France backs down on iTunes DRM stance

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DRM is bad, Apple or MS

>Walmart = $0.88 per WMA.....
..., it will work on nearly all players that support DRM, so why does iTunes have 78% of the market? Apple forcing you to pay more?........how does that work?

First, the operative words are "that support DRM." WMA encrypted with DRM is just as bad as iTunes, and I don't give either my support. Note, every time you buy a player capable of DRM, you are supporting it. There are hefty licensing fees for these things. Proof is just on the Wal*Mart shelf... I can buy a generic MP3 player for $30, or go solid state for about $100. As soon though as I go to buy an iPod, or Creative Nomad, or anything that advertises "supports DRM," I'm not likely to walk out with it without paying about $400, and that's the low end.

Second is the Apple price fixing issue. Some may feel that iTunes is protecting its customers at $.99, however, this is not where we ever wanted to be when we called for an on-line store such as iTunes. We asked the average price be closer to $.50, that there be some flexibility in pricing and the customers have some choice. We felt that CD's were overpriced and the artists get too little of the cut anyway. Now what we have is an INFERIOR product to CD's at about the same price (if you think 128 kbps compressed audio is as good as a CD, you haven't listened on a surround system, or I doubt even headphones); sometimes even the CD's are cheaper, and the artists are still the ones getting the least of the cut for your purchase.

Yes, I'm sure the RIAA would charge closer to $1.50 for songs on the top 40 list if they could, but I think they'd also go cheaper on their less popular songs, as they said they were willing to do. Since I don't listen to Top 40 music very often, and not at all on my MP3 stuff, then the Apple iTunes price fixing would be forcing me to pay more than I otherwise would. Since Apple does have a near monopoly on on-line music, I will not be purchasing my music on-line. My regular FM radio and tape deck seem to still work fine.

Posted by: D-cat   Posted on: 05/09/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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