DRM will never work unless...
DRM will never work unless...
Prelog: I tried to load up some .WMA protected songs I bought about a year ago only to find out I cannot play them anymore. Why? Because I installed Windows 2003 over XP, and it did not carry my licenses over. So how do I fix this, will I have to manually mail customer support but with no formal account, I don't see how they can re-issue a license.
DRM will always fail IMHO unless there's a new and improved DRM model. We need 3rd party DRM servers to impliment & authorize DRM content. While the company sells you a DRM contract (aka license) to a file, it is sent to the 3rd party servers who actually impliment the DRM. This DRM contract is permenant, it cannot be "updated" or changed. So if iTunes sells you a song with certain burn rights, Apple should never be able to take that away or change it. I mean in the real world if you get a contract and break it, you go to jail or pay a fine, so how are companies able to change their DRM contracts whenever they feel like it, AFTER you've PAID THEM MONEY.
Worse yet, imagine upgrading your OS only to find you need to get new licenses, and the company that owns them went out of business, guess what, your music (file) collection is GONE FOREVER and you have to repurchase it. Instead with a 3rd party DRM setup, companies can come and go but your file rights live on forever.
Upon this realization, at this point I am boycotting all paid for DRM files until a middle man comes into place and I know my files are protected from an unstable business market and all to easily to expire licenses. I have no problem buying a song with limited burn rights or whatever, I just want those rights that I PAID & AGREED for to be protected.