Copyright expert Silver tells me that DRM (Digital Rights Management) isn’t a problem for people.
Well, ok. Most of the time.
- Except when Jenny can’t watch her movie.
- Except when Mike has trouble reading his e-books.
- Except when a member of Switchfoot has to tell fans how to listen to the Switchfoot CD they bought.
- …
DRM – called by it’s true name of Copy Protection – was tried by software companies back in the late 80’s/early 90’s. It didn’t work then, and won’t work now. All it does is turn legitimate customers into vocal, angry ex-customers.
As a photographer, I’m pretty cognizant of copyright law and of the problems that illegal copying can cause for the artist (who should be the copyright owner but in many cases isn’t, but that’s another issue). I just disagree with the view that binding the hands of cusomers isn’t the answer.
Addendum: Sean’s description of HD DVD’s Managed Copy, while still a form of DRM, is better than the “thou shalt never copy” attitude previously seen. If if works reliably 100% of the time.