Microsoft Joins Apple, EMI in DRM-Free Music Initiative

Free the bits man! End the oppression of the 1s and 0s!

http://neowin.net/index.php?act=view&id=39351
from WinCustomize Forums

Following the Apple's recent challenge to the music industry to stop requiring DRM for online music sales, and EMI's pledge to do just that via the iTunes service, software giant Microsoft joins the DRM-free initiative.  Selling music via its Zune music service, Microsoft plans to provide DRM-free music from EMI as well.  While it will remain in the proprietary .wma file format, it will be free of copy protections, so users would in theory be able to convert their Zune music purchases to other audio formats, compatible with other music players.

Could this bring about massive change in the digital download marketplace for music?  What will happen once users are no longer tied to a specific service depending on what player they purchased?  Who will come out ahead in a free market?

4,209 views 9 replies
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
That's good news, hopefully it will be acted upon!
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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Woot! Years of bitching finally got us somewhere
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Years of bitching finally got us somewhere


That's until MS buys out all the other players (scraps 'em) and we're stuck with Zune anyway....
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Some time ago there was an article here about stupid Norway wanting apple to drop drm. Not so stupid anymore ?
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I don't know if people would pay for the songs any way when the could just use a bittorrent or file sharing program to download them.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Who will come out ahead in a free market?


Consumers generally come out on top in a free market.

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I don't know if people would pay for the songs any way when the could just use a bittorrent or file sharing program to download them.
People who are not theives will always pay for a product they want.