Digital Distribution Isn't Important, If It's Still Locked Down
Posted by junger - 12/05/08 at 01:12:33 pmI'm amazed at the progress the technology and entertainment community has made when it comes to the restrictions on digital music.
Instead of locking everything down like they used to, labels are starting to open up to DRM-free music. A visit to the Amazon MP3 store shows that tons of huge artists are making their music available without digital right management. It's a huge leap from where it was even 3 years ago.
But we're falling into the pattern again — this time, with digital video. Services like the iTunes store and VUDU are offering up some great video, but it's all locked down.
What's frustrating is that we, as consumers, seem fixated by the distribution method these services are using — and not that we're repeating the battle for digital rights. It's not like digital distribution is new; cable has been offering up a crappy selection of content for on-demand viewing forever.
The 'next' format war isn't downloads vs. discs; it's locked down video vs. DRM-free.
The promise of digital media is the freedom that you have to use it. The distribution method is a nice bonus, but it's not the most important aspect.
Complete story: Why Digital Copies (Not Downloads) Really Matter
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