James Delahunty
17 Sep 2004 16:21
Microsoft and a group of recording labels are in discussion about how the next generation of the Windows Operating System, codenamed Longhorn, will support Copy Protected CDs. Labels, led mainly by EMI are creating a "wish list" of features they would like to see in the next Operating Systems and Microsoft have set their own guidelines for the labels, but have not made any major promises yet. Neither side would like to implement features and rules that would provoke a consumer backlash.
If you look closely at modern copy protection technologies, you will quickly notice the problems. For example, some CDs have purposely damaged sectors that can prevent ripping tracks and also cause CD copying to fail. Some technologies prevent the CD from being read in CD and DVD drives altogether, but this type of protection has met the most opposition from consumers. The latest protections include CDs that come with software that automatically runs, preventing users from copying the CD. Since this technology doesn't really interact with the Operating System itself, it can easily be bypassed. Some have been bypassed as easy as holding down the shift key after inserting the CD.
An ideal system for the labels would be a technology that would recognize the CD and read the rules and instructions from it. Such rules may include the amount of times a CD can be copied, or perhaps even more complicated, the amount of tracks that can be copied and to what medium. Would such a copy protection technology manage to escape consumers who are believers in fair use? Also, the labels would prefer if the system wasn't completely relying on Microsoft technology. Windows is not the labels only targeted Operating System, discussions between Apple and Labels already took place. The Labels are hoping that a system could be as user friendly as Apple's iTunes music store.
Microsoft is to meet representatives from the Recording Industry Association of America on September 20th to discuss the requests on the wish list.
Source:
News.com