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Originally Posted by AlexBell
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More by Lexi...
http://www.lexi-alexander.com/blog/2...lease-stand-up
...who, by the way, is in the business. Frankly, I think she has a point. Big Entertainment has bribed and lobbied for unusual protections for their product for decades. The change in the US laws since WW2 are particularly pronounced. Their co-conspirators -- Government -- exempts itself (libraries and schools) from the regulations and their partners -- Business and Industry -- get sweetheart deals and licenses. This leaves the individual to bear the brunt of the regulation -- regulation so unreasonable and unenforceable that something called Fair Use was created.
Big Entertainment wants to define their product as both a gas and a solid. When consumers want to format shift something they compensated Big Industry for, they are told that is illegal and a new copy must be purchased. When they want to loan the product they purchased to a friend, they are told the item is licensed and you cannot loan it to a friend. If the physical media is damaged or obsolete, the seller of the license has no obligation to make amends or address the problem.
DRM causes great inconvenience for the consumer, little protection for Big Entertainment, and unnecessary expense for both.
A consumer's only recourse is to choose not to purchase the products altogether. I recommend everyone take great pains to minimize their patronage to these Barons of Entertainment. Install an antenna, share books, and buy your movies out of the bargain bin.