Copy-protected CDs - philosophical discussion


My previous copy-protection thread probably deserves a follow-up since the issue is just as troubling ethically/legally/philosophically as it is technically.

Record companies are selling CDs which do not play on a PC's CD player. However, the CDs are not identified as such and, according to at least one source, may have trouble playing on high-end systems and car CD players.

Here's the news story:
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-6604222.html

Here's an unofficial list of copy-protected CDs, authored by a guy whose opinion on the matter should be quite obvious:
http://fatchucks.com/corruptcds/corrupt.html

Reserving the technical discussion and "can you actually hear it" discussions for my previous thread, what are your feelings on the softer side of this issue, especially given the vast amount of software that we collectively gave/received over the past couple of weeks?

Don't hold back, now!

FWIW, my take is that this is just another case of technology scaring the crap out of a lumbering entrenched industry with severely dated business models because the geeks are infinitely smarter and more creative than the suits can ever hope to be. Just like the lawsuit against Napster, it may succeed in its immediate goal (for a month or so), but misses the real point completely. Alienating customers who are not criminals is bad business. For many of us Audiogoners, I imagine the presence of "all but inaudible" distortion on a recording is reason enough to avoid it like the plague. The music business is not about “clicks and pops”; it's about music.
powerste

Showing 2 responses by bluenose

Angela, agree with you 100%. The music industry is trying to shoot itself in the foot with this one.....I don't burn cd's myself but feel I have a right to make my own copies if I had a player in the car....these encripted cds may not play in dvd, older cd and car players. Of course they will not be ripped either....But the cds should be plainly marked as I won't buy them....and I probably buy 100 cds a year...I'll start sticking with the smaller lables.I'll be complaining, though. Feedback is what they need and what they'll get. Cornfedboy..that's the way I feel before my first coffee,,,,I do not compute, where is my caffene....
Is a copy-protected cd any longer a redbook cd or now something else? Is this a deceptive act selling a redbook that is altered? Is there a chance of a class action here? We're not be sold "pure product". Copy-protected cds should be renamed if they're not dvd-a, sacd or redbook cds....just a thought.....someone, somewhere will haul them to court, just for the principle involved here and good luck to them....