Yahoo says screw DRM!

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 10 Oct 2007, 18:24

First EMI, then Amazon now Yahoo:

http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/6 ... w_DRM.html

It won't convert me as I simply want to own the CD but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 01 Nov 2007, 14:57

As long as they keep offering music in lossy compressed formats, music content provider stores a total waste of money IMO.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 01 Nov 2007, 23:35

Doesn't that depend on the bitrate? Lossless would have to mean FLAC or WAVE and the file size to download an album would make it unmanageable.

Besides can you really tell the difference between 320Kbps and Lossless anyway?

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 02 Nov 2007, 03:20

bradavon wrote:Doesn't that depend on the bitrate? Lossless would have to mean FLAC or WAVE and the file size to download an album would make it unmanageable.

No, we live in the age of broadband. The downloadable PC game retail model is highly successful (one such example - Steam). It's not unusual at all for games to be as big as 4-8GB these days.

Besides can you really tell the difference between 320Kbps and Lossless anyway?

Yes, I can.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 02 Nov 2007, 14:49

I am dubious in a blind test you really could but anyway I'll take your word for it. Have you performed a blind test?

Are you seriously saying many people download 4-8Gb games? Officially not over P2P networks.

If so fair enough. The resource load on the servers must be extreme. How many games though? Sure maybe one example but if all games were sold like that, as would have to be the case for music then I cannot see most servers coping, unless they pattern shape.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 02 Nov 2007, 15:16

bradavon wrote:Are you seriously saying many people download 4-8Gb games? Officially not over P2P networks.

If so fair enough. The resource load on the servers must be extreme. How many games though? Sure maybe one example but if all games were sold like that, as would have to be the case for music then I cannot see most servers coping, unless they pattern shape.

I'm dead serious, people pay their coin and download huge games. Many many games (depends on publisher, some like Electronic Arts have their own proprietary stores), the retail content delivery model has been highly successful. Steam alone boasts over 200 games. http://steampowered.com/v/index.php?are ... al=1&cc=NZ

Steam is the monopoly though, and has some very fair implementation of DRM. Purchased games are tied to your Steam account, you can access them from any PC if you install the Steam client.

I made my first purchase off of Steam bout 2 weeks ago and I'm very satisfied with the service. I save like $35NZD by not buying the local boxed retail version.