions results in $1 million a week for apple. Not too shabby!
Now what if they dropped the last two strikes against them (besides cost).. platform and usability restrictions? As they upped their cd library they'd soon find the ONLY advantage Kazaa would have would be price, whereas apple would now win (or at least tie) in every other category! How much money would they maybe gross then?
They make $1M a week now right? Let's say opening up the service to non-mac users (95%+ of the users) only triples their revenues. Let's say dropping all restrictions on use again doubles the usage. Finally, let's say them quintupling their collection to include everything ever recorded doubles their revenues again. It looks like they stand to make about $625 Million a year from this service.. if they'd just loosen up on the DRM (and complete their selection)!
Re:D.R.M. is D.U.M. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Fat Chance ... (Score:2, Funny)
Yeah.
ac
Re:Fat Chance ... (Score:2)
Re:Fat Chance ... (Score:5, Funny)
In the dog-eat-dog world of tax preparation software, there's nothing worse than being assaulted by a product made down the hall from you - which fits in an entirely different niche.
Worse fate than death, I tell you.
In the meantime, Intuit does have competition from H&R Block and a few others.
Re:Fat Chance ... (Score:2, Funny)