Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights

Topic: Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights (Read 5821 times) previous topic - next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights

2006-09-22 13:51:47

Quote

"One of the problems with WiMP11 is licensing and backing it up. If you buy media with DRM infections, you can't move the files from PC to PC, or at least you can't and have them play on the new box. If you want the grand privilege of moving that content, you need to get the approval of the content mafia, sign your life away, and use the tools they give you... Yes, WiMP11 will no longer allow you the privilege of backing up your licenses, they are tied to a single device, and if you lose it, you are really SOL."

LINK

Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights

Reply #1 – 2006-09-22 14:33:32

Quote from: kwanbis on 2006-09-22 13:51:47

Quote
"One of the problems with WiMP11 is licensing and backing it up. If you buy media with DRM infections, you can't move the files from PC to PC, or at least you can't and have them play on the new box. If you want the grand privilege of moving that content, you need to get the approval of the content mafia, sign your life away, and use the tools they give you... Yes, WiMP11 will no longer allow you the privilege of backing up your licenses, they are tied to a single device, and if you lose it, you are really SOL."

LINK

The lack of license backup doesn't really change anything at all. The fact is that individual stores using WM* DRM have always been able to set license policy - if the store didn't allow it, then it wasn't possible anyway. Thus, WMP's license backup has always been a pretty much irrelevant feature.

Different music stores have different ways of dealing with lost files/licenses. As a result, unlike Apple, MS couldn't apply a blanket license solution, so they simply withdrew theirs and allowed the stores to set their own policies.

For example: Napster allows you to redownload every track you've ever purchased to a) a new machine or b) replace a lost file. In the former case, the new machine becomes authorized for full playback while one of the previously authorized machines gets its playback rights revoked (honestly not sure how that last part works). In the latter case, all you have to do is move the original file, rename it or delete it. If Napster can't find it, you can redownload it for free. Period.

Other stores allow you to deal with license loss by attempting to play the file with the store playback software (I've done this with MusicMatch before). Once that happens, the store software restores the license and the file becomes playable across the OS again.

Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights

Reply #2 – 2006-09-22 21:48:35

So, the title of this thread is wrong, then?

Can it be fixed?

Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights

Reply #3 – 2006-09-23 00:13:11

Typical FUD.

Yes, it's wrong. LANjackal is correct. The tools/processes to re-license DRM content is in the hands of the music provider. For example, URGE has the ability to de-authorize and authorize individual PCs for playback... directly from it's UI.

Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights

Reply #4 – 2006-09-23 10:09:46

Quote from: grommet on 2006-09-23 00:13:11

Typical FUD.

Yes, it's wrong. LANjackal is correct. The tools/processes to re-license DRM content is in the hands of the music provider. For example, URGE has the ability to de-authorize and authorize individual PCs for playback... directly from it's UI.

But i'd imagine that, say for example my XP install got corrupted by Martian ham radio freaks, I wouldn't be able to 'deauthorise' that PC and therefore authorise another one.

Either way it's shit. They won't be getting my money, until the hardware is hacked of course. The day Microsoft (and Apple et al) give me the hardware for free is the day I don't mind them locking it down and taking away the rights I currently get with CDs.

EDIT: Also, i'd assume the terms are changeable on their side when they feel like it. So my ability to move licenses today could be revoked tomorrow.

Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights

Reply #5 – 2006-09-23 14:57:49

Quote from: seanyseansean on 2006-09-23 10:09:46

But i'd imagine that, say for example my XP install got corrupted by Martian ham radio freaks, I wouldn't be able to 'deauthorise' that PC and therefore authorise another one.

Short answer: actually, you could deauthorize and authorize. That's (referring to my bold emphasis above) exactly your problem, and the problem with many who've overreacted to the original news article (I've been to other forums). You're imagining stuff that is strictly not the case instead of looking at the facts. As I said before, DRM policies - and the authorization policies they include - vary from store to store. Many leading WMA DRM audio stores allow you to play your audio on several PCs, and allow you to deauthorize and authorize as you see fit. As a matter of fact, I detailed this in my original post. So I'm not really sure what you're getting at all. Perhaps if you'd actually used these stores you'd know what you were talking about instead of mouthing off.

Quote from: seanyseansean on 2006-09-23 10:09:46

EDIT: Also, i'd assume the terms are changeable on their side when they feel like it. So my ability to move licenses today could be revoked tomorrow.

The "they" in that case would be the content provider, NOT MS. As for your latter point, the answer is yes. The fact that MS has no control over this is exactly why they removed the license backup feature... *sigh* it's amazing how a poorly written article easily misleads so many.

Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights

Reply #6 – 2006-09-23 15:11:56

Not FUD, you know. If you rip with WMP11 your cds, into WMA, without being carefull of not using DRM, you are the one doing the ripping, but you won't be able to move YOUR files. And we have many topics here related to "how do i remove DRM from my WMA files?".

This is what the oficial WMP11 page says:

Quote

Windows Media Player 11 does not permit you to back up your media usage rights (previously known as licenses). However, depending upon where your protected files came from, you might be able to restore your rights over the Internet.

If you encounter an error message that indicates you are missing play, burn, or sync rights for a file and you had these rights previously, you might be able to resolve the problem by restoring your media usage rights. You have several options to do so:

* If you obtained the file from an online store, contact the store to find out if it offers media usage rights (license) restoration (some stores refer to this procedure as computer activation, computer authorization, or license synchronization).
The procedure for restoring your rights varies from store to store. For example, you might be able to right-click the file in your library or click an Error button or an Information button next to the file, and then click a command. Or you might be required to delete the file from your computer and then download the file again.
The store might limit the number of times that you can restore your rights or limit the number of computers on which can use the songs or videos that you obtain from them. Some stores do not permit you to restore media usage rights at all.
For details, see the store's customer support or Help links.
* If the file is a song you ripped from a CD with the Copy protect music option turned on, you might be able to restore your usage rights by playing the file. You will be prompted to connect to a Microsoft Web page that explains how to restore your rights a limited number of times.

AFAIK previous versions of WMP allowed you to backup your licenses.

Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights

Reply #7 – 2006-09-23 16:22:12

Everyone wants to mention that you could rip CDs that you own and lose the ability to play those files. Someone has to mention the fact that Copy protection in WMP11 is OFF by default. The only way to add DRM to your CDs is to go in to the options and turn it on yourself.

Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights

Reply #8 – 2006-09-23 16:57:30

Quote from: LANjackal on 2006-09-23 14:57:49

Quote from: seanyseansean on 2006-09-23 10:09:46
But i'd imagine that, say for example my XP install got corrupted by Martian ham radio freaks, I wouldn't be able to 'deauthorise' that PC and therefore authorise another one.

Short answer: actually, you could deauthorize and authorize. That's (referring to my bold emphasis above) exactly your problem, and the problem with many who've overreacted to the original news article (I've been to other forums). You're imagining stuff that is strictly not the case instead of looking at the facts. As I said before, DRM policies - and the authorization policies they include - vary from store to store. Many leading WMA DRM audio stores allow you to play your audio on several PCs, and allow you to deauthorize and authorize as you see fit. As a matter of fact, I detailed this in my original post. So I'm not really sure what you're getting at all. Perhaps if you'd actually used these stores you'd know what you were talking about instead of mouthing off.

Quote from: seanyseansean on 2006-09-23 10:09:46
EDIT: Also, i'd assume the terms are changeable on their side when they feel like it. So my ability to move licenses today could be revoked tomorrow.

The "they" in that case would be the content provider, NOT MS. As for your latter point, the answer is yes. The fact that MS has no control over this is exactly why they removed the license backup feature... *sigh* it's amazing how a poorly written article easily misleads so many.

Whos mouthing off? The OP has really just provoked people like myself into realising just how little they're getting for their money.

I am no fan of Apple but at least with them there is a single point of evil.

Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights

Reply #9 – 2006-09-23 18:12:17

Quote from: kwanbis on 2006-09-23 15:11:56

AFAIK previous versions of WMP allowed you to backup your licenses.

Ummm... as I said before in my first post, thanks to the fact that license policy is dictated by the STORE and NOT MICROSOFT, that feature was irrelevant anyway. For MS to leave the feature active would be akin to a car dealer telling you you're all clear to drive a car he just sold to someone else. Yes, he sold them the car, but it's no longer his, and as such he has no authority over it. Especially if the car itself allows driving access to its current owner only, which is pretty much the situation with DRM, you wouldn't be able to drive it even if the President told you you could.

It doesn't matter if you can backup the license or not - even if you make a copy of it yourself, if the DRM policy states that you can't then the backup WILL NOT WORK anyway when you want it to. Thus MS' decision to remove the feature makes perfect sense. Why is it taking people so long to see this simple reasoning?

@ tev777: Thank you. Finally another levelheaded person.

The way I see it is that you have 3 possible capabilities:

1 - play protected media
2 - play unprotected media
3 - option to protect your own media

Obviously the one we care most about is 2, and no one wants 3. However, possessing 1 and 3 does NOT preclude the possession of 2. A lot of people who trash talk WMP, iTunes et al miss the point that all 3 capabilities as implemented thus far are mutually exclusive - they have no effect on each other.

If you're gonna trash WMP because it can do 1 and 3, by that reasoning you might as well trash good software such as foobar and open source programs that can't even play protected media to begin with. Those open source guys are REALLY robbing you of your rights by not allowing you to play protected files *sarcasm*. Of course not - the content industry is responsible for that.

The only logical course of thought is to lay the blame at the feet of the people who actually protect the files - the content industry. Oh, but it's far easier to write a hate article about MS... everyone'll jump on it and it'll get Digged and Slashdotted to death! YAY! Gotta love how the many of the people who make a living writing about logical machines seem incapable of thinking logically themselves.

Microsoft Media Player Shreds Your Rights

Reply #10 – 2006-09-25 20:28:18

Quote from: LANjackal on 2006-09-23 18:12:17

]
The only logical course of thought is to lay the blame at the feet of the people who actually protect the files - the content industry. Oh, but it's far easier to write a hate article about MS... everyone'll jump on it and it'll get Digged and Slashdotted to death! YAY! Gotta love how the many of the people who make a living writing about logical machines seem incapable of thinking logically themselves.

It really is time to look at the tactics of some parts of the content industry. While you're at it, look at the distribution industry, and how artists are treated.

Notice