I would support this if it also allows playback on Open Source platforms like XBMC and Linux. I believe the developers of those platforms would support this technology if the Media Consortium releases the details required.

Of course this would probably make it easier for crackers to bypass the DRM but DRM cracks always appear anyway, so it becomes a choice of the following:
A) Support Open Source, Have a greater paying market share and have your content cracked.
B) Don't support Open Source, Restrict the potential market size, Offer a product with reduced functionality and have your content cracked anyway.

I use XBMC a lot - it's a fantastic product but doesn't support any DRM so none of the currently available DRM content is of any use to me. I would happily accept a situation where I download a TV show from bittorrent and when I go to play it it pops up "Purchasing this TV episode will cost $5US, Do you accept...". My only requirement would be that I then own the file and can play it on whatever device I wish - which is what this consortium is talking about.

What I absolutely won't accept is a solution that requires me to use proprietary MS, Apple or Sony products.


a) kill the Apple store (or at least make Apple accept the movie and music industry terms for the store and b) get a a drm-system implemented that is buried in every consumer electronic device, so that they all are beholden to the whims of the movie and music industries (so you have to pay both a tax/licensing fee to them just to purchase the device, AND to pay for the content at whatever price and however the industry chooses to bundle it with.

This is ALL about making sure the industry gets to say what you can do with with the content you buy.

they just won't give up the ghost. It doesn't matter how compatible it is; thats not the point. Why should anyone be subject to this at all? If we purchase something then it is ours. What we do with it is none of their business and their permission is not wanted nor required.

"Better DRM" is like humane execution. It might be easier on you, but you are still dead.
As long as you want to tell me how I can use the stuff I buy I will continue not to buy.

"It looks like the group wants to try and find a happy medium between piracy protection and freedom..."
DRM has very little to do with piracy protection (if anything it promotes piracy). It's all about the "Media consortium" being made up of control freaks. They want to tell you just what you can do with THEIR media (you don't own it!). NO resale, NO sharing, and you WILL pay again for the next new format when they want to sell you another copy of everything you already own^h^h^h rent. 

Freedom? You will be able to do the same things you do now with an MP3 file... for a small fee, paid monthly, in advance.

I need to write a letter to these idiots. It would go somehting like this:

Dear Media consortium,

You have already burned your chance at DRM. Please give up. I think enough of us have been burned by your ham-fisted attempts at software development. I flat out REFUSE to load any more of your intrusive DRM schemes and also refuse to be your beta tester for your new DRM scheme.

You are driving me away as a customer. You have been warned.

-Ax

I have a simple message for the MAFIAA: I will not buy any DRM infested product.