• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Is DRM really that bad?

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Originally posted by: sniperruff
my bet is, 90% or more of people here pirate, one way or another... software, music, games, TV shows... whatever. so DRM is bad.

personally i don't see the point of arguing whether it's good or bad. the record company (or software publisher) makes the products, so they have every right to put whatever crap they want on them. we as the consumer, can choose not to buy them if we want.
Click to expand...

None of the pirated media I have seen has any DRM.
 
Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
Most let you use it on multiple computers and devices. they also let you copy it to cd. The only problem I see is the apple vs. rest argument cause it would be a pain to switch camps. But otherwise, whats really wrong with DRM? Without it, I think it just makes piracy easier
Click to expand...

DRM is not bad. Considering the RIAA will wind up limiting your access to music you already purchased (licenses for). They do not apply the license to your person, but the media. So, basically, it can get as bad as: you're not allowed to have that file you downloaded legally on more than 1 media player.

The problem most ppl have seen with DRM is applying it to old technology that has no sense of DRM to begin with. Hence, we saw the mess with Sony's rootkit. How they escaped multimillion dollar class action lawsuits escapes me.
 
DRM is that bad. Probably worse. By its very nature, DRM requires that your system refuse to obey you in certain circumstances. It means that your computer isn't yours anymore.
 
Without fail, copy protection harms the legitimate customer while the pirate gets around it easily.
 
Originally posted by: smack Down
Originally posted by: sniperruff
my bet is, 90% or more of people here pirate, one way or another... software, music, games, TV shows... whatever. so DRM is bad.

personally i don't see the point of arguing whether it's good or bad. the record company (or software publisher) makes the products, so they have every right to put whatever crap they want on them. we as the consumer, can choose not to buy them if we want.
Click to expand...

None of the pirated media I have seen has any DRM.
Click to expand...

heh
 
their real problem is they've made such a bad reputation for themselves customers handing over money to them feel dirty. like they are doing business with organized crime. with their price fixing, their screwing artists, their crippling new formats like dvda/sacd, adding absurd stuff like charging packaging fees for online music so artists get smaller cuts etc.
 
I think drm does stop a lot of casual piracy. The kind where a computer n00b will fire up adaptec easy cd creator and make a copy of a cd for his friend, but doesn't know enough about computers to download mp3s.
 
Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
Most let you use it on multiple computers and devices. they also let you copy it to cd. The only problem I see is the apple vs. rest argument cause it would be a pain to switch camps. But otherwise, whats really wrong with DRM? Without it, I think it just makes piracy easier
Click to expand...

DRM lets the company control how you watch their media.

If I download a baseball game from mlb.com, it's DRMed. This means I can't burn it to a DVD and watch it on my TV. I also need to be connected to the internet to watch it. I should be able to do whatever the hell I want to with the video (except mass share it), and DRM stops that.
 
Originally posted by: totalcommand
Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
Most let you use it on multiple computers and devices. they also let you copy it to cd. The only problem I see is the apple vs. rest argument cause it would be a pain to switch camps. But otherwise, whats really wrong with DRM? Without it, I think it just makes piracy easier
Click to expand...

DRM lets the company control how you watch their media.

If I download a baseball game from mlb.com, it's DRMed. This means I can't burn it to a DVD and watch it on my TV. I also need to be connected to the internet to watch it. I should be able to do whatever the hell I want to with the video (except mass share it), and DRM stops that.
Click to expand...

yes it does.
 
Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Originally posted by: Shadowknight
They've used a form of DRM on the hi-def version of T2 - the DVD of T2 had the normal res as the "main" movie, but to see the high-def version you had to install some proprietary software and get a license that would only last 90 days or so. (note: this was on a copy I got 3 years ago, not the special equipment hi-def stuff they're selling now) I legally obtained my copy, but I refused to go through this crap for something that I PAID for, so I haven't seen the hi-def version. I'll have to see if someone came up with a crack for this someday. Why? I don't like having people tell me what I can and can't do with something I paid for in my own apartment.
Click to expand...

1. they came up with a crack for it a LONG time ago.

2. the "priprietary software was just windows media player 10 and a license....

3. the whole limited viewing time thing was total BS though:|

<---his fvking 'BMW Films' DVD expired:|
Click to expand...

1. I shouldn't have to find a crack in the first place.

2. I refuse to use anything other than mediaplacer classic, due to later generations of Media Player having spyware built into - (same thing with going past SP2 on Windows, but there was a piece of software that required going to SP4, so *sigh* here I am)

3. Definetly.
 
DRM doesnt stop those who want to copy music/videos
DRM does hinder the honest customers enjoying their purchaced products

Its essentialy harmful to the companies who push for it.
 
Originally posted by: smack Down
Originally posted by: Inspector Jihad
Most let you use it on multiple computers and devices. they also let you copy it to cd. The only problem I see is the apple vs. rest argument cause it would be a pain to switch camps. But otherwise, whats really wrong with DRM? Without it, I think it just makes piracy easier
Click to expand...

DRM has nothing to do with piracy. It all about control.
Click to expand...

Topic Title: Is DRM really that bad?

Exactly.

You hand over 100% full control of your PC to the Corporations.

Communism plain and simple
 
I don't even get why they're doing this.. If you can see it or hear it, you can copy it. Take DRM'ed music, for example. Just record from your line-out, play it, save the file, trim the edges off (they won't have music), save it again and you've got yourself a DRM-free file. And it takes like, the length of the song+1 minute.
 
DRM is about greed, pure and simple. In the olden days, you'd buy a CD, and that was it. It was yours. Listen to it as you like, where you want. That wasn't enough though. Now they want you to pay for the song if you want to just listen to it, and then pay more if you want to burn it to a CD, or pay more if you want to listen to it on a portable music player. All to get the exact same product as before, with the same functionality - but now you just have to pay more for it.
 
IMO, if you have to ask if you can use something, you DO NOT own it. As soon as the company decides not to support it, it's gone. If the company goes away, it's gone. If the company decides to change thier terms, it's gone.
 
I remember when the Fast and the Furious soundtrack was given the experimental copy protection that made it "impossible" to copy. Basically it also made it unplayable on most computer CD-ROM drives. The cool thing was people got together and bought the album opened it then returned it to the store saying it wouldn't work to cost the company money. I believe in the end they recalled the CD.

BTW I think they made the F&F soundtrack #1 on the charts for a couple weeks doing this.
 
Originally posted by: Vegitto
I don't even get why they're doing this.. If you can see it or hear it, you can copy it. Take DRM'ed music, for example. Just record from your line-out, play it, save the file, trim the edges off (they won't have music), save it again and you've got yourself a DRM-free file. And it takes like, the length of the song+1 minute.
Click to expand...

Or, just wait until someone cracks the algorithm, which is inevitable.
 
Originally posted by: Vegitto
I don't even get why they're doing this.. If you can see it or hear it, you can copy it. Take DRM'ed music, for example. Just record from your line-out, play it, save the file, trim the edges off (they won't have music), save it again and you've got yourself a DRM-free file. And it takes like, the length of the song+1 minute.
Click to expand...

See "HDCP". They want to eliminate the "Analog hole"
 
Originally posted by: mattpegher
DRM doesn't discourage piracy it only limits those of us who try to stay within the law from using multiple devices. It may actually prevent some from downloading from legitimate sites, and thus encourage piracy.
Click to expand...



Yup.
 
It's not that bad if companies do it RIGHT.

Think about Rhapsody and iTunes. You can authorize and deauthorize computers.

The thing is if you do things legally, does it matter in the end? Nope, but of course everyone here is just moaning and groaning about how they can't pirate, but they try to root the problem in DRM itself so they don't sound guilty.
 
Originally posted by: mattpegher
DRM doesn't discourage piracy it only limits those of us who try to stay within the law from using multiple devices. It may actually prevent some from downloading from legitimate sites, and thus encourage piracy.
Click to expand...

I agree here, the actual result of DRM is the opposite of what it's supposed to do.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top