Music download places like itunes

[CommanderJameson]

Bodo said:

page3 said:

I did also give a so hopefully my comments wouldn't be taken (totally) the wrong way, however... Apple don't offer an alternative DRM'd format as they have chosen AAC. I don't know of any other MP3 player that offers multiple DRM'd formats, why should Apple? I hate DRM'd music as much as anyone, but at least the iPod plays many other formats. Locking people into a preparatory format (ie: Windows Media) is a far worse offence.

I agree with your other comments on this thread - so take back the 'ill-informed' bit if I may?

And the "spout utter crap" please too, while you're at it

My background is that Apple's FairPlay-DRM is used to lock users to the itunes-system, although this wouldn't be necessary. The hardware itself is not worse than the competitor's albeit with an excellent styling.

But I'm not locked in. I have an iPod, and a Mac, and use iTunes. And I buy music at places other than iTunes. That's the very definition of "not locked in".

www.bleep.com/
http://audiolunchbox.com/
www.emusic.com/
www.legaltorrents.com <-- best value of all! Free stuff!

Bodo said:

I'm not a friend of DRM either; mainly because it is used to cut consumer's freedoms, more than the securing artist's rights, as it seems. I'm mentioning especially Apple since the OP wanted an alternative to iTunes. Other MP3-player manufacturers use DRM as well, but this (anybody know which? Microsoft?) one more widely available at online download-stores; hence allowing a more direct competition in trade.

The iPod of course plays many formats, however you'd need to rip them from CD, since the big record companies only allow music to be sold online legally when it is restricted. (I'd love to hear the opposite. anyone?)

Other MP3-player-manufacturers use WMA, which means they can't play the music they buy from iTunes! The horror! The real lesson of all this is that DRM Manages the Digital Rights not of the customer (oh, sorry, consumer) but rather the vendor. Which is arse-about-face.

There are a number of online record labels selling non-restricted music as noted above. The major labels will, naturally, be the last to this particular party - to which attendance will not be optional.

Entertainingly, if you buy a Zune, your previously bought music, that you bought because it PlaysForSure, won't play on your new toy.

Edited by CommanderJameson on Thursday 28th December 20:44

[Bodo]

Sorry CJ, missed your earlier post. Yes, there are lots of online-music stores with un-DRM'ed downloads. This is definitely the way forward. Unfortunately, still 97% (I estimate) of the legally bought download-music on tinternet must be DRM'ed, and either not playable on FairPlay DRM or PlaysForSure DRM, and hence not subjected to inter-system-competition

I've just read an article on wikipedia about the Zune (I've linked direct to 'Criticism', in case you know its features already), which will hopefully not accepted because it looks like MS wants to stop licensing their DRM to other hardware manufacturers or music stores, just like the Apple model.

[PJR]

Although im not really a fan of DRM'd music. I think it gets a bit too much bad press. At the end of the day, I can still play iTunes purchased songs anywhere I like. But then I do have an iPod.
iPods and iTunes really are not so bad at all. Apple must be doing something right as folk seem to have voted with their wallets and granted Apple the largest share of the market. For both portable music players and the digital music itself.
And iTunes has a good range of music, so I rather like it, as online music stores go..

I suspect issues some people experience are more of a case of not giving more thought to their choice of portable music player and online music store. Hence compatibility grumbles. But then thats rather like trying to put a betamax tape into a vhs machine. Whos fault is that? The user, not panasonic or whoever.

P,

[CommanderJameson]

PJR said:

Although im not really a fan of DRM'd music. I think it gets a bit too much bad press. At the end of the day, I can still play iTunes purchased songs anywhere I like. But then I do have an iPod.
iPods and iTunes really are not so bad at all. Apple must be doing something right as folk seem to have voted with their wallets and granted Apple the largest share of the market. For both portable music players and the digital music itself.
And iTunes has a good range of music, so I rather like it, as online music stores go..

I suspect issues some people experience are more of a case of not giving more thought to their choice of portable music player and online music store. Hence compatibility grumbles. But then thats rather like trying to put a betamax tape into a vhs machine. Whos fault is that? The user, not panasonic or whoever.

P,

I have to disagree with you here. DRM isn't a technical requirement for digital audio, as the likes of Bleep.com will tell you; it's perfectly feasible to sell music without it. DRM is imposed on the technology supplier by the content supplier so that the content supplier can have the maximum possible amount of revenue. Apple would sell you DRM-free music if they could, because it would allow them to concentrate on making iPod and iTunes do Cool Things, rather than be locked up tight against the Evil Content Thieves.

The only people who benefit from DRM are the record companies. Not the artists (The Grateful Dead not only put all their stuff on t'internet, but in FLAC format too), not the technology suppliers (money spent implementing it is money not spent improving the product) and definitely not the customer.

The Betamax/VHS thing was the result of two different solutions being on the market at the same time. Both had their advantages and disadvantages. The situation is not analogous to DRM/DRM-free music.