Apple Enters Realm of DRM Blunders

In the latest episode of DRM blunders, we encounter Apple, stepping into Microsoft's realm of crippling DRM-restrictions.

In this scenario, the QuickTime 7.4 update that was originally designed for the iTunes rental store also includes an unexpected DRM error when Adobe After Effects renders QuickTime videos. This information comes from users at the official Apple and Adobe discussion boards.

When rendering a file, the following error is received: "After Effects error: opening movie - you do not have permission to open this file (-54)."

The obvious current solution to the problem is either NOT upgrade QuickTime or to roll back to QuickTime 7.3.1--the previous release--if you have the ability using Time Machine, can find the previous-version installer, or use Pacifist.

Also irritating forum users are reports that claim that Apple is deleting forum posts on this problem (for instance. see the post on the previous thread by kiluridols from Singapore).

Get the PR team ready, Apple. This could be another DRM nightmare that will send shockwaves through the video editing community. Also be prepared to deal with the consequences, that may or may not include a boycott of QuickTime 7.4, which would also include a boycott of the iTunes Rental Store. It could even escalate to many angry users thinking of dumping your .mov codec all together.

Come on, Steve. What happened to your happy-go-lucky attitude last year about DRM? You said then that you hated it it. Now it is being forced down the throat of video editors? This may not be severe as the Sony Rootkit disaster of 2006, but it does have the same feel.

Comments

Yawn. More Fearmongering from PC fanboys who can't take that their terrible systems are crippled by all sorts of things, so they imagine up a terrible terrible thing from Apple that really isn't so terrible.

swatjester

January 23, 2008

1:48 PM PT

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