I’m sure most of you have at least heard of DRM (Digital Rights Manegement) but Monday I found myself in the first real battle with it. I was wanting to import the latest Switchfoot CD (Nothing is Sound) on to my computer. I use a Dell which means I’m using Windows. But I have an iPod so I use iTunes to manage my music. All fine and well. Until Monday this presented me with absolutely no problem.
But when I pop the Switchfoot disk in … I get a strange message asking if I want to install security software. I’m thinking WTF? So I say ‘no’. Well I try to load it into iTunes … and nothing happens. ITunes was incapable of reading the disk. Now I’m befuddled. I look at the back of CD case. There is a huge copyright protection warning on the back. I am still confused … why should that be an issue? It’s a legitimate CD … brand new … Again what the heck?!
Then I spy an unusual box on the back. It is giving a list of the compatible items for the disk; iTunes is not listed! It would only work with MS Media Player! I was stunned. It was too weird to me that this would even be an issue. I did notice that the disk was ‘OK’ for Macs. So I borrowed Elaine’s, beautiful, Powerbook and made a CD copy so that I can put it on my computer. God bless Macs.
My beef:
That the CD producer (Sony BMG) saw fit to cut out a significant portion of the listening audience. Did they miss the fact that the iPod is the most popular portable music player, for Windoz and Mac? WMAs don’t play on iPods. Sure I could buy a player that play WMAs … but I have an iPod, why would I want anything else. Yes, I could buy the music from the iTunes music store … but I wanted the CD. Why should I be forced to ‘pirate’ the CD just to put it on my iPod?! To who ever is incharge of Sony BMG … What were you thinking?! The dual format disk was bad enough. But this?! Please just make a damn CD that will just work. >.
[Listening to: Painter Song – Nora Jones – Come Away With Me (2:42)]
A Geekish View of Life 