Remember This: DRM = Loss of Freedom

Some random thoughts about DRM (Digital Rights Management):

Now that computers have infiltrated everything from phones to cameras to cars, we've been enjoying the Freedoms this connectivity allows with great enthusiasm. But very soon, users will become vulnerable to violations, just as driver's experience based on how they drive and where they park and whether or not they show their plates. Unfortunately, all this connectivity means the potential for automatic surveillance. It also means that your rights are described through software, through End User License Agreements, and through Digital Rights Management.

What sort of Violations may you encounter?

• Watching content at home that you bought abroad
  
• Creating a way to view content on a non-supported platform
• Adding features to a platform without permission
• Attempting to preserve content without permission
• Sharing or displaying content to friends (or strangers) without permission
• Attempting to "remix" or combine different content into something new without permission

If you think about this for a moment, all this is not minor inconvenience. In other realms, such as cooking or auto-mechanics, it is perfectly acceptable to add features to your car (provided they aren't lethal) without asking Ford or Toyota. It's perfectly acceptable to combine Jiffy Peanut Butter with a homemade piece of bread from your Oster bread machine, using flour by Pillsbury. There are no user-agreements, royalties, or lawsuits necessary. The only time lawsuits happen are when you try to sell someone else's goods as your own.

Now we keep hearing arguments from content industries, arguing that they MUST protect their property or their industries are DOOMED. (Therefore, they must implement draconian locks, rules, DRM, legislation, fines, etc). But this is bogus. If it were true, we'd all be using kerosene lamps and horse & buggies.

You do not want to have an Economy of Litigation, where companies make money solely by suing individuals and other companies instead of selling actual products & services. Yet we're starting to see that more often. The irony is that all this Protection does not seem to benefit the creative people it was put in place to protect.

Ok, rant over for now.