Re: [Drm-elimination-crew] Apple to resurrect music DRM

[Marcos Marado]

On Saturday 22 June 2013 14:45:05 Graham wrote:
> This is going to be a difficult argument to win.  This example seems to be
> the  most legitimate case for DRM.  The argument is that the music is
> available DRM-free for a reasonable price for those who want to own it and
> is also available streamed for a tiny fraction of the price (roughly 1/100
> if you believe the article) but at that price it can't be stored,
> time-shifted, etc.
> 
> I would be interested in ideas for how we argue against that.

Well, I think that the main argument against this is that price has anything 
to do with it. DRM is about restricting users' rights, independently of its 
price. I get my rights restricted when a DVD has DRM, no matter how much or 
how little it cost.

> The main user problem I see with using DRM in this case, is the issue that
> it  limits the user's choice of player.  Not really a problem for Apple
> who will probably only offer the service to iPad/iPhone/iPad users.

Data portability is, of course, one of the issues we have with DRM. I'm not 
sure if it makes much sense in distinguishing the several uses of DRM, since 
their problems, at the bottom, are always the same, no matter if you're 
talking about a DVD, an ebook or something else entirely.

[...]
> We need to somehow draw attention
> to the fact that there is a major difference in this case: video content
> is NOT available DRM-free, to own, at any price (let alone a reasonable
> price).

Actually, I'm not sure if your argument makes any sense to many of us -- it 
doesn't to me. See, DRM is bad for users, no matter if there are DRM-free (or 
otherwise!) alternatives or not. Just because I can download a DRM-free ebook 
version of a public domain book it doesn't mean it isn't bad that some company 
is selling their ebook version of that novel with DRM. And just because I can 
buy the DRM-free paper version of a novel it doesn't mean that it is OK for 
that publisher to sell the ebook version with DRM. And, once again, the price 
is irrelevant for my personal position on this matter.

> The same issue occurs with ebooks: yes library lending may be a reasonable
> use of DRM but only if the books are available to own, DRM-free, as an
> alternative. 

I totally disagree. It is a bad thing that the local public library is forced 
to have DRM on their ebooks (and, for instance, need to buy a new ebook when 
one has been lended 26 times[1]), and it is bad no matter how can I, as an 
individual consumer, legally obtain the same book.

[1] http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/08/ebooks-harpercollins-26-
times

> Just as it used to work in the case of paper books.

DRM on ebooks for libraries is far from working "as it used to work in the cas 
e of paper books". The "example to end all arguments" regarding this, is that 
of those libraries that when have storage space problems or financial problems 
to buy new books decide to sell library copies second hand. If the book has 
DRM, they just can't (or if sometime someone does a DRM that lets the book 
being resold, the buyer will be affected with that same DRM).

Best regards,
-- 
Marcos Marado