What is Digg?334 Comments
- Antialias, on 10/12/2007, -13/+84You mean like the psp that only plays UMDs?
- CardinalFang, on 10/12/2007, -26/+92Once you buy a song, you should be able to play it the device of your choice. That would be like Sony making a CD player that only plays Sony CDs.
- Godric, on 10/12/2007, -23/+69I don't see why government has to intervene. If you don't want to use an iPod, you can choose from any number of other music stores like rhapsody, yahoo, urge, etc. Or you can buy CDs and rip your own MP3s.
- digitalgopher, on 10/12/2007, -14/+44agreed 100%! I mean, you're legally buying it not stealing it. what difference does it make if you want to listen it on your iPod or your Zen Micro, etc.?
- Livewired, on 10/12/2007, -33/+56If that were Sony's prerogative, then more power to them. They have to consider their own risk and determine whether people will buy the music and player. Apple counted the cost and decided to have a proprietary player and won. Look at the sales figures... over a billion songs sold and how many ipods out the door?
- stealthboy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+25Ok, fine... first just convince the RIAA that there really is no need for DRM. The real purpose of DRM is platform lock-in. Get rid of DRM, then the problem is solved (for example, DRM-free MP3 files).
Good luck with that one, though... The RIAA would rather first assume every potential customer is a criminal. - Godric, on 10/12/2007, -5/+27But there are plenty of alternatives to iTunes.
- digitalgopher, on 10/12/2007, -5/+26right. I think the point is that you shouldn't really have to go through that extra step...
- geoboy, on 10/12/2007, -6/+25"You mean like the psp that only plays UMDs?"
"("BUT RECORDS ONLY PLAY ON TURNTABLES!")"
"Umm, miniDisc?"
You guys all fail to see the fallacy of your logic. AAC audio files can play on plenty of modern day audio devices. There are no physical or technical limitations. Sometimes all a device would need is a firmware upgrade, so support for AAC is very easy. With the iTunes music store, the AAC audio file is crippled so as to only play on ONE BRAND of portable audio player: the iPod.
But France can thank the USA's lovely DMCA law for this, not Apple. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -21/+37Finally!
Why is it that when Microsoft has a monopoly, every demonizes them, and when Apple has a monopoly, no one makes a peep? The underdog always wins, eh? - slithy, on 10/12/2007, -5/+21I don't know of an easier way to convert aac, but here is a nice linux script to convert m4a:
#!/bin/sh
#
# m4a to wav to mp3
for i in *.m4a; do
faad "$i"
x=`echo "$i"|sed -e 's/.m4a/.wav/'`
y=`echo "$i"|sed -e 's/.m4a/.mp3/'`
lame -h -b 192 "$x" "$y"
# Comment the line below if you want to keep the .wav files
rm "$x"
done
Get that DRM right out of there! - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -11/+26It's a monopoly because Apple is making EXCLUSIVE deals with the major record labels to get the songs and albums on iTunes and not on any other online music store (as though an alternative exists).
- DapperScoo, on 10/12/2007, -4/+19Plus doing this further degrades the audio quality.
- snowthrower, on 10/12/2007, -0/+14Because most CDs only have 1 or 2 good songs on them.
- anorris, on 10/12/2007, -4/+16Not to mention programs that remove copy protection from iTunes files...
- Bigcat1021, on 10/12/2007, -4/+15"Yeah, CDs work great on flash drive music players."
Okay, I'm going to stretch your imagination a little bit:
CD->MP3->Flash Drive
If you can't envision that, then just give up already. - toekneebullard, on 10/12/2007, -1/+127of7, if you pirate stuff, you don't care about DRM, cause piratd mp3s don't have DRM. The people who dislike DRM are people who want to do what they want to do with things they paid for. DRM does not stop real piracy, it stops people from making copies sure, but it doesn't stop people from just downloading the mp3s from somewhere.
- Misos, on 10/12/2007, -5/+16No one forces anyone to buy ANYTHING from iTunes - Apple has a right to deliver its content in the way it sees fit. Don't like it? Shop elsewhere!
- geekee, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11"This just shows how stupid people are. Apple limits its music to ipods because only ipods have the firmware to unencrypt the itunes protection. For support for other players apple would need to remove that protection."
Every other mp3 player manufacturer would gladly license and support Fairplay if Apple allowed it. - stealthboy, on 10/12/2007, -6/+17France to Jobs: Ok, we surrender!
- saysaknow, on 10/12/2007, -16/+26This is true but Sony has its own proprietery video viewing device- the PSP. If only I could play my Sony games on my Nintendo systems.
- geofferensis, on 10/12/2007, -4/+14Yeah, imagine if the US militia had depended on the French Navy to blockade British reinforcements in the Battle of Yorktown. Imagine if General Washington had depended on French Artillery to fight the British. Imagine if the US would have needed French help to win the Battle of Yorktown, the turning point of the revolutionary war.
Wait, I remember there being French artillery when I visited the national park where the Battle of Yorktown took place. As a matter of fact, from my basic US History class I seem to remember that the French Navy did block British ships during the battle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Yorktown_%281781%29
Read a little bit. It won't hurt, I promise. - IchiroBoston, on 10/12/2007, -7/+17I say fine, shut down the store in France :)
- stokestack, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11Burning to CD and re-ripping sucks because it recompresses already-***** compressed files.
However, it does prove that DRM is absolutely worthless, because anyone buying 128-kbit music doesn't care about quality anyway and certainly won't mind recompressing. The only people being punished are those who want high quality. - macslut, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10CLARITY IS NEEDED HERE!
This article is very ambiguous. I can't tell if it's a translation issue or if the author doesn't understand the technology.
The author states that the law allows people to legally use software to convert iTMS files so that they can play on nonPods.
That's a hell of a lot different than saying that Apple may be forced to open up the iTMS to nonPods (in France), or shut down.
The author also writes:
"The law would also mean that other online French music retailers such as Fnac..., would have to make iTunes songs available on their Web sites."
OK, so what the heck does that mean? Again, does that mean that the same law that makes FairPlay file conversion software legal also make Janus file conversion software legal? (I suspect that's what's going on here).
So I suspect, that all the law does is legalize the software small minorities of people are already using to transcode/DRM-strip FairPlay or Janus. That's no biggie.
The author does imply somehow that it's a lot more than that, as if Apple needs to shut down in France or license FairPlay both to nonPods and to online services. He doesn't back up this implication with any text from the proposed la - micklerlop, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11we aren't in a perfect world and that's where the pirate bay and the gang come in
- healthy, on 10/12/2007, -14/+23The point is that you are buying an iTunes track. that is what you are paying for. apple is fine with selling you something that will only play on an iPod. and many many people are fine with buying something with such limitations. for people who won't pay for that, such as myself, there are CDs and even records. ("BUT RECORDS ONLY PLAY ON TURNTABLES!")
- duke, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12Agreed. I have some old ViewMaster slides that only play in a ViewMaster - so what? I suppose these geniuses in France would force them to make a ViewMaster slide play in a 35mm slide projector?? It's nonsense! If you don't want to look at a ViewMaster, don't buy ViewMaster slides, and if you don't want to download to an iPod, don't buy from iTMS. How hard is that?
- mateo60, on 10/12/2007, -4/+12Yep the Minidisc. The biggest reason that the average consumer doesn't have a minidisk player is because Sony didn't open it up.
If you don't like Apples DRM then vote with your feet and buy your music elsewhere. - GruntboyX, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8As hopeful as i am to see itunes open up..or better yet the Ipod play ogg or wma or any format. I doubt anything will come of this except lots of news and limited solutions. My bet is that apple just closes itunes france, or reach some crazy comprimise which really isnt ground breaking.
- Raian, on 10/12/2007, -11/+19Jobs to France: no.
- TripleFX, on 10/12/2007, -10/+18Umm, miniDisc?
- Brutis, on 10/12/2007, -5/+13This is close to a monopoly but the issue is locking down things you buy, the first comment in this section really lets people realize what apple does. You don't want to buy a cd from Best Buy that only works on Best Buy branded cd players.
- SystemsGuy, on 10/12/2007, -11/+18Explain to me how Apple has a monopoly? Can't you buy music pretty much anywhere you want? Why do you have to use iTunes?
- cyclotron, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11Or like Nintento that only plays nintendo games!?
- MioTheGreat, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9I just went to microsoft's website. They offer a windows media player for Mac that plays WMA files encrypted with what they call 'Version 1' DRM licenses.
- wistily, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9In France, linked sales are forbidden. Apple clearly force you to buy an Ipod to be able to listen to yours song outside of your computer.
- iSEPIC, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8yeah, same with BMW pre-installing a stereo in your new car, a theater having only COKE (or only PEPSI), same with Microsoft bundling Media player or antivirus or whatever on their desktop (not like you can't put in an aftermarket stereo, or an afternarket media player ---ugh videolan.com), THEY sell, you have a choice, buy an Apple if you don't like Windows, or Build a box yourself using Linux, or BeOS, or whatever you fancy - same rules should apply all the way around.. Coke having an exclusive deal with a theater, iTUNES having an exclusive deal with some record labels (meaning no one else can get those songs, unless you buy the cd itself), Microsoft having exclusive deals with DELL, BMW having exclusive deals with BOSE.... why do peopole bitch about this for SOME companies but not precious Apple?
- iSEPIC, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8yup, I won't buy another iTUNES Track, CD or DVD until the RIAA and MPAA die (don't need a calculator for that one).
allofmp3.com and many many many many more are out there with high quality music. If you feel guilty, send a check to the artists you love, go see their concerts, lavish their "cribs" and put some cash in their gold-plated mail boxes, whatever you need to do to feel good about yourself, but DO NOT give any to the RIAA or MPAA. - danielwsmithee, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11"You can play any movie you want on the PSP, just copy via USB."
The same goes for the iPod you can play any non DRM'ed file you want just copy it via DRM. The point is if you buy a UMD Video you can not put it in any video player and play it. Just like if you purchase Fair Play music from the Apple store you can't play it on non-iPods. - NiLeS, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Hmm.. your summary is wrong. France is passing a law that says
"It would no longer be illegal to crack digital rights management ... if it is to enable the conversion from one format to another"
This means the RIFA (do they have one?) couldn't hunt you down for cracking iTunes DRM. No one's forcing Apple to do anything - they article just says that Apple could close the store to prevent their DRM from being further cracked.
Let's read articles before posting, eh? - kindrobot, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6So what a lot of you are saying is that the US can use the law to encourage companies to lock down content, but France should not use the law to do the opposite?
Fascinating.
So much DRM love here, I had no idea. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8That's some major news. Now Apple knows what it is like to do serious business in Europe, they should have learned from Microsoft mistakes.
- astrotrain, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8Yes I agree, once you pay for a song you should be able to stick it on any device you want rather then a single
device. The song format should be in MP3 which is universal across all platforms and not just Appl'es format. - asdfer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6In related news, Apple renames all tracks and albums with the name "French Connection(s)" to "Freedom Connection(s)"
(satire) - blackjack75, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Actuall the french won't lose anything, they'll just revert to good old piracy and still have music. Apple indeed would lose money.
- Ultim8Fury, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9All apple has to do to get round this is to either close the french iTMS or license the Fairplay DRM to other device manufacturers.
Of those 2 options I would guess the path of least cost to Apple is to close ITMS for france. No biggie.
France may think it has the big bargaining chip here but quite honestly in the grand scheme of things they have nothing. Apple would withdraw and before you know it the french farmers would blockade the roads ( cos they like doing that, it makes them feel important ) then the government would back down like they always do. - CubedIce, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I love how when M$ does anything vaguely monopolistic--i.e. bundling IE with Windows--everyone wants to stop their asault on our dignity; however, when Apple creates a music store that is pretty much the be all standard of online music sales--and makes sure that their DRM only works with their iPod--more power to them. Realistically, wouldn't it be better to promote open standards regardless of company, since it will ultimately benifit the end consumer? I personally would rather pay less for an iPod since Apple was forced to compete by opening up its music store to other MP3 players. I just can't understand blindly supporting a company that charges fairly high end prices--even for admittedly nice products. Open standards == good, at least in my book.
- iSEPIC, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7that is very true, mp4 is an open standard that Apple has put a nice container on (similar to BSD as the OS and a nice interface like OS-10/OSX on top of that), so it's going to be okay to un-DRM the itunes track right? you know, the one that Apple has the "keys to" --- so yeah, there is a bit more to an itunes track than the mpeg-4 compression technology---- the wrapper that contains the DRM, if stripped, and the mp4 data unencrpted, then you have a nice mp4/AAC file - why not use hymm? But hey, why go through the bother of violationg yoru agreement with them just to get your music files free from this crap? Buy it from allofmp3.com and be done with it.
- szelij, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10Nice to see someone stand up to this travesty. The Apple iPOD is a major revenue earner for Apple, more so than the iTunes store, think of the iPOD as a computer and the iTunes store as a floppy drive. While it's a nice thing, Apple doesn't earn much from iTunes. However the iTunes store allows them to lock in users to the iPod, something which prevents competition. Think of that as Microsoft...forcing hardware manufacturers to pre-install Windows.
Gasp! A ghastly comparison isn't it?
France is seeking to address this and if referred to the Commission, it won't be pretty. Even Microsoft can't escape the commission. However, i don't see Apple backing down soon, the loss of France is okay compared to the loss of the iPod dominance. I expect a long-drawn out battle that will take years which eventually will allow Apple to 'open up' its iTunes store-but several years too late where there's already a lot of other strong competitors.
Pure business sense. It's cutthroat, ruthless and unethical but thats business for you. -
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