RE: [slightly OT] File protection from copying

["Sam Beard" <sbeard -at- oico -dot- com>]

Samuel,

   Ease of use is certainly a factor, and that maybe what he was
referring to, in which case I read it wrong and apologize. And your
comment about paying $5 for a DRM-free file versus the same $5 for a
file restricted by DRM is also noted and worthwhile argument. However, I
would also like to note that it only holds true as long as the money
goes to the actual producers and not just to a Web site/torrent
operator. 

   There definitely seems to be a trend away from DRM, albeit a slow
one. The consumer demands it, but the executives are afraid of it. In
any case, theft still goes on and artists are not compensated in the
manner they should be. A hazard of the digital age, methinks. 

Samuel I. Beard, Jr.
Technical Writer
OI Analytical
979 690-1711 Ext. 222
sbeard -at- oico -dot- com
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Samuel Wright [mailto:lykoszine -at- gmail -dot- com] 
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 10:37 AM
To: Sam Beard
Cc: Lech Rzedzicki; Lev Abramov; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: [slightly OT] File protection from copying

Sam,

I think Lech was actually comparing ease of use, not supporting theft.

If you could pay $5 for the downloaded drm free torrent or the same $5
for the drm ridden apple film there is no theft, and also no
comparison in convenience for your paying user. So when you implement
copy protection, what you end up doing is annoying your paying users
with needless restrictions, whilst the people who do not pay do not
suffer the same restrictions.

S

On Jan 30, 2008 4:28 PM, Sam Beard <sbeard -at- oico -dot- com> wrote:
> Lech,
>
>    What you fail to consider with your argument in favor of torrent
> files is that this constitutes theft, particularly when they're
> "available on the same day they're screened in the cinema". Theft of
> this nature means that the artists involved (actors, screenwriters,
> producers, directors, all of the support people involved in making the
> movie, etc) don't get any recompense for that particular "purchase" of
> the movie. In a barter system, that would be fine. However, the movie
> (and book and music and ....) industry doesn't work that way. Without
> the incentive of making a living by doing something that you love for
> the enjoyment of other people, many people in those industries would
no
> longer produce the things they love for the enjoyment of the masses.
> Some would still produce books, movies, etc, but only for the
enjoyment
> of a select few people near and dear to them. The system employed by
> Apple through iTunes for the distribution of movies is currently the
> best that's available. Personally, I would also prefer that the movie
be
> available for viewing for a longer period of time than 24 hours after
> initially beginning to watch it. But at least there's a legal way out
> there now whereas before there was only your way. And we won't even
> begin to discuss the karmic related aspects of such actions! ;-P
>
> Samuel I. Beard, Jr.
> Technical Writer
> OI Analytical
> 979 690-1711 Ext. 222
> sbeard -at- oico -dot- com
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+sbeard=oico -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+sbeard=oico -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf
> Of Lech Rzedzicki
> Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 6:47 AM
> To: Lev Abramov
> Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: [slightly OT] File protection from copying
>
> Unfortunately, yes you are being naive - there's always a way.
>
> On top of that you alienate and make it difficult for the very users
> that are paying you money, whereas a 'pirate' will make his own DRM
> -free copy.
>
> Compare the usage of a typical XVID from a torrent website vs Apple
> Movie rental:
>
> You download a 700MB high quality file for free, watch it whenever you
> want, keep for however long you want, download in any country, store
> on on disk, stream to the other computer, it all works. The movies are
> available on the sam day they're screened in cinemas.
>
> versus
>
> Pay $5 or so dollars for the movie, pay for AppleTV, pay for more
> bandwith needed,press play, it doesn't work because your HDMI doesn't
> recognize this a s legitimate, manage to to go around it by removing
> all your films from Amazon, pres play, then you have to go to bed and
> after 24hrs it disappears and you have to buy it again. The movies are
> available about a year from cinema premiere. That is assuming that you
> live in US, because it doesn't work anywhere else.
>
> And that's the best online movie rental service there is so far.
>
> So sorry for the off-topic rant, but why on earth would anyone want to
> do the latter?
>
> Now apply this to your PDF scenario and think if your potential users
> really need to go through this.
>
> Lech
>
>
> On Jan 25, 2008 8:59 AM, Lev Abramov <lev -dot- abramov -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
> > Hi All
> >
> > A friend has just completed writing a book which he wants to market
> online
> > as an e-book. He's looking for a file format which would ensure that
> the
> > e-book can only be used on one computer and not be circulated freely
> in
> > violation of copyright.
> >
> > MP3 files downloaded to an iPod cannot be transferred to another
iPod.
> >
> > Is there any tool that would protect a text-based document in a
> similar
> > manner?
> >
> > Am I being naive?
> >
> > TIA -
> >
> > Lev
> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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> Lech Rzedzicki
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