Sorry, MSN Music "Buyers!"
As I've said before, I don't have any religious opposition to the very notion of Digital Rights Management. But boy, does DRM in the real world keep turning out to be a compelling argument for the elimination of DRM, period.
I'm thinking of today's news that folks who "bought" songs on MSN Music won't be able to move them to new PCs after August. That's because Microsoft, which shut down MSN Music's "buy song" option when it launched the Zune in 2006, is deactivating the DRM servers that would allow a new PC to become an authorized device for music playback.
In this interview over at News.com, Microsoft exec Rob Bennett justifies the company's decision, saying that making the DRM work properly with operating-system upgrades was impractical. It's a shame that thecompany discovered that DRM was tough after marketing its DRM under the name PlaysForSure, a boast that was disproved again and again. ("PlaysForSure" has since morphed into the less sweeping-sounding "Certified For Windows Vista.")
So the upshot is that anyone who purchased tracks from MSN Music didn't really buy them in the traditional sense that you'd buy, oh, a CD. Microsoft's server shutdown means that the songs will be forever tied to the computers they're authorized for as of June.
The situation is pretty similar to what happened with Google Video last August, when the company stopped selling video downloads. After some squawking by consumers, Google ended up both giving customers their money back and providing an additional Google Coupon credit. I haven't seen any word on what if anything Microsoft plans to do for MSN Music customers who feel like their time and money was wasted.
Both Microsoft and Google are, ahem, rather large companies that aren't short on money or resources. And both cheerfully took consumers' money for content that those people were allegedly buying, and then decided that maintaining the DRM that made that content usable was inconvenient. It makes me glad that I've bought most of my music on CDs, where it's safe and sound from any business decisions made after the fact by the companies I bought the discs from. (A high percentage of my CDs came from Tower Records; it doesn't even exist anymore, and my music still plays just fine.)
Both the Microsoft and Google DRM decisions leave me just a little less likely to believe any claims those companies make when they're trying to part me from my money--and a whole lot more distrustful of DRM in any flavor.
If content wasn't locked up with DRM, of course, none of this would happen. Coincidentally, I've been visiting Microsoft in Redmond over the past couple of days, and I met today with Brian Seitz, senior marketing communications manager for Zune, the music device and platform that essentially replaced MSN Music. He told me that about two-thirds of the 3.5 million or so songs available on the Zune Marketplace are now available in DRM-free MP3 form--and that the company's goal is for all of its catalog to be available without DRM by the end of the year.
Sounds good to me. Perhaps Microsoft might like to give all those folks who purchased MSN Music tracks free versions of those songs in MP3 format?
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I'm disgusted by Microsoft's actions on MSN Music and I'm not even a customer. But ... I think there's one other thing to think about, regarding Harry's CD analogy: the comfort level works best if you carry it one step further, and rip the music off the CDs. (Then, of course, back the music up regularly.) Otherwise, though Tower Records may be gone, you're at the mercy of your CD players, and however long those are going to be manufactured. Yeah, I know that's probably another 12-15 years, but the point is, you theoretically **could** be abandoned by your technology choice, even in the physical world.
BTW, Tower Records physical stores where all closed, but I believe the online store was bought out by a second company. Tower is now online only, here... http://www.tower.com/ ...but I do miss Tower Records.
This isn't Microsoft's only DRM disaster. If you have an Xbox 360 and it dies (which is very likely), all the downloadable games, videos, and game add ons won't work unless the 360 is connected to the internet.
All of this is caused by a licence that ties to the serial number of the system itself, and it is only transferrable if you send your system in for repairs. If you swap out your faulty system with an in store warranty, or buy a new one (like I did) Microsoft will not transfer the licence for you. If these are so called "legal" downloads, why is my money being stolen from me?
Thank goodness I have never purchased anything with DRM. I figured out early on that it was not something I wanted any part of. I have ripped all of my CDs to mp3 format to use on my iPod, and most recently I have been buying lots of DRM free music - mostly from Amazon.com but also from iTunes (which now offers iTunes plus which are DRM free).
Also, I am happy to say, that I have persuaded quite a few people over the years about the evils of DRM and convinced them not to buy them. I'm sure they're happy they listened to me about that subject!
When I buy music, I believe I should have the right to listen to it the rest of my life on whatever platform I own. If I can't do that, I won't buy any more music!
Please read my (extended) comments-ary on the "DRM Disaster..." post on PCWorld. It's basically the same post as this one, but I read it before this one, so I commented there.
It's also available for your perusal at my blog
lituus.co.nr
or
lituuslimacon.blogspot.com
along with other interesting (possibly) commentary.
If the folks at PCWorld don't like me "linking" to my blog, they may delete that part of my comment
Boy, ain't it just like M$. Another of the many, many reasons (if you don't have ADD) to inspire evermore trust and condidence in the boyz at the Redmond forest Time, agian to dump a load (of M$ stock that is) with this;yet, again, stellar management decision.
You know the old joke, "does a bear dump in the woods?" Yeah, rah,Microsoft! Wharton MBA's will being studying theses wonderyears of unmanagement for decades to come,
Harry, I gotta tell you, these lasest bizarr business decisions Microsoft continues to make ... even after the high profile "Yahoo Ultimatum" followed almost immediately by lastest suitor running for cover almost reaks of desparation. And, certainly do NOT inspire confidence in the company's management, its future; nor its ability to inspire trust in much of anything.
Doesn't it seem that, lately, any consumer continuing to do business with it seems to get burnt, again and again. Your post on DRM and Microsoft's position toward "buyers" of MS Zune tunes is disgusting; but OH so typical. "THERE IS A SUCKER BORN EVERY MINUTE !" [sic: P.T.Barnham]..
Microsoft should stick to software...
chkm8
I'm a Microsoft customer, and I am HAPPY! Alot happier than if I were buying Mac or using a iPhone just cause it's the newest piece of junk Apple has put out and it seem's like the cool thing to do. Leaving out the possibility, no wait, fact.... That everyone love's to hop on the Steve Job's love train, pathedic! I couldn't help but notice the word "unmanagement" up above, lol, wow...
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