Posted by: Seth Shapiro
Had meant to do another piece on DRM (see previous screed here) but wound up doing it at PaidContent.org – full thread here.
Most music folks have seen Edgar (Warner Music CEO and Seagram’s heir) Bronfman’s quote that the argument against DRM is “without logic or merit”.
Hmm. Could it be knee-jerk protection that’s meritless? The labels have been trying that for years. how’s it working for em? Not so good. Re “without logic”? Try managing your LEGAL purchases on multiple devices. It’s a case study in awful product design.
So here are your customer’s options, Ed:
1. Download free versions and put them on any device, to your heart’s content.
2. Pay for downloads too crippled to know that you are the same person on your PC, Mac, iPod and PSP. Then waste many many hours failing to get the stuff (that you PAID FOR) onto the device (that you PAID FOR).
When a free product is more friendly and flexible than a priced product, the selling entity has no one to blame but itself. And if Sony Music had thought ahead, Sony CE might have held onto the portable market they owned with Walkman/Discman, and likely would never have handed the whole game to Apple in the first place.
It was the label’s game to lose – and they lost. They need to listen to their customers and suppliers (artists) or be disintermediated.
If you have any thoughts or complaints post em here or there… cheers.
