[mythtv-users] mythtv-users Digest, Vol 58, Issue 125

[Jon]

On Jan 28, 2008, at 9:06 AM, Joe Borne wrote:

> On Mon, 28 Jan 2008 09:58:39 -0500
> Matt Emmott <memmott at gmail.com> wrote:
> While this may be similar to the eleventh-hour Napster model, it is  
> by no
> means the original Napster free-as-in-beer model. This appears to  
> be nothing
> more than DRM-ed music that you can carry with you, just like  
> Microsoft's
> FairPlay and the Yahoo Music Jukebox + Sansa Connect model (which  
> I've been
> using for years).
>
> >From the article:
>
> " Qtrax files contain Digital Rights Management software, allowing the
> company to see how many times a song has been downloaded and played.
> Artists, record companies and publishers will be paid in proportion  
> to the
> popularity of their music, while also taking a cut of advertising  
> revenues."
>
> I do agree that there are differences in the specifics. But my  
> point is that the basic concept is the same. The music is free, and  
> the revenue is generated through the ads or a subscription. The  
> Napster "Hail Mary Pass" proposal had a very similar concept, and  
> also included a subscription component. The only critical  
> difference here is the DRM inclusion. It's fascinating that it's  
> basically stripped down to a tracking system now. I know the  
> tinfoil hat crowd will see ominous import in that, but I think the  
> reality is far more benign. (One commenter already thinks the whole  
> thing is a ruse to implode the free music ecosystem). I'm not  
> advocating for any form of DRM, I hate it in any incarnation. But  
> the truth is that the recording industry has a lot vested in it and  
> they are going to try to find a use for it. If DRM evolves into a  
> mechanism that allows them to track the popularity of files and  
> allocate revenue proportionately to the artists, then it's a good  
> thing.
>
> I love James Blunt's comment in the article. God that guy is a  
> world class asshat.
>
> I imagine that several Qtrax clones will appear in a matter of  
> months and competition form them will eliminate the DRM. It was  
> competition from Wal-Mart and Amazon that caused Apple to start  
> offering DRM-free items.


Also, it appears Qtrax jumped the gun on announcing their deals...  
All the major labels are denying a contract has been signed.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mythtv.org/pipermail/mythtv-users/attachments/20080128/40e3bd21/attachment.htm