Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Bill Gates gets Mac Overload!
- Thread starter AndyR
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
"Highlights of the meeting included an in-depth chat with Gates, in which he focused on the future of digital rights management (DRM). The Microsoft founder conceded that DRM "isn't there yet," and recommended music lovers should buy CDs and rip their music manually, rather than use existing DRM systems."
Am I the only one who read this and thought, hmm, lame attempt to get people to stop buying music from the iTunes Store?
I tell you, though, if there's one person in the world I'm going to take advice from, you bet your ass it's Bill Gates.
Am I the only one who read this and thought, hmm, lame attempt to get people to stop buying music from the iTunes Store?
I tell you, though, if there's one person in the world I'm going to take advice from, you bet your ass it's Bill Gates.
The problem is that Microsoft doesn't consider Apple a threat (at least publicly). They focused their energy with Linux and Google and didn't see Apple coming back at all.
The look on Bill Gates face had to be great when he walked into the room and saw that everyone was using a Macintosh!
Oh man this would have been funny to see!
Very funny!
I read about the DRM thing here. A bit more depth on that part, but they don't mention the all-Mac audience.
I didn't think this. Actually, I think Bill is right. He's probably not all that bad a person in real life, and at least he seems like a real human being sometimes. He made a statement that many regular joe's will probably agree with.
And besides, what good is it to say something like that immediately after Microsoft releases a Zune and is preparing their own media store? It's obviously not a nice promotion for digital music in general, so I guess Bill was just speaking from the gut rather than giving us the usual corporate bullsh*t you normally hear from Jobs and Ballmer. Mind you that the RIAA doesn't even like it when you rip a CD to your computer, despite the fact you own the CD. So Bill's statement doesn't help Microsoft's goals, and may not make him so endearing to the RIAA.
I want CDs, and I want to rip them at a nice, high quality.
BG's comment is true about DRM.
I think Apple has done a reasonable job with their DRM. However, that does not mean they have it perfect either.
The RIAA is the problem. Unfortunately, I doubt much will change.
I really hate the RIAA and feel that they are penalizing those of us who own our music legitimately and in the long run hurting the record industry.
I think Apple has done a reasonable job with their DRM. However, that does not mean they have it perfect either.
The RIAA is the problem. Unfortunately, I doubt much will change.
I really hate the RIAA and feel that they are penalizing those of us who own our music legitimately and in the long run hurting the record industry.
Personally, I hate DRM, and any company that tries to inflict DRM on me can cram it sideways. I'm referring to Apple, Microsoft, whoever. If I have a choice in the matter, even if it costs me more, I will always buy something with no DRM, such as a music CD, a real (not digital) book, or a movie or TV show on DVD. I respect the existing rules and I don't need some technological constraint system to force me into line. This does mean that I will rip my music CDs into WMA and MP4 files and install them on multiple devices, but since I am the only one using them, this is a legitimate thing for me to do. I'm the consumer that all of the music, movie, and software companies long for.
But even more than the DRM advocates, I hate the dishonest people whose actions have helped to inspire the development of DRM in the first place. I'm talking about the people who rip CDs and "share" their contents online, the people who copy software and give it away (or sell it), the people who make copies of movies. It's because of people like them that we have to have activation in software products, CDs that can't be ripped, and DRM creeping slowly into every facet of computerized media.
To all the pirates out there: Thanks a lot, you jerks. Those of us who are honest really appreciate your hard work.
But even more than the DRM advocates, I hate the dishonest people whose actions have helped to inspire the development of DRM in the first place. I'm talking about the people who rip CDs and "share" their contents online, the people who copy software and give it away (or sell it), the people who make copies of movies. It's because of people like them that we have to have activation in software products, CDs that can't be ripped, and DRM creeping slowly into every facet of computerized media.
To all the pirates out there: Thanks a lot, you jerks. Those of us who are honest really appreciate your hard work.
"Arrington was also presented with a Zune, the third he has received from the company, meaning he now owns one in every colour, including brown."
Wow, er .... brown.
Kind of like the color of ...
.
.
dirt?
Wow, er .... brown.
Kind of like the color of ...
.
.
dirt?
Or leather.
Besides, brown is the new black, isn't it?
Yes, if black is the new white.
Personally, with all the philanthropy Bill does- I think he's a much nicer guy then Steve (who everyone knows, has a temper.) Steve is far more revolutionary, but Bill does A LOT for humanity.
Charles Manson is a pretty nice guy as well. I saw an interview with him and he's actually really insightful and caring. I think he got a bad rap myself.
Wow, that was pretty clever, the way you made it seem like Charles Manson and Bill Gates are similar.
Wow, three POS music players...oh boy!
The other 2 didnt work so they had to give him a third one.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but don't all commercial DVDs utilize at least one form of DRM?
I really don't understand people's problem with DRM. Apple's scheme seems to give plenty of leeway: you can have your music on up to 5 computers, an unlimited number of iPods, and burn the song to a CD as you please (essentially removing any DRM).
Is it just the fact that it's there that bothers you (clayj, I'm not trying to pick on you personally, I just happened to use your quote).
Well, yeah, but DVDs are only marginally worse than CDs at being affected by DRM. There's no real inconvenience there, beyond the fact that technically it's illegal to rip DVDs onto your computer. (Which doesn't stop people from doing it.)
Basically, I see the world of media purchases in two categories: Buy and Rent. "Buy" means it's mine, I can do ANYTHING I want with it, there are NO restrictions beyond what the law says. "Rent" is everything else... stuff that expires, stuff that could potentially stop working for some reason other than I lost the item or damaged it. iTunes songs fall into the "Rent" category... sure, you own them, but technology is in place that could hobble you at some point.
the way the copyright judgments are leaning, we will never "own" media we buy in the near future... ugh.
Right. That's why they're attempting to assassinate their own Office: Mac users' productivity with Office 2007...
...But even more than the DRM advocates, I hate the dishonest people whose actions have helped to inspire the development of DRM in the first place. I'm talking about the people who rip CDs and "share" their contents online, the people who copy software and give it away (or sell it), the people who make copies of movies. It's because of people like them that we have to have activation in software products, CDs that can't be ripped, and DRM creeping slowly into every facet of computerized media.
To all the pirates out there: Thanks a lot, you jerks. Those of us who are honest really appreciate your hard work.
Well said. The RIAA sucks, but it's not entirely them!