For Those About to Rock: We Salute You
Specifically, I salute music label EMI for firing a much-deserved 9mm bullet into the back of the head of the monster known as DRM.
Digital rights management - DRM - has never been about protecting the rights of creators. If by creators we mean the artists and authors and filmmakers who actually produce the works in question. Rather they represent an attempt by the giant corporations (i.e., governments-by-franchise) not only to usurp the status of “content creators,” but to destroy the property rights of the consumer.
But the market has spoken. DRM is not acceptable - especially in the form of invasive malware like the evil Sony rootkit of fond memory. I also salute Apple for offering DRM-free downloads now through its iTunes service: I may actually buy something from them now. And kudos to Steve Jobs for taking a big stand against DRM a few weeks ago. He may actually have been hopping an approaching wave more than standing; but it was a good thing withal.
I still recommend subscription service eMusic. They never have had DRM: everything’s MP3. I’ve subscribed for a couple of years now. If you insist in current chart-toppers you’ll no doubt have better luck on iTunes. But if you go for indy music, or Classical (they have the whole, superb