Program points way to iTunes DRM hack

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Please stop, Jon

Whilst I acknowledge your right to create such a program (the DMCA not withstanding) I believe it will cause more harm than good. If the encryption of iTunes files is cracked (and I'm certain that is can be done, it's just a matter of crypto and computing horsepower) Apple may find that no one will allow them to sell music.

This will reverberate through other on-line music stores and soon we will be back to the not-to-distant bad old days when the only on-line music was pirated. Proving yet again that software encryption is not fail-safe will simply mean the death of current on-line music stores and put impetus behind the drive for hardware DRM - at considerable cost to producers, distributors and consumers.

This is not an issue of fair use - I can already copy my iTunes files and move them to other computers. I can already create backup copies of the files to some other medium. I can already burn iTunes songs to CD then rip them back as MP3s or whatever. There is no technical impediment to my doing this within the bounds of the iTunes licence. If I don't like iTunes, I have many other means of obtaining music using a variety of vendors, media and licencing conditions. Your potential program will destroy on-line music sales for no particular useful purpose.

In fact, buy precipitating the introduction of hardware DRM, you may virtually extinguish the common users' rights of "fair use".

Please don't disturb the status quo for the time being, at least allow on-line music the opportunity to flourish before challenging it so blatantly. How about turning your hand toward developing a software method that ensures fair use but increases security? Patent that sucker and you'll have yourself a fortune Bill Gates can't top.

Posted by: Fred Fredrickson   Posted on: 11/24/03 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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