[advocacy] DRM in OGG - A Proposal

[Daniel James]

> The thing about making copies is that it
> is a process that doesn't discriminate by volume.

Surely the methods are different? A commercial duplicator doesn't use a CD-R 
drive or a PC - and yet this seems to be where DRM is targeted. 

> I have a right to make as
> many copies for myself as I need. Be it 1 or 1 million it doesn't matter.

Only if you're the copyright holder. Or are you suggesting that there's no 
difference to the artist between fans making individual free copies for 
friends, and a commercial entity undercutting legit music labels by using 
cheaper production and not paying royalties?   

> Pirates will crack any DRM they need to to stay in business so all that
> sacrificing of my rights to help pay those starving artists will go to
> waste anyway.

I'd agree there, with DRM as it currently exists. Artists need to make the 
legit distribution more compelling than the unauthorised distribution, just 
as Linux companies need to give you a reason to buy the boxed set rather than 
download the free .iso file. That's the only way to beat 'piracy' - offer 
what the 'pirates' cannot. High quality CD packaging, or even club 
membership. Mandrake does it, the Beatles did it. Beatles club members got 
exclusive 7" singles at Christmas, for example.  

> Give me a DRM solution (both hardware and software) that:
>
> 1. Allows me to make digitally perfect non-DRMed copies of DRM music I
> purchase for use in my own old non-DRM hardware.
>
> 2. Allows me to use my DRM hardware to play music I recorded and non-DRM
> music.
>
> 3. Does both of these without the possibility that my personal music
> preferences could be tracked, gathered and sold.

All sounds good. As I see it, an ISRC based system would not interfere with 
the abilities of 'end users' of music. It would only collect royalties where 
they are currently collected - when music is used commercially.

> Then it will have my support. 'Course then it would be useless at
> protecting the artists' rights.

Not necessarily. There's a balance to be struck between artists, labels and 
listeners. Unfortunately it's been tipped towards the big labels by the 
current DRM proposals, and if we don't get the artists on the listeners side 
then that imbalance will be solidified.  

Cheers

Daniel
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