RIAA: Open up FairPlay to competitors

The fact is, the record companies do not like the fact that Apple successfully negotiated SOME fair use rights for buyers (burn 5 times, unlimited iPods, etc) and they now want people to avoid the iTS and use one of the newer stores that don't grant those rights.

We know already that if FairPlay is licensed, there is a good chance that the DRM will be cracked. We know already that if FairPlay is cracked, then the record companies will be allowed to remove their songs from the iTS.

So, surprise surprise, we now have the record companies (using their tool, the RIAA) advocating for FairPlay to be licensed. Gee, I wonder why?

cs0875 - you seem to think MS made a 'great business decision' but you have misconstrued their DRM as being one licensed system. It is not - it is many incompatible licensed systems. People who bought songs under Plays4Sure can't use them on a Zune ... is that a great business decision?

Jon - you are entitled to a full refund on any disc that will not play on a computer, if it is not mentioned on the outside packaging. Opened or not. My advice is to try and return it again and let them know you will be seeing a consumer lawyer if they don't provide a refund, and that you'll be letting people know that Best Buy sells defective merchandise.

Remember, the "copy-protection" is actually data corruption, so the item is simply not fit for sale. Without that warning that it won't play on a computer, the item is also incorrectly labelled, because you have a reasonable expectation that a standard CD will play on a computer, so you can return it because it does not meet the specifications it claims.

Also, the copy-protection schemes on these CDs utilise a method that overloads the error-correction systems. This means a small scratch, not a problem usually for CDs, can cause gaps or a lowering of quality. Again, it means the item is not of merchandisable quality. You have every right to return the disc and obtain a full (cash, not store credit) refund.

No Company, or person, should be forced to 'license' any of their creations, period.

I was planning to go out to Target tonight to pick up a couple CDs (I don't buy anything with DRM, sorry Apple/Steve) I've been eyeballing. But due to this RIAA response to Steve, I will now download these CDs in lossless FLAC. That is my response to the RIAA and others that want to force Apple to license their works.

I don't understand why people are making such a big deal about not being able to play iTunes songs on a Zune, or other player. All this talk about DRM restricting my rights is BULL. I have an old Ford, I bought headers for it, new carb, new air intake, and now the engine wears out and I want a new engine, but I cant simply pick any engine and use it with my existing parts. Things are made to work with certain parts, its the way things have always been, and it will continue like this for a while. I cant take an old record and play it on a CD player. I can't take my OS X version of Photoshop and run it on a PC if I choose to switch to vista (not that I would want to).

We live in a free market, well most of us. If you do not like the RIAA dont buy RIAA music, and don't steal it too, because that doesn't give them the message that you don't like them, it just makes them think you are cheap. If you don't like the rules a certain band's label sets, tell the band, and dont buy their CD. The consumer needs to use the power they have, not try to pass laws, and force corporations to do something that is opposite of the market demand.

And read a book by Milton Friedman. It could do a lot of people who have a probem with DRM some good.

NEW SOLUTION FOR APPLE!!!!
Now that they have the the Apple Corps. Apple Inc thing all worked out...

Apple now has "rights" to sell music. For EVERY iTunes sale -- consumer can buy and have shipped the retail CD at a reduced price (probably plus shipping and handling) and the user gets the instant gratification, RIAA gets back some CD sales, Apple makes more money to bottom line -- investors get richer ROI and the EU can tackle the music oligopoly that is the RIAA for their continued stupidity in sticking to DRM!

So the postal services around the world can expect an additional million mailings; technologists can sell a "burn a single" on demand with a shipping process, ECOMMERCE LIVES! And everyone benefits that cares to.

Simple solution now.

PS -- I could see Apple now selling singles, albums and "load your iPod here" through ALL their retail stores. You buy the music there, download to the iPod in your pocket, or buy a new one, and you can purchase the DRM Free version burned, and stamped, right there, or have the retail version shipped to you.

AWESOME!!! Now... how do I make a few bucks off of this?

I bought a Radiohead CD a few months ago and it crashed iTunes whenever I tried to play it. A bit of research revealed that it had been constructed so that it would not play on a computer. I took it back to Best Buy and they said "it's been opened, so tough luck" despite me pointing out that there was no mention on the back of the CD that it would not work on a computer.

So I looked on legal download sites, and they were not selling Radiohead songs. In the end, I ended up downloading them illegally. The RIAA's ridiculous anti-piracy scheme had prevented me from using a CD I had purchased, so they were actually encouraging me to pirate the music. I think more respect for the consumer and less paranoia about DRM will result in decreased piracy.

"There's no such thing as the Mafia." - Tony Soprano

"Yeah, but there is such a thing as the RIAA." - Wheels

Is it just me or does it seem like on these posts we get trolls from record companies and the like all the time? I find their style of writing to be corporate obvious, and always missing the point.

Licensing DRM is not cost beneficial, it obviously has not been for Microsoft. Let it go, you lost, and keep losing interested buyers. This and the movie industry; the only company reliant on consumers who openly try and attack consumers on every front.

The RIAA doesn't get it that DRM doesn't help their business? What a surprise!

They are trying to deflect the blame, make Apple the bad guy. Its big bad Apple that doesn't let you use other devices. I don't see them asking Microsoft to open up their DRM scheme. Maybe we should buy CD's again and share them via p2p without DRM and at high bit rates.

Being greedy and stupid is a bad combination. Insist on DRM and you are going to further alienate your customers. As it is the RIAA has lost a generation of customers. At this rate you will have none left before the end of the decade.

Get rid of DRM! Locked music is the same as prohibition with alcohol. Black market went down when prohibition was abandoned. Did alcoholism increase then? No, but the market had and people had better quality in those products too. Moreover, consumers learn to be more responsible.

We are in a consummation society and this is an ethic situation. It is the same thing with drugs, prostitution, etc... Since Government and leading companies maintain strong prohibitions on some "merchandises", you can be sure that there will be a flowering of organized crime and piracy to feed consumers with bad and dirty stuff, in their way it's a challenge. So drop DRM an you'll see how the music market will climbed and how piracy will go down (even if there always be pirates!)

The question is always, "who gets the benefits of this?"

Don't forget that DRM are a Majors music companies request, not a composers or musicians request as they says. When Majors try to persuade us with this, they lie.

"When are these jackasses going to get a sense of reality?"

When we completely stop buying music. Don't pirate, but don't buy either. That will send a message.