›
This forum is in permanent archive mode. Our new active community can be found here.

Why is DRM a bad thing?

MejedinMejedin
edited September 2008 in Everything Else
From listening to the podcast I get the gist that You don't like DRM. I have done research on DRM, and I have looked at both sides of the struggle. I understand that Extreme DRM is bad, but I can't see how NO DRM is good. I am trying to understand what is wrong with DRM on the theoretical scale. I have seen that many institutions of DRM have been flawed and resulted in a negative response, but I want to know why DRM is fundamentally flawed.

I am not proclaiming DRM as a good thing, I am simply wondering what is wrong with it.

Comments

  • RochelleRochelle
    edited September 2008
    A previous post about DRM made on the forums.

    Please use the search function for seeing if there are other possible threads already created on the topic you wish to discuss. Thank you.

    The thread on Spore Piracy. There is also some good discussion on piracy and DRM here as well.

    (Edit: As for my personal view, I'm on the fence. I understand the reasoning for DRM, but I do not agree with certain parts of DRM. I really don't want to get into it. I will admit I do pirate music and some anime, however I purchase programs, software, and games legally. Have you been reading Penny Arcade recently? Tycho is having various figures in the gaming industry talk about DRM. You might find it interesting.)
    Post edited by Rochelle on
  • Luke BurrageLuke Burrage
    Walmart is turning off their DRM server. Everyone who paid for their music legally online through the Walmart store is going to lose access to their music. Unless they burn all their tracks to CD and re-import them (or other arcane procedures), the can never listen to their music again.

    When is iTunes going to turn off their DRM server? You think it won't happen, and that such a big company wouldn't do such a thing? Well, the "plays for sure" server was going to be switched off too, until Microsoft backed down.

    Those who buy DRM restricted music don't own anything, they are buying permission to play a file/movie/game. For movies that you only want to play once, this isn't such a big deal. For games that you only play until the next big games comes out, this isn't such a big deal. For music you want to listen to for years into the future, this is a big deal.

    Those who buy non-DRM music (on CD, tape, vinyl, non-DRM download) can never have their future music listening habits dictated by anyone but themselves.
  • YoshoKatanaYoshoKatana
    I agree with Luke. DRM restricts people who legally purchased their media, be it movies that you can't rip or songs that don't work on certain mp3 players. DRM doesn't hurt people who use illegal (and trivial) methods to circumvent copyright, such as downloading music. If companies trusted their customers, they wouldn't put shitty DRM in their media (see: Stardock).

    People who believe in fair use believe that they should be able to view their legally purchased media anywhere, anytime. If they want to rip it to a portable media player, they should be able to. If they want to put it on a fileserver on their lan and access it anywhere in their house, they should be able to.

    I don't want to get into the whole sharing vs. stealing debate, but DRM should be a no-brainer. DRM is bad, bad, BAD!
  • StarfoxStarfox
    The Right to Read.
Sign In or Register to comment.