Yeah, you're right. DRM is a pain. We all hate it.

But Scott, with all respect, you are so emabarrassingly wrong in this rant it hurts my eyes to read it. You do not own the text in the New Yorker any more than you own the music on a CD or the "free" television show that's paid for by advertising or the movie on the screen at a movie theater.

What you bought was a license. You bought a ticket to ride.

Thinking you bought ownership is simply juevenile, no matter how attractive the idea may be.

The problem is that the publishers and the music companies and Hollywood and everybody else are so befuddled by this dilemma their attempts to work out a sensible solution are cumbersome and offensive. No question about it.

But you might as well just accept the fact that the concept of intellectual property rights is well established law, was not just invented by evil Republicans in congress and is the very thing that has made it possible for people to create these things for you to enjoy in the first place.

When you get a check from the New Yorker with your percentage of the profits earned from selling the New Yorker (in any form), then you will be an owner. Until then you just sound like some kid balling his eyes out because he can't have more candy.

It is actually hard to imagine that any person knowledgeable enough to write professionally on this subject can't seem to get his big brain wrapped around the fact that just because the digital age has made it possible to make a bizillion clones of something does not make it legally or morally correct -- or even a good idea.

Where do you think this stuff comes from? What, it just drops out of heaven for all "free peoples" to enjoy? Get over it.

Do I wish I could walk into any concert or movie or play I wanted to for free and bring all my friends with me? Sure I do. But I'm not dumb enough to think it would actually be a good idea, considering that there would be no more concerts or movies or plays (or New Yorkers) unless they were provided by charity or government proclamation. I assume your rant is not some kind of disguised plea for communism, right?

The name of this page I'm reading is Security Focus. Why don't you write a column on finding an intelligent way to deal with this peculiar crossroads in history instead of carping about something that is a problem for everybody, including the people who created the stuff you so desperately want to "own."

It's valid to complain about the content provider's sloppy and misguided attempts to make us happy -- and still stay in business -- but this argument that you "own" the content is pointless and obviously self defeating.

All of you -- stop sucking your thumbs and come up with a workable solution.

Just a suggestion.






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Link to this comment: http://www.securityfocus.com/comments/columns/390/33224#33224