notes and views on crm, social media, and the human side of information technology

Not The End of DRM Just Yet

Just a quick note to the EMI/iTunes deal: let’s say you’re still reading books, right, and all of a sudden they come with a license saying you are only allowed to read them at home and not on the bus, and there are undercover detectives roaming the streets and scanning the buses and boy, if they ever catch you with a book in your lap while you’re on your way to work, you’ve got yourself a lawsuit!

And while some people complain, the masses just go with it ’cause, well, you can’t really say no to authorities, can you?

And after a while, those still in rebellion get their voices heard more and more, and gradually a wave of dissent gets noticed by the media and, eventually, by the masses. Then, because more and more people are copying books in their basement and giving them away to their friends, the publishers get together and put out a press release: you can buy our books for 25% more and you can read them anywhere you want! How about that!!!

What do you say to that, eh?

DRM isn’t dead yet. It won’t be until the publishers say, oops, it was a mistake, the overzealous accountants did it! Of course you can do whatever you damn please with the stuff you bought!

PS Yes, this being the real world, etc., I should unclench my teeth and say it’s better than nothing and perhaps something even better will eventually happen. Personally, though, I see more life in services such as Amiestreet that I wrote about: places where musicians and fans get together without too many men in dark suits breathing the same air.

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April 2, 2007 | Filed Under CRM, Enterpreneurship 

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