Fred Amoroso, CEO & President of Macrovision Corporation has created a
letter in response to Steve Jobs' response against DRM. In this letter Amoroso makes four points on why DRM is good for and needed by consumers.
Point 1: DRM is broader than just music
I think he was just trying to make a point here and also wants people to be aware that his company can help lock out the competition on a multitude of digital mediums. Did I say lock out, I meant protect. While his comments are totally true it is also the reason why DRM scares the heck out of me and why it should scare the heck out of all of you. In a day where almost everything is digital, this means that DRM is going to be in everything under the sun.
Point 2: DRM increases not decreases consumer value
He states that DRM makes things cheaper and more available for the consumer; "consumers who want to consume content on only a single device can pay less than those who want to use it across all of their entertainment areas – vacation homes, cars, different devices and remotely". What consumer doesn't want choice? What consumer says to themselves, "Hey, I want to buy this thing but only be able to use it in a way that someone else dictates to me" or "I want to buy this thing to use this way and then buy it again to use that way"? NO ONE SAYS THIS! Besides, his arguement is completely wrong. I can find examples where the retail cost of some DVDs and CDs are far cheaper than the digital downloaded counterpart and they don't come with all the DRM restrictions. Just look at what's happening in the downloaded movie market. The movies cost the same as their retail counterparts, they can't be burned to DVD, they have less quality, and in most cases you can't watch them on your regular TV. Why in God's name would I buy a product that is inferior in every capacity and costs exactly the same (if not more) than its retail counterpart? The answer is I wouldn't.
Point 3: DRM will increase electronic distribution
He makes a point to say that content providers won't enter the market because it's too risky and he is right. Just look at the VCR and VHS. They almost single handidly brought down the entire entertainment industry because you could actually record content. Why would anyone pay for content anymore when they can just illegally tape it? Are you kidding me? Ridding ourselves of crippling DRM would increase electronic distribution. He also makes a point to say "Well maintained and reasonably implemented DRM will increase the electronic distribution of content, not decrease it." I've talked about this before. I have CDs in my collection from the early 80s. EVERY SINGLE one of them still plays in every single CD player made to date. What happens in 20 years when the company that makes the DRM for WidgetX no longer supports updating your version of DRM because you have decided not to upgrade your OS, or you application, or your whatever? Guess what? You are SOL. The DRM framework is inherently flawed from this point of view. We don't have a problem with it right now because DRM is relatively new but give it a few years and thousands of households running different versions of the apps and DRM. We are headed for a huge DRM CF.
Point 4: DRM needs to be interoperable and open
If DRM started this way, we may not be in the boat we are now. People may have accepted it if the entertainment industry wasn't so greedy. But instead, they keep trying to restrict more and instead of opening up, we just keep creating more lines of confusion. Again, if this were a question of piracy then interoperable DRM may matter but since this is about locking out the competition, no one is really interested in interoperable DRM. There is less money in it. Why would they support it? Additionally, if there were some "open" standard, how long do you think it would take before it was cracked? The entire idea of an open, interoperable DRM scheme is doomed even before it starts.
So thanks Fred for your comments. Thanks for wasting our time reading your self promoting propaganda. Consumers don't like nor do they want DRM in any way shape or form. While we appreciate that you are thinking for us since we obviously don't know we want it, you can stop looking out for us, the consumers.