From the History of WFL: "Like having a functional computer?"
Like watching DVDs? Like listening to your favorite band's new CD? Like having your computer run as fast as it should, and not crash?
Too bad.
There is a good (well, not for us) chance that the gov't will allow businesses to install software on your computer to monitor your usage, collect data, and prevent you from doing things such as backing up your music or DVDs, or even PUTTING MUSIC ON YOUR FAVORITE MP3 PLAYER!
What, you say "Oh well. As long as I can still watch my DVDs", "As long as I can still listen to my music in my car", or "as long as my computer works", and expect it all to be true?
The new proprietary DVD formats that are being pushed to mainstream have rather extreme forms of DRM - Digital Rights Management. Stuff that makes sure you aren't trying to copy it in any way, shape, or form. The big problem with that is not every player will always be able to play it. Heck, we already have a big problem with new DVDs being released not being able to play in old players.
DRM on music CDs have been common for a few years now, too. Many older CD players can't play a lot of these new formats, and in some cases, the music labels aren't allowed to place the official "Compact Disc" logo on their CDs because they aren't actually following the standards, and aren't playable on many consumer devices!
Lets not pass up an opportunity to discuss the Sony CD DRM, which created a huge security hole in your computer by installing software discretely when you played an audio CD with it, which could be used to install spyware, or malware. That is the stuff that makes your computer run low, and puts porno on your desktop when you didn't actually want it.
Think once it is implemented, everybody will get all the bugs worked out, and everything will be hunky dory? Wrong. Within days of a DRM format becoming available to consumers, it is usually defeated by people who want to be able to make a copy of their DVD (to keep the original in mint condition, or otherwise), or play their music on a home-made mp3 player (it actually isn't hard to make one). Then, Big Business will get upset, and will change the rules for DRM again - and you'll have to buy all new hardware all over.
This has been a problem for a number of years, now. Are you going to get off your butt and care about your privacy? Your right to use the products you buy? Or are you just going to lay back, accept it, and shell out a few hundred for a new DVD player for home, a new CD player for your car, and a new mp3 player that can only play 1/3 of your music library?
These changes don't have to happen. People used to stand up for their rights as consumers - Remember the Boston Tea Party? Yeah, that actually happened. They weren't lying to you in history class. Don't repeat history. Don't let it get so bad that we have to fight an uphill battle to get our rights back. We can do things now that are cheap, easy, and legal in order to prevent this disaster.
-WFL
Too bad.
There is a good (well, not for us) chance that the gov't will allow businesses to install software on your computer to monitor your usage, collect data, and prevent you from doing things such as backing up your music or DVDs, or even PUTTING MUSIC ON YOUR FAVORITE MP3 PLAYER!
What, you say "Oh well. As long as I can still watch my DVDs", "As long as I can still listen to my music in my car", or "as long as my computer works", and expect it all to be true?
The new proprietary DVD formats that are being pushed to mainstream have rather extreme forms of DRM - Digital Rights Management. Stuff that makes sure you aren't trying to copy it in any way, shape, or form. The big problem with that is not every player will always be able to play it. Heck, we already have a big problem with new DVDs being released not being able to play in old players.
DRM on music CDs have been common for a few years now, too. Many older CD players can't play a lot of these new formats, and in some cases, the music labels aren't allowed to place the official "Compact Disc" logo on their CDs because they aren't actually following the standards, and aren't playable on many consumer devices!
Lets not pass up an opportunity to discuss the Sony CD DRM, which created a huge security hole in your computer by installing software discretely when you played an audio CD with it, which could be used to install spyware, or malware. That is the stuff that makes your computer run low, and puts porno on your desktop when you didn't actually want it.
Think once it is implemented, everybody will get all the bugs worked out, and everything will be hunky dory? Wrong. Within days of a DRM format becoming available to consumers, it is usually defeated by people who want to be able to make a copy of their DVD (to keep the original in mint condition, or otherwise), or play their music on a home-made mp3 player (it actually isn't hard to make one). Then, Big Business will get upset, and will change the rules for DRM again - and you'll have to buy all new hardware all over.
This has been a problem for a number of years, now. Are you going to get off your butt and care about your privacy? Your right to use the products you buy? Or are you just going to lay back, accept it, and shell out a few hundred for a new DVD player for home, a new CD player for your car, and a new mp3 player that can only play 1/3 of your music library?
These changes don't have to happen. People used to stand up for their rights as consumers - Remember the Boston Tea Party? Yeah, that actually happened. They weren't lying to you in history class. Don't repeat history. Don't let it get so bad that we have to fight an uphill battle to get our rights back. We can do things now that are cheap, easy, and legal in order to prevent this disaster.
-WFL
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