MPAA: Win-only, DRMmed downloads at twice DVD price
The [em]LA Times[/em] reports on a plan by the Motion Picture Association of America and member studios to offer DRMmed, Windows-only downloads for feature films -- for as much as twice the price of DVDs. Yeah, that's the ticket! Consumers will snarf the overpriced, PC-only downloads like cake, the convoluted thinking goes, for "convenience factor." What's so convenient about being charged twice the current retail price for movies you're less free to enjoy as you please on the devices you own? [a href="http://feeds.latimes.com/latimes/business?m=1343"]Link[/a] to story, and see also [a href="http://mpaa.org/press_releases/2006_03_29_jf.pdf"]this MPAA press release[/a] issued late last week about why more restrictive DRM is good for you. [/p] In related news, [a href="http://www.torrentspy.com/"]Torrentspy[/a]'s response to an MPAA lawsuit argues that if linking to copyrighted content is unlawful, the studios should go sue Google for infringement, too: [/p][blockquote]Attorneys for Torrentspy likened the service to that of Google when it comes to finding BitTorrent files. Their response cited several cases, including the Supreme Court's infamous decision in MGM v Grokster. The defense noted how users of either Google or Torrentspy who look for torrent files must also access a "torrent tracker," which manages the distribution of files. "There is no allegation that defendants' website manages file distribution like a tracker," the response said. [/p][/blockquote][a href="http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/topnews/wpn-60-20060328TorrentspyToMPAAGoSueGoogle.html"]Link[/a] to WebProNews item
TehBorken wrote:
Windows-only downloads for feature films -- for as much as twice the price of DVDs. Yeah, that's the ticket!
Boy oh boy, that sure makes a lot of sense to me. I'd rather do that that just go rent it for a couple of bucks and download it to my iPod. And I especially wouldn't go looking for the bit torrent file either. Nope.
What a bunch of numbskulls.
I mean, I would actually pay for a good download of a movie, but I'm talking only a couple of bucks. Stuff on iTunes works pretty well for me except that it could be cheaper and have more selection.
These companies really need to catch up to what's really going on and start over from there. The old business models are getting to be anachronisms and need to go.