In this post, I will be talking about DRM (Digital Rights Management) in context of music files.
What is DRM?
What is DRM?
The simplest explanation of DRM (devoid of the ususal Microsoft style crap) can be found here:
"DRM is computer code that can be embedded in music and video files to dictate how these files are used.
The best-known example is the music Apple Computer sells at its iTunes Music Store. Using a DRM system it invented called FairPlay, Apple has rigged its songs, at the insistence of the record companies, so that they can be played only on a maximum of five computers, and so that you can burn only seven CDs containing the same playlist of purchased tracks. If Apple hadn't done this, the record labels wouldn't have allowed it to sell their music."
http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/ptech-20051020.html
http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/ptech-20051020.html
Another example of DRM is the Microsoft's Playforsure initiative. Playforsure was a way for Microsoft to negotiate a deal between the record companies (who owned the songs) and the portable media player manufacturing companies. Simply put, if you download DRMed music from an online music store that carrries the Playforsure logo (e.g.- Napster), it will only (and definitely) play on any portable media player carrying the same logo (e.g.- Creative's Zen Media Player). Read more about Playforsure at -
While Apple sells DRMed music from its online music store - Itunes music store, in the AAC format, Microsoft specifies the WMA format for its playforsure certified music files. MP3 format has thankfully been spared from any DRM style limitations.
Another interesting piece of news, that has created quite a lot of furore on the Internet, is that Microsoft's own portable media player - Zune, is not playforsure certified. While, Microsoft earlier sold DRMed music through its online music store MSN Music, it has now chosen to discontinue that and rather migrate to an Apple like model - it now owns the music store selling the media (Zune Market Place) AND the portable media player which will play that music (Zune). This is quite a radical departure from its earlier portrayal of a 'narrow' itunes universe (actually 'not-so-narrow' if you look at Apple's online music store's market share) v/s a 'big' playforsure rest of the world.
Why is DRM so controversial?
Simply because it puts restrictions on the way you copy, play, burn, transfer music that you legally paid for. That does not really gel with the basic Internet philosophy of restriction less sharing. Check out more about DRM and some examples of DRMed files at -
