French look to open iTunes

[Martin]

Click.

This seems to me to be the right thing to do.

[wtd]

The only way it even gets consideration of support from me is if the law is applied equitably. That means the other stores have to sell in AAC format and offer a way to be played on the iPod, since it is the dominant music player.

Basically, the only way the Ffench law can be applied here is if they say all DRM is illegal. In which case Apple and everyone else will simply pack up and leave France.

[Martin]

Isn't that an issue of Apple refusing to let other people use it?

[Tony]

I suppose it's as much of an issue as Sony putting DRM rootkits on their CDs

[wtd]

Martin wrote:

Isn't that an issue of Apple refusing to let other people use it?

AAC? There's nothing that stops other companies from using it as Apple doesn't control the format.

As for licensing the FairPlay DRM scheme, I'm not entirely sure what Apple's stance has been on that, but I suspect if someone made a good enough offer, Apple would be happy to let them license it.

[Martin]

wtd wrote:

Martin wrote:

Isn't that an issue of Apple refusing to let other people use it?

AAC? There's nothing that stops other companies from using it as Apple doesn't control the format.

As for licensing the FairPlay DRM scheme, I'm not entirely sure what Apple's stance has been on that, but I suspect if someone made a good enough offer, Apple would be happy to let them license it.

Ahh, gotchya. DRM is looking to be the .doc of our generation.

[Martin]

It looks like they're going through with this.

Click.

[codemage]

What about AAC converters? There's nothing stopping average-joe non-ipod-brand user from downloading from iTunes and converting into the format of choice.

Good, legally-smart move by the French (considering the ludicrous job laws they're currently passing in order to make sure that everyone under 26 becomes unemployed) - but it's not super-necessary.

[md]

Isn't the problem thatthe drm prevents you from converting to different formats without breaking the drm first? 'Cause if not then you could very easily convert from AAC to a drm-less format to get rid of teh drm that everyone hates.

[codemage]

You can't convert directly, but there are a host of converters that do it by playing the AAC file (at a faster than realtime rate), and digitally re-encode it to a different format.

It's the equiavalent of burning the AACs to an audio CD, and then ripping the CD to MP3, but minus the coaster.