p2pnet - rss feed: New Apple user control system
p2p news / p2pnet: It seems Apple is set to launch an amazing new RUC (Remote User Control) system under which Apple and its compadres stay in charge from beginning to end.
"Apple is planning to unveil a robust new content distribution system in January at Macworld Expo alongside its revamped media-savvy Mac mini," Think Secret says.
"In an effort to appease media companies wary of the security of digital rights management technology, Apple’s new technology will deliver content such that it never actually resides on the user’s hard drive."
Does that mean a new heavily DRM-ed Apple core is on the horizon? - one under which users don’t actually get the stuff they’re paying good money for? - a kind of barbed-wire *you can look but you can’t touch* loop-interface between the entertainment cartels and them? And wouldn’t that in effect mean Apple and its entertainment cartel associates would be operating users’ computers, not the users themselves?
"Content purchased will be automatically made available on a user’s iDisk, which Front Row 2.0 will tap into," says Think Secret. "When the user wishes to play the content, robust caching technology Apple previously received a patent for will serve it to the users computer as fast as their Internet connection can handle. The system will also likely support downloading the video content to supported iPods but at no time will it ever actually be stored on a computer’s hard drive."
Take that, you d(b)astardly file sharers!
"Some questions remain about the particulars of the system that sources have been unable to clarify, including how customers without a .Mac account will be handled and how Apple will market the system to laptop-toting road warriors," says Think Secret.
"It also remains to be seen whether the iDisk tie-in will only apply to some content. Apple’s current video offerings are downloaded directly to a computer’s hard drive, for example. Additionally, it’s unknown whether the content system will be marketed as a Mac mini-only feature, which is unlikely but possible if it is dependent upon technologies in that system, or whether it will be available to Mac and Windows users as a whole."
The story also has media analyst Richard Greenfield saying, "I think there is clearly a need for someone to facilitate the digital distribution of content. When I’m looking at the TV and home entertainment sector it’s very clear that all of this content is available illegally and too easily. There needs to be legal high quality ways to access content online, especially as your making more and more methods of transporting content around."
Exit DRM. Enter RUM.
"The content creators need to give people legal, high-quality alternatives, or they are simply going to turn to piracy. This sounds like, on the surface, a viable answer to this issue for all concerned," he said.
catflap sent us the iProd pic ; ) It’s from Ken Brown and Chris Wren’s mondolithic site. Fantastic pix therein!
Also read:-
Think Secret - Road to Expo: Apple’s new media experience coming soon, December 2, 2005
December 3rd, 2005 at 6:21 pm
Mnnn…. sounds like the pefect song downloading device.
All that is needed is a cable with built in chip/software to convert the audio signals to mp3 and send the file to a USB flash drive. The perfect downloading system.
Rafael Venegas
http://www.gvenegas.com
December 4th, 2005 at 6:27 am
Apple just pisses me off more and more every day.
They are a failing company, they disrespect people and sue their customers — how stupid can they get?! Well if this article is accurate, then they just found another way.
Apple is a falling FAD, yes that’s right all of you Mac-heads out there, it SUCKS, use GNU/Linux if you’re REAL hacker or power user! It is like sun, but at least sun contributes to Free Software (Open Office, etc). Apple is just an Open Source LEECH!
Now don’t cry mac-heads! I know the truth hurts, but this ’sh!t’ of a company needs to be put out of its misery. Good gracious, Mac users are so few (only about 0.5% in the USA, and MUCH MUCH less world wide) so their ‘effect’ on the rest of us is minimalized.
For you Window users, you better start to learn how the Gimp, and Blender, and Linux and Command line soon —- since MS Vista is going to be one “hell-of-a-DRM’d” product. They have 1) back doors, 2) built in spyware and virus and keyloggers, and 3) DRM. Whatever you do, whether ETHICAL or not is recorded digitally and sent over the internet to the BSA, RIAA and MPAA. You are not allowed to watch “certain” things on your MONITOR since that too will be hardware and software DRM’d.
You’ve been told about this, so if in the future, you find yourself in an unpleasant situation using Mac or MS, you have only yourself to blame!!!
Cheers!
December 4th, 2005 at 8:07 pm
The fact is that this minor speed bump, like all other forms of DRM (whether a new marketing word is used or not), will have little-to-no effect on those who wish to infringe copyright. Whether we call it a DRM file or a “cache”, the fact is that a digitally locked file is received on the hard disk. Somewhere in the software on the computer is the key, otherwise you could not view the file on your computer. A technically sophisticated person will take the key, unlock the file, and then share it. The less technically sophisticated users will receive the DRM-free file the same way they always have.
This system, like all other DRM systems, only regulate the activities of law abiding citizens by digitally enforcing (often hidden) contract terms. Then again, enforcing hidden contracting terms is itself unenforceable and some of these terms may be illegal.
Who are the lawbreakers? Looks like it is Apple (and other DRM companies) yet again.
December 5th, 2005 at 8:16 am
We have logged your post - the satellite is moving into position to destroy your house in 5 seconds.
Apple.
We also logged your post - if the satellite doesn’t get you we’ve opened a back door into your system that will - (you think Linux is secure?).
Microsoft.
December 5th, 2005 at 1:17 pm
GNU/Linux? Please. Get a real operating system: FreeBSD. Here’s some links for you:
Take it Tux
http://www.flickr.com/photos/87533340@N00/7354483/
Bring on the Hate
http://freebsdgirl.com/index.php?s=fedora
Attack of the Daemons
http://www.oook.cz/screenshots/daemon-vs-tux-1600.jpg
Die Tux Die
http://www.oook.cz/screenshots/takeittux2.png
And finally,
http://www.freebsd.org
Microsoft: Were do you want to go today?
Linux: Where do you want to go tomarrow?
FreeBSD: Hey, are you guys coming or what?
Enjoy.