Discuss mailing list

[Julian DeMarchi <julian AT jdcomputers.com.au>]

On 05/31/2013 08:36 AM, Quinn Wood wrote:
>> > I'm not for *DRM* at all. What I think though is having it in there is
>> > better then a third party app for DRM...
>> >
> Not at all. You can refuse to use a third party app.
> 
> This kind of DRM is nothing more than an attempt to lock down video
> streams. If people are that concerned, they should create streaming
> technologies of their own (a la RMTP... RTMP? never remember) which
> include encryption as a casual ripper-deterring DRM alternative.

Here is a quote from a friend rgarding DRM. I agree with everything he
said and thought it relevant to this debate. Hard not to agree with him.

"
If they want to try DRM that's fine by me.  If they get burnt trying,
well that's sad, but I certainly am not in favour of passing a law that
says "you can't try new things because I know they won't work".  If you
are right and it really wasn't in their best interest I am sure they
will figure that out for themselves.

You apparently believe DRM is bad.  I presume you think that's because
it will lead to less available content?  So you want it banned.
Meanwhile, the people who make the content evidently think it will lead
to more content because distributing it is what they get paid for.  So
they want it enforced.

Who is right?  I'm buggered if I know.  I do know that you finding
pirated content is easier to get to doesn't chime with the experience
most non-technical people have.  I also know that if we set the rules up
well, so an open market allows both DRM'ed and non DRM'ed content to
flow freely people will vote with their dollars.  Whatever system gets
the most dollars flowing to the content producers, (ie the artists),
will obviously be the one that ends up producing the most content.  In
other words it dominate and it will do that in exactly the way we want -
by making the most content available for the price.

Our job is to come up with a system that lets that game play out fairly,
so that the market can do it's job and optimise the result.  The market
we have now consists of a few large companies doing fragmented DRM in
walled gardens.  That not in anyone's best interests.  I can't see how
making DRM freely available to all comers will do anything but improve
the situation.
"