What is Digg?142 Comments
- dsmx, on 09/29/2008, -4/+77Why not just outlaw DRM? Surely that would be far simpler.
- abbathdoom, on 09/29/2008, -2/+56Come on labels, Amazon is now established as a strong competitor to iTunes, can you stop ***** up iTunes by withholding the same DRM free music you let everyone else sell?
- vikingkory, on 09/30/2008, -4/+52So it takes vikings to stand up to apple. This is why we need more vikings in the world.
- inactive, on 09/29/2008, -4/+40Itunes will soon close in Norway. It´s just too small to really cause an economical impact. Then again, Apple is selling unlocked iPhones in China...
- LeMacMec, on 09/30/2008, -4/+40If only more countries were like this.
- drlha, on 09/30/2008, -4/+34It doesn't take a genius to work it out. Labels are withholding DRM free music from iTunes because they don't want Apple to have a monopoly on music sales. Giving a competitive edge to Amazon et al gives iTunes more competition and therefore less leverage over the music labels. Labels got badly burned by selling their souls to Wal-mart for CD sales, they don't want to repeat that.
Apple have clearly shown their willingness to sell DRM free music, as they do currently. - DjOverEZ, on 09/30/2008, -0/+30Yeah, ninjas and pirates always get the notoriety for being badass, but vikings should definitely be up there with them.
- diggymow, on 09/30/2008, -17/+44I don't understand. If it's really the labels and not Apple that want to sell DRM music on iTunes then why do they sell DRM free music elsewhere? I don't buy it. Apple want to sell DRM music because it ties people to it's iPods. If you've got hundreds of DRMed music tracks and you need a new mp3 player you can only buy an iPod because nothing else will play those tracks without a quality loss. In my opinion DRM is better for Apple than it is for the labels that's the only reason there's still DRM tracks on iTunes when they're legally available elsewhere DRM free.
- potifar, on 09/30/2008, -1/+19Then again, Finland, Denmark, France, Germany, and Holland support the protest as well. I'm not convinced Apple will just give up those markets without thinking twice.
- mizike, on 09/30/2008, -9/+25"no other major labels have agreed to sell music in the iTunes Plus format."
There's the key sentence. Apple would happily sell music DRM free if the record labels would allow them to. - EarlOfLade, on 09/30/2008, -1/+15Not to mention that it could easily become the official position for EU too.
- TheLichKing, on 09/30/2008, -7/+21So how come Amazon can?
- fireashes, on 09/30/2008, -1/+14"Users who buy digital media must be allowed to use the media with whichever device they choose"
- unitedatheism, on 09/30/2008, -6/+19Here's to Norway: where the government don't stand for DRM and neither do I!
- RudeTurnip, on 09/30/2008, -6/+18Steve Jobs has already stated that he doesn't want to sell DRM tracks. Apple is a hardware company. They don't make 100gb+ iPods with the assumption that you're going to spend thousands of dollars at the iTunes Store...that sounds ridiculous to think about. The labels are keeping Apple's hands tied on this one, while they let Amazon sell non-DRM MP3 files. This is a case of the music labels manipulating the market.
- yoda133113, on 09/30/2008, -6/+18Actually I think iTunes is loaded with DRM because of Apple. It's in their interest to only allow their stuff to work with the iPod, thus making more people buy iPods.
- mizike, on 09/30/2008, -3/+15"why do they sell DRM free music elsewhere"
Here's the basic reasoning. The record labels are slow, anachronistic, dinosaurs. They didn't see the internet as something to be taken seriously until it was far too late. Apple realized early on how big internet sales could be, and agreed to implement DRM to get access to the content. The record labels would not agree to give up the content any other way at this stage of the game. A few years go by and suddenly Apple is the #2 music seller in the U.S., and the record companies ***** themselves. They've allowed a company to corner the market for online music sales; combine that with the fact that sales of physical media are continually dropping, and suddenly Apple holds all the power. Apple effectively controls the online market, and are too big of a company for the record labels to be able to push around in any meaningful way (look at NBC, tried to push apple around in terms of pricing, apple told them to STFU, a year later they come crawling back on apple's terms). This is why Amazon can offer DRM free tracks for cheaper than Apple. The record companies are so eager to establish a competitor for iTunes, that they're willing to give Amazon the same content at a cheaper rate, and without DRM in the hopes that they can take Apple down a peg and break their hold over the online market. Having more providers is good for the record labels as it allows them to take back control over the supply chain, dictate who gets what, and generally carve out more of a profit for themselves. - Hamletlere, on 09/30/2008, -3/+15Because the labels want a significant competitor to Apple to allow more leverage in negotiations, so they give Amazon a competitive edge to allow them to grow.
- StuartGibson, on 06/14/2009, -3/+15Because the labels want Amazon to become a genuine competitor to iTunes so Apple doesn't have control over pricing etc simply by being the biggest game in town. DRM free makes Amazon an attractive alternative and once it gains a position where it can challenge iTunes on sales then they are more likely to let iTunes have DRM free stuff (which would be nice since the DRM free AAC is higher quality than the MP3 Amazon sells).
- X86BSD, on 09/30/2008, -3/+14Because the major labels ALLOW Amazon to sell the same music without DRM so more people will buy amazon songs and in doing so reduce itunes market share so that Apple doesnt have as much strength in negotiations with them.
If Apple has 90% of digital download sales it has great strength in negotiating favorable contracts with the labels. If Apple has 30% of digital download sales they have much less bargaining power. This is not rocket science folks. This is the labels trying to tear down Apples market share of digital downloads. People that think this is Apple's doing that they sell DRM music while Amazon does not are clueless and uneducated. This is the major labels ganging up on Apple the only way they can. By refusing to license DRM free music to Apple but letting everyone else have DRM free music they harm Apple and reduce it's market share, or so they think. - mithrasinvictus, on 09/30/2008, -0/+11Do we really want part of our culture to be controlled by outdated record companies who are afraid of progress?
- Dalhectar, on 09/30/2008, -0/+10If governments give shrinkwrapped EULAs legal standing... Then they are already involved.
- inactive, on 09/30/2008, -4/+14Apple has nothing to do with DRM. It's the ***** RIAA and the big record labels. If you are going to be angry, at least be angry at the right people.
Don't you think Apple would love to abolish DRM? It does nothing for them except hurt their business. Apple is forced into DRM by the content providers. Apple's hands are tied.
Apple has been constantly fighting DRM and finally had a victory when it began to release a select few DRM-free, high quality songs with the record label EMI. - RudeTurnip, on 09/30/2008, -3/+12The labels let Amazon sell MP3's to keep Apple's market influence down. Amazon and Apple do not have a choice regarding DRM or no DRM.
- inactive, on 09/30/2008, -0/+9NO........the REAL problem is that DRM needs to be abolished.
END OF STORY - Typhoon2009, on 09/30/2008, -0/+9The EU is tough with these sorts of things. They were able to force Microsoft into selling a version of XP and I think Vista as well without WMP bundled.
- jbond, on 09/30/2008, -1/+8Just Say No To DRM, m'kay?
DRM is Killing Music. And it's a rip off. - meamog, on 09/30/2008, -0/+7No, most content isn't. I wish it was, I'd buy alot more from iTunes if that was the case.
- EarlOfLade, on 09/30/2008, -1/+8When I buy a CD, I can play it on players from Pioneer, Sony, Yamaha or whichever one I like to buy. In the old days with LP's, I could play it on any turntable I chose to buy.
I think the precedent is there in troves. - jakem1, on 09/30/2008, -0/+7Amazon doesn't sell MP3s in Norway. The article made exactly the same mistake.
- Dersuk, on 09/30/2008, -0/+7Norway is not a part of the EU, just the trade agreement.
I suppose you meant Europe though :) - EarlOfLade, on 09/30/2008, -0/+6Yes, I do because day in and day out I am presented with evidence showing me that without control and laws, it doesn't work and it costs me tons of money, these days, an additional 700 000 000 000 dollars. So yes, I do!
- rakous, on 09/30/2008, -1/+7You are a moron.
- pintomp3, on 09/30/2008, -2/+8voting with dollars doesn't work so well when it's a cartel.
- potifar, on 09/30/2008, -3/+8This is what the Consumer Council does. Apple is breaking the Norwegian Consumer Law, so the CC is telling them to shape up or GTFO.
- Murdats, on 09/30/2008, -0/+5why do people think the american system of government is the only good form of government?
how about different countries do things in different ways, that way we can run more then 1 social experiment, those who have a problem with that method of government have the ability to go to a country that matches their political ideology.
I think people are actually scared that other countries may do things better then america in a different way, thus showing their political ideology is not the best. - init100, on 09/30/2008, -2/+7So you're against all consumer protection? The problem with just counting on consumers to vote with their wallets is that many are not aware of problems like this. Should we just blame it on them for not figuring out what DRM is and why it should be avoided?
Protecting the consumer is the right thing to do. - Murdats, on 09/30/2008, -1/+6if it benefits society then why not? a good thing is a good thing.
- NSResponder, on 09/30/2008, -0/+5"Apple want to sell DRM music because it ties people to it's iPods."
No.
Apple has no need to "tie" people to the iPod, it was already a runaway hit before the iTMS existed, and it still sells like crazy even in countries where the iTMS isn't open for business.
Neither Apple, nor any other hardware manufacturer wants to do DRM. It's a pain in the ass. It wastes engineering time, it wastes battery life, and it irritates the customers.
-jcr - bjorna, on 09/30/2008, -0/+4Yeah apple, fix it or GTFO of here! it's not like we can't buy our music other places online here in norway? oh wait, I can't think of a single place :(
- EarlOfLade, on 09/30/2008, -1/+5They have.
They voted for the political parties now in the parliament.
You DO understand that the government is for the people, by the people? It's supposed to be there for the people of the country, to assist, protect and progress the country and it's citizens. Why are you so afraid of governments? Someone told you they are the boogeyman? - Dalhectar, on 09/30/2008, -1/+5If Norway forces Apple to sell DRM free music, one of 2 things will happen:
A) Apple will have to stop selling music in Norway.
B) Apple will have to renegotiate their music deals with Music Labels in Norway to sell DRM free music.
If Apple was forced to go back to the record labels, and say to them, either A) stop selling music or B) sell DRM free music, won't the record labels make more money with option B over A? Norway, by playing chicken with Apple, could very well be doing the right thing for consumers. Consumers will end up with DRM free music. - redwallhp, on 09/30/2008, -1/+5Nooooo.... People buy the music play because they want the music player. Then they start buying tracks off iTunes because it's convenient. I have an iPod, and I don't buy any music online (I still get CDs and rip them).
In case you didn't notice, all the other music players suck. I had 3 different MP3 players before going with an iPod, and none of them were that great (my Sansa model was okay, but it still had issues). The iPod works. No dumb software glitches that screw-up the order of the songs, no albums being split in two for no reason (even though the metadata is fine), no rotten UI. iPods are worth the extra money. - diothar, on 09/30/2008, -0/+4It's already been discussed several times, Crawlers. The labels are trying to give an advantage to Amazon so that Apple's iTunes store is not the sole major player in the digital downloads industry. By giving Amazon a small edge, they're hoping that they will have more leverage when it comes time to negotiate more contracts with Apple.
- KingCritter, on 09/30/2008, -3/+7Threepio, that's completely different. That's hardware incompatibility -- CDs were never meant to be played on a record player. What Apple is doing, on the other hand, is deliberately crippling digital files that *should* run on any music player.
- jakem1, on 09/30/2008, -2/+6I don't know what percentage of marketshare OS X has in Norway but I'm willing to bet it's as minute as it is everywhere else in the world. As a result, the fact that it's tied to Apple hardware is neither here nor there. iPod and iTunes is obviously a different story.
Also, don't forget that Apple have a number of choices here. They can either license FairPlay or get rid of it. The fact that they won't license it would suggest that they're more than happy to keep DRM despite what Steve and his apologists might say, - jannefoo, on 09/30/2008, -2/+6Uu, Apple Defence Force in action
- PeanutCheeseBar, on 09/30/2008, -1/+5I am not an Apple sympathizer, but Jobs already did say that he's not terribly fond of DRM; the labels can be blamed for not opening up their music. That aside, Norway trying to force Apple to do away with DRM is akin to a fly attacking a human; wasted effort.
- bbqsalad, on 09/30/2008, -2/+6Simple solution: Pirate everything.
- patpi, on 09/30/2008, -1/+5I hope that also in this case EU will start defending European citizens rights soon. (Lately EU was really good in forcing interoperability and real fairplay, t is good to live in Europe now ;] )
-
Show 51 - 100 of 143 discussions
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is