Tycho of Penny-Arcade just got bit by a piece of DRM technology.
I'd love to tell you about F.E.A.R., but the SecuROM security on the DVD won't allow me to install the game that I bought legitimately. I'm currently trying to decide if I should return it for a CD version I might have better luck with, or just return it straight up and get my hands on one of the other ten absolutely necessary games hitting this month.
I ranted recently about how DRM technologies, in their quest to eliminate piracy (and fair use rights, *cough*), must not unjustly inconvenience the legimitate user, especially the Average-Joe user. Tycho's case is an above-average user throwing up his hands in defeat. If DRM'd media is troubling him -- and remember that he's not trying to circumvent it, he's trying to play by the rules -- then Mom and Pop are destined for a world of hurt. What is the end result of all this hurt? Lost sales. Oops. I sure hope the lost sales are made up for the revenue protected by their anti-piracy efforts. What's that you say? That those who really, really don't want to pay will either find a way to not pay, or go without, that there's no revenue there to be regained? Interesting.
Dear HP Web Shopping Interface -
Please help me choose a battery for this laptop I'm customizing.
Positive and negative?! But only typically. I had no idea! And here I was thinking that what I needed to know was the watt-hours of their 6-cell battery versus their 8-cell. Silly me!
Just in case you don't read the Penny-Arcade news posts (Start now! They're funny!), here's a link to the latest insanity to escape from the confines of Jack Thompson's brain:
Thompson offers 10k to charity if his game concept is built and sold
Read his proposal. Once you're done laughing, laugh some more at how your brain is still capable of rational thinking, and how good that feels.
"You are upsetting the fan that went out and purchased the record." I particularly like how Sony BMG's iPod FAQ entry blames Apple for users being unable to transfer music published by Sony BMG to their iPods. Hrm. CDs not published by Sony BMG with their DRM scheme transfer just fine to iPods...Nice spin-doctoring. Two points and a big foam finger for your finger-pointing.
I recently ranted privately to a few of my friends about a similar DRM technology: PVP-OPM. Again, the truly tech-savvy will circumvent this DRM method, and the only ones inconvenienced will be the casual users, like your Mom and Dad. Though this time it's owners of $4,000 televisions instead of $250 portable music devices who are going to be told that they must "upgrade."
Last I checked, "alienate your consumer" was not a recommended business strategy. Yes, piracy causes lost revenue, but at some point you have to recognize that a certain level of loss is always going to occur. With this in mind, you can chose a wise trade-off point between security and inconvenience. The credit card companies realize this, and budget for fraud (though I believe they can improve their security greatly without inconveniencing users). The media companies are going way past the magic threshold.
Watch this: http://www.thechamplainchannel.com/video/5076676/detail.html (Keep your eye above the horse's butt or you'll miss the action. Stick around for the assault on the media.)
Read this: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051009/ap_on_re_us/new_orleans_taped_beating
And this: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051011/ap_on_re_us/new_orleans_taped_beating
The man says he hasn't drank in 25 years, the police say he was intoxicated and resisting. In either case, a 64-year-old man being restrained by three officers does not need to be punched in the head to be subdued. Then the cops tried to suppress the media, and assaulted one member when they refused to stop recording.
When you're a cop, your accountability is higher than an average citizen. If you're honest, you shouldn't have a problem being recorded every second you're on duty.