Comment on "Applesoft?"

Thu, 16 Dec 2004 10:43:56 -0500

So is Fairplay Apple's proprietary format, and Harmony is Real's? I think so, but I'm not positive.

As for your complication, I agree that it's a problem and ultimately fuels the debate over whether a free market for digital music should have no DRM, or some universal DRM that's agreed upon by a consortia of companies (the way BluRay is being assembled, right?). I personally think that some form of digital rights management is a good thing as it protects the artists as well as the distributers (one more than the other, of course), but it certainly does muddle implimention.

- kenji

Comment on "Applesoft?"

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 22:48:24 -0500

As a technological clarification, aac is not apple's proprietary format. the iTunes music store applies a proprietary encryption format to the files bought there (which are in aac, also the default format used my iTunes when ripping CDs), making them incompatible outside of iTunes and iPods, though this is rather easily circumvented. In this particular case, they have updated the iPod so they detect files containing Real's DRM-encoded files and block their play.

Initially, I am inclined to agree 100% with your feelings. Apple is attempting to establish a vertical monopoly (online music must go through iTMS and iTunes to iPods) as a result of it's pseudo-real horizontal monopoly (so many of the world's mp3 players are iPods). It's exactly what Microsoft did in the 90s with internet browsers, which was later found to be illegal.

But there's a complication... If Real were to sell mp3/aac songs with no DRM, they would play fine. The only reason apple is able to lock them out is because Real has implemented DRM to limit where and how the files can be played. Now I don't personally think there's anything wrong with that. If you don't want those restrictions, don't buy from Real. And what business is it of apple's what kind of music file I want to buy and play? But it is a complication.

- glynn

kenjisan: Comments on "Applesoft?"

Comment on "Applesoft?"

Comment on "Applesoft?"