Microsoft's splintered DRM will kill Zune
Summary: I thought things couldn't get any worse for Microsoft after the Vista licensing fiasco, the WGA fiasco, and the XBox 360 fiasco but this one takes the cake. I'll even bet that the folks at Apple are ROTFL at this latest Microsoft misstep.
I thought things couldn't get any worse for Microsoft after the Vista licensing fiasco, the WGA fiasco, and the XBox 360 fiasco but this one takes the cake. I'll even bet that the folks at Apple are ROTFL at this latest Microsoft misstep. Microsoft's own Channel 9 blog has coined the term "Plays for Maybe" (via David Berlind's blog) in a brutally honest way asking:
I really don't get how the biggest software co. in the world - sets up a huge network of partners to trumpet their own technology: "plays for sure" - then when it itself enters the market - refuses to use it.
Here is a message to Microsoft:
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING! I bought a "Plays for Sure" device and I bought and rented music for it and now you're telling me it was all a joke. Well this has forced me to come to these two conclusions if you continue this course.
- Stop buying all Plays for Sure devices and music
- Don't buy Zune because you've splintered your own market
One of the main reasons I chose to go with Microsoft's DRM technology is because I have a choice in who I buy my hardware from. I have no problem if Microsoft is one of those hardware manufacturers in the Plays for Sure ecosystem, but abandoning Plays for Sure and your customers and partners will kill whatever market sure you have. You're not Apple; you can't get away with selling your own service for your own device exclusively. Wake up before it's too late.
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Talkback
Well....
I think this is actually a good example of what worries a lot of people, governments included. It is not the first time that Microsoft has a defacto "standard" which it then drop. Office 2000 (or was it office 97) had .DOCs that were incompatible with the previous version and the hue and cry resulted in the "Word 6.0" filter for backwards compatibilty. This is why governments are interested in ODF because it takes control of the document format why from a single vendor.
Sorry George - but this is Microsoft being Microsoft. I wish they'd behave more sensibly.
No, duh
what did you expect?
Oh hell, the Zealots are going to keel over...
Here it goes...
+1.. why buy DRMed music in the first place..
but seriously, why put the handcuff on yourself... buying DRM'd music means if you want to listen to to YOUR music you have to associate yourself with the DRM holder for the rest of your life.. i'm not down for that degree of commitment..
Exercise your power
It's that simple. Act in your own best interest.
Interesting
George's criticism of Microsoft is a very rare thing. Thanks for
admitting that.
Balderdash
Yet....
Windows zealots had to start a sub-thread pointing out how rare it
is.
How Dare You call me a Windows Zealot!!!
I said some products were better
I didn't say Microsoft products have become superior. I only point out the nonsense attacks against MS products and that some Microsoft products have worked out nicely.
Sorry, that was more of my Opinion
ODF is a good example. Firefox Exploits is sometimes another. I still feel that even though security is no longer a factor, usability is.
Windows CE, Windows NT, Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, SQL Server, Front Page, and many more were laughed at by the public when Microsoft first released them. Overtime other companies failed to compete or Microsoft used their monopolistic powers or Microsoft finally came out with a product worth while.
While these attacks do exist, until better products exist, there is very little room to attack. The iPod is a locked in solution, but when Apple created it with iTunes, they didn't abandon DRM customers. Although if you think about this, the DRM customers should really review their history more. I think IBM managed to get burned by this type of Microsoft behavior on at least two occasions.
Oh, too easy!!
Maybe MS rarely deserves criticism? Are you suggesting that George should [b]make up[/b] criticisms like you do?
Hey jragosta, find any more Vista viruses that rely on features that aren't even in Vista? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! How are you coming along with that whole "versioning" concept... you know... how an OS can be shipped with one version and then offer another version for manual download and install? I know, it's complicated but if you really tried, I'm pretty sure you can figure it out. I [b]believe[/b] in you jragosta! ;)
Good oen
That's pretty hilarious. How much does Microsoft pay you to say
that?
"Are you suggesting that George should make up criticisms like
you do?".
Since you're obviously incapable of comprehending simple
English, let me clarify it for you. I'm trying to get George to STOP
making things up.
And where did I make up criticisms? Are you still pretending that
Windows doesn't have security problems? That's a stupid
position - even for you.
Strawy? Is that you?
Never happened, nice try.
[i]And where did I make up criticisms?[/i]
Um, how about your Vista virus that relied on a product that isn't even in Vista? How about claiming that the ActiveX XML exploit has affected huge numbers of computer users? You can't even point to one! So those are 2 from this week. I won't bother going back to find the dozens of other criticisms you made up. Sorry, you just aren't worth it. :(
The line between reality and fantasy gets blurred with you
This is a legitimate complaint
I have often said that I have no grudge against, or particular dislike for Apple or Linux and as a Windows user I feel there is plenty of genuine problems with Microsoft and Windows that one can complain about. This kind of thing is one of them. I for one am sick to death of any of the software/hardware/media producers that have decided its fair to play these kind of DRM games with the public.
Its quite clear that all these companies who are indulging in this nonsense care little enough about possible adverse effects on the public that they are more then willing to engage in an endless series of efforts to control media far beyond what the public has ever been willing to accept. And it is of course ridiculous, as despite their most ferocious and draconian measures I'm sure if you asked any of them if they have yet to make a serious dent in the pirating industry they would all say 'NO'.
But we know that their efforts have definitly caused serious problems for a number of honest consumers and have created confusion and frustration among many consumers who expect simple cross platform compatability when they purchase music.
It's a classic example of the old story of trying to hang onto something too tightly only to watch it eventually slip out between your fingers. In their overblown efforts to prevent pirating they are alienating so many consumers from purchasing music at all I fail to see how the financial trade off is going to be profitable enough to be worthwhile.
One Problem with the article
Key word: "until"
Okay, so what you're saying is that MS plans to play it safe and continue to string along their partners for a while before cutting their throats. Fair enough.
Not necessarily the evential outcome.