Dear Steve, let’s ditch Apple’s software copy protection too

[Dave]

Dear Steve, let’s ditch Apple’s software copy protection while we’re at it

A great rebuttal blog post to Steve Jobbs, regarding him recently telling the music industry to ditch DRM in music. If Apple is so open to embracing DRM-free music, why don't they do the same with their DRM'ed software too?

[Zen-Chan]

This thread won't end well . . .

[Duck Turkin]

This thread won't end well . . .

LOL, I was thinking the same thing when I read it.

[Sledge]

If Apple truly believes that removing DRM from music (and presumably movies) will create a multi-industry boon in sales, why not carry it over to their line of software?

Well because (i)Apple's Mac software isn't supposed to be interoperable between platforms and (ii)removing its DRM would not make it so anyway? Apples and oranges (no pun intended), surely?

[Rod_S]

RDF still strong here, a genuine Aperture serial number is a badge of honour

[RiK]

Yup, 100% legit here too.

[GeeZa]

I've got a mountain of WAREZ on my disks but the idea of copying Apple software is unthinkable. I pay for QuickTime Pro even though I never use it. I see it more as a "Thank You Steve" gesture than anything else.

[Jimaroid]

I see it more as a "Thank You Steve" gesture than anything else.

Get out of my head, you S&M thoughts.

[Snakey]

If Apple truly believes that removing DRM from music (and presumably movies) will create a multi-industry boon in sales, why not carry it over to their line of software?

Well because (i)Apple's Mac software isn't supposed to be interoperable between platforms and (ii)removing its DRM would not make it so anyway? Apples and oranges (no pun intended), surely?

Not really the point, is it?

The music, with DRM, would also be 'interoperable between platforms' if Jobs let it be so.

[Dr Morbeus]

DRM is insidious regardless of platform.

[benedictw]

What I hadn't realised is that Indie bands that don't want DRM applied get no choice in the matter - all iTunes stuff is DRM'd up to the hilt.

[Dr Morbeus]

What I hadn't realised is that Indie bands that don't want DRM applied get no choice in the matter - all iTunes stuff is DRM'd up to the hilt.

Insidious

[tufty]

If Apple truly believes that removing DRM from music (and presumably movies) will create a multi-industry boon in sales, why not carry it over to their line of software?

Well because (i)Apple's Mac software isn't supposed to be interoperable between platforms and (ii)removing its DRM would not make it so anyway? Apples and oranges (no pun intended), surely?

Not really the point, is it?

The music, with DRM, would also be 'interoperable between platforms' if Jobs let it be so.

And DVDs, with DRM, would be legally playable on linux and therefore 'interoperable between platforms' if the DVD consortium would let it be so.

As for the software, I can't believe nobody has pointed out that, apart from the fact it will only run on Apple computers, the OSX software itself has no DRM, licensing or other checks, no calls home, etc. If you have a mac, the OS assumes you have a license, and that's it.

So, in fact, no matter the number of actual physical macs you have, there's nothing to stop you using one piece of install media to install them all.

Perhaps I am just being won over by Steve’s words, but I too can envision a world where I walk into my Apple store, buy Final Cut Studio, and then go home and install it on every machine I own. I can install it on my friend’s Mac. I can bring it to work, and install it on every Mac there.

So, what he's talking about for application software is already current for the base operating system (and has been since System 1.0, AFAICR). You can't do it legitimately, but there's nothing actually stopping you from doing it anyway. But you can't do it for Final Cut Studio.

The need for a serial number / whatever for, to use his example, Final Cut Studio, is proof of purchase (and the purchase is significant, it's $1299). In reality, it's about as solid a "proof" as owning a Mac is for a particular copy of the operating system - it's not hard to find a cracked version. But it stops the majority of casual piracy, which is what they are trying to stop.

I have an awful lot of paid-for software, and I've never come across a situation where needing a serial number gets in the way of using the software, in the few cases where I'd lost the serial number the software producers sent me duplicates with no problem.

So really, what this person is asking for is not "removal of DRM from software" but "make it easy for me to break the licensing agreement for Final Cut Studio". Well, if they want free (for example) video editing software, then they should go and do some work on one of the many open-source non-linear editors.

Simon

[HGFB]

We have a number of Final Cut licenses here at work. Apple gave us one serial number to use for all of them. Compared to some of the nightmare hoops we have to jump through with other software it's like living in heaven.

[Dave]

We have a number of Final Cut licenses here at work. Apple gave us one serial number to use for all of them. Compared to some of the nightmare hoops we have to jump through with other software it's like living in heaven.

A lot of companies sell volume licensed software for businesses that'll let you use one CD and one Key for installing the same software on multiple Machines. Microsoft has offered this for years, along with Adobe. Usually it's the no-name vendors that make it a pain in the ass, but not always.