Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
Quote:
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Originally Posted by DMcCunney
The honest customer doesn't need DRM to remind them there are doors they aren't supposed to go through. They won't go through the doors because they are honest, and are aware they shouldn't
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I'm not at all sure that's true. I think there are very many people out there who haven't got the faintest idea about copyright law and what they are and aren't allowed to do. I was recently speaking to a person I work with, and it came up in conversation that he always buys CDs, copies them only his iPod, and then sells the CD on eBay. He was genuinely shocked when I told him that he was breaking copyright law by doing this. I don't like DRM any more than anyone else does, and always remove it from the books that I buy. But I understand copyright law; I think DRM can be helpful for those who don't. |
I tend to see the impulse to apply DRM as directly related to the perception of the market on the part of the imposer.
One underlying perception will be the "I'm not OK, they're not OK" variety:
"They're all a bunch of dirty so-and-sos, and if I don't apply DRM, they'll rip me off! It's what
I'd do if I were them..."
Another will be the "
I'm OK, they're
not OK" variety:
"They're all a bunch of dirty so-and-sos, and if I don't apply DRM, they'll rip me off!
I wouldn't do that, because
I'm a good guy, but
they're all bad guys!"
You're proposing another flavor: "I'm OK, they
might be OK..."
"I need to apply DRM, because the market is ignorant. They might pirate stuff because they don't know it's a bad thing they aren't supposed to do."
I have a innate negative reaction to the first two above. Mine assumes "I'm OK, and most of them are OK"
"I won't apply DRM because I assume the majority of the market is honest, and won't deliberately rip me off. Sure, there will be pirates, but they'll be there DRM or no. I assume
enough of the market will be honest and pay for what they get that I'll stay in business and make money. I'll reserve my efforts for making sure I'm producing products
worth paying for, at a price my customers think is fair."
The question is how many folks fall into your proposed category, and what the effect on sales and revenues is from preventing them from casually sharing with their friends because they aren't aware they shouldn't.
I may have a more optimistic view of the market than you do.
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Dennis