Microsoft's latest cock-up

[MisterCat]

EFFector Vol. 19, No. 35  September 19, 2006  editor@eff.org

A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
ISSN 1062-9424

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* Microsoft's Zune Won't Play Protected Windows Media

In last week's announcement of the new Microsoft Zune media player and Zune Marketplace, Microsoft (and many press reports) glossed over a remarkable misfeature that should demonstrate once and for all how DRM and the DMCA harm legitimate customers.

Microsoft's Zune will not play protected Windows Media Audio and Video purchased or "rented" from Napster 2.0, Rhapsody, Yahoo! Unlimited, Movielink, Cinemanow, or any other online media service. That's right -- the media that Microsoft promised would Play For Sure doesn't even play on Microsoft's own device! Buried in footnote 4 of its press release, Microsoft clearly states that "Zune software can import audio files in unprotected WMA, MP3, AAC; photos in JPEG; and videos in WMV, MPEG-4, H.264" -- protected WMA and WMV (not to mention iTunes DRMed AAC) are conspicuously absent.

This is a stark example of DRM under the DMCA giving customers a raw deal. Buying DRMed media means you're locked into the limited array of devices that vendors say you can use. You have to rebuy your preexisting DRMed media collection if you want to use it on the Zune. And you'll have to do that over and over again whenever a new, incompatible device with innovative features blows existing players out of the water. Access to MP3s and non-DRMed formats creates the only bridge between these isolated islands of limited devices.

The real culprit here is the DMCA -- but for that bad law, customers could legally convert DRMed files into whatever format they want, and tech creators would be free to reverse engineer the DRM to create compatible devices. Even though those acts have traditionally been and still are non- infringing, the DMCA makes them illegal and stifles fair use, innovation, and competition.

May this be a lesson to those who mistakenly laud certain DRM as "open" and offering customers "freedom of choice" simply because it is more widely-licensed than other formats. With DRM under the DMCA, nothing truly plays for sure, regardless of whether you're purchasing from Apple, Microsoft, or anyone else.

[Postscript: In an interview with Engadget, Microsoft Zune architect J Allard pointed out that Zune has sufficient video format support, in part because there's "Lots of DVD ripping software out there that encodes to those formats, so the most popular formats out there, whether it's MPEG-4 or H.264, we'll support those." Gee, he isn't suggesting that his business model benefits from customers using tools like DeCSS or Handbrake to evade the DRM on DVDs, right? Especially since Microsoft is furiously trying to squash the FairUse4WM tool, that would seem rather hypocritical.]

For this post and related links: http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/004910.php

;018

=^..^=

[C-Chan]

*sigh*  Well, they'll eventually find a way to just toss money at the problem.  -__-

Kinda like I do!  ^v^

*resumes attention to the grease fire consuming C-chan's kitchen*

*tosses bundles of unmarked $10USD dollar bills at fire*

DIE, FIRE, DIE!!!!  Taste the WRATH of Federal Reserve Inflation-Masked Lunacy!!!!  MWAHAHAHA!!!!  ^0^

[MisterCat]

Grease fire!



C-Chan, the fire department is on its way!  I'd help you put out the fire, but I want to go surf the web just now.  Sorry.

;013

By the way, here's an image of GreaseFire-tan.  She's been around a lot longer than the OS-tans, as you can see.



;018

=^..^=

[C-Chan]

BWAHAHA!!!!!  That was classic!  ^__^
And a [very] vintage -tan-of-some-sort to boot.  ^^'

If you don't mind, I just gotta sing this one....  ^v^

ââ,,¢Â« Go grease fire you're burning up the quarter mile....
ââ,,¢Â« (Grease fire, go grease fire!)
ââ,,¢Â« Go grease fire you're coasting through the heat lap trial!!
ââ,,¢Â« (Grease fire, go grease fire!)
ââ,,¢Â« You are supreme....!
ââ,,¢Â« ...the chicks'll cream....!!
ââ,,¢Â« ...for grease fi-  !!  ^0^  

*pauses*

Oh wait, that's supposed to be "lightning", eh?  ^^;
My bad....  -v-

But in any case, going back on topic, I have the nagging suspicion that, despite the legal and technical short falls, the Zune will still be a hot seller when it's released this year.  If the Zune can't attract much of a fanbase, than M$ can simply buy one for them.  And like cows to the slaughter, the consumers will buy them just for the sake of having what's "in".

In fairness, the same can be said about iPods to a certain extent.  ^^'

*notices grease fire is getting larger*

Aww heck, better up the ante....  -v-'

*starts tossing in stacks of $20USD bills*

[CaptBrenden]

Do what you want cus a pirate is free! You are a pirate!

Yeah, that will just push people to illegal mesures.

[C-Chan]

Whoops, I think he meant to post on Mr. Cat-san's OTHER thread.  ^__^'

Though even then, Pirate Day is long gone by now.  '

[Darknight_88]

http://img.sheezyart.com/art/swf/82/821125.swf

Don't know why, but this flash its addictive @.@

[C-Chan]

Ahh, it all makes sense now.  ^__^'
[Glad I'm not prone to epilepsy.... Ã,¬__Ã,¬']

Thank you, Oh Dark Knight.  ^__^
When I see it, I think of the Azumanga opening for some odd reason....  ^v^'