iTunes loophole found, fixed and then re-opened

Written by James Delahunty @ 23 Mar 2005 1:50 User comments (14)

I am sure most of you have heard by now about a program called PyMusique that allowed users to purchase music from the iTunes music store from any platform (iTunes itself currently supports only Mac and Windows platforms) and without the dreaded DRM (Digital Rights Management) protection. It is important to point out that the program only allows you to purchase songs without DRM; it does not allow you to steal any songs from the iTunes store. However Apple was quick to plug the hole and boast about their victory to the media.

However, Apple weren't as quick as one man. Jon Lech Johansen (or DVD Jon as he is known ever since he got involved with developing DeCSS which made ripping your DVDs possible) now claims he has re-opened the iTunes loophole and now with an updated version of PyMusique users can once again download using other platforms (any computer that runs Python and a few libraries, including the Gtk and crypto modules) and avoid the DRM protection.

The ability to download DRM-free music legally is every fair use activist’s aim. The Recording Industry and some of the big boys in the digital download market including Apple claim that DRM protection is essential to protect the music from mass-piracy. However, this protection leaves users feeling too limited with their music. Apple has also been accused of using iTunes and its DRM protection to force users to buy iPods if they want their music on a portable audio player.

Source:
The Register

<Anti-piracy group says firms may be paying too much for software >Blu-ray step ahead of HD-DVD

14 user comments

123.3.2005 03:14

venomX05

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Quote:
However, Apple weren't as quick as one man. Jon Lech Johansen

Damn straight! Show em how it's done. This story right here, just goes to show you that big business may THINK they have the upper hand, yet, it only takes ONE person to really put the smack down on them. I like this comment, and found it hilarious:

Quote:
However Apple was quick to plug the hole and boast about their victory to the media.

Guess they weren't really too fast, huh? Oh this personal favorite:

Quote:
Apple has also been accused of using iTunes and its DRM protection to force users to buy iPods if they want their music on a portable audio player.

Now GEE WHIZ, you don't say!!!!! LOL!

223.3.2005 07:23

mystic

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Ive seen my students (at the High School Level) take a song from I tunes drop it to the net work transfre it to another machine and then use windows media player to open and burn it one of the other tricks is to play it through real player and add it to their library and then burn a cd...... so if the kids have figured it out it cant be that hard to do... apple is still without secure messures....

323.3.2005 08:15

Dela

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@venomX05 - Why did you show that quote as second - "However Apple was quick to plug the hole and boast about their victory to the media" - when it actually came BEFORE your first quote - "However, Apple weren't as quick as one man. Jon Lech Johansen" - the whole point if you look back over the story is that I was poking fun at Apple for their earlier comments. Oh and as for "Now GEE WHIZ, you don't say!!!!!" - I'm not quite sure if you were just being funny or being sarcastic, but let me explain why I wrote that comment... - http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/5932.cfm - in most news stories you read, the last lines of the story often mention other bad situations for the company/product and in this case this is the best of the massive amount of legal troubls that have hit Apple recently that I could pick because using DVD Jon's software u could purchase DRM-free music and play it on many more portable players instead of the just the iPod - maybe the main reason why it bothers Apple so much? If your comments were just being funny, then fine, sorry for explaining myself!

423.3.2005 08:24

futureod

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Ok...the easiest way to deal with these issues is (and avoid being forced to buy an iPod; which IMHO are one of the best portable music devices around) to burn the AAC to a disc, and just before ejecting the disc, re-import the items in .mp3 format and allow it to overwrite the AAC file upon importing. You now have a DRM-Free file. I know the whole point would be to get one [DRM-Free file]in the first place, but that wont happen. Lets get off the problem and work on the fix :-) Peace, Jimmi-James

523.3.2005 08:30

venomX05

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Whoops! Yeah, I noticed that I went 2 steps forward and mixed up the comments. My bad. As far as being sarcastic, yeah, I definately was...but what I am about to say next is why. I didn't know you actually wrote those articles. It was never about being sarcastic to you. I actually thought that you just got the articles from a really good source. I had no idea that YOU personally wrote them. I guess I didn't really read the part when it was "by Dela." I just figured it was by you but not neccessarily BY YOU, if that makes any sense. Now granted I should have check the link below where the source came from, but figured it was the same thing as you have been writing up on aD. It was nothing against, you...and if it got to you, sorry about that. :) Oh yeah, and the last comment...I just found that funny, I was being sarcastic, but not towards you but towards the fact that it is mentioned that:

Quote:
Apple has also been accused of using iTunes and its DRM protection to force users to buy iPods if they want their music on a portable audio player.

Now that I didn't know till today, to be honest, I never really heard of anything like that until today, with the exceptions of the other stories about Apple that I have read over the last couple of weeks. So, in closure...if I did offend you, sorry about that it definately was nothing against you. You don't have to apologize, it was a simple misunderstanding, I honestly didn't know and wasn't trying to be rude to you or anything.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 23 Mar 2005 @ 8:36

623.3.2005 08:31

Dela

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yep that method works, there's also software to simply record MP3 files from the DRM files - basically like recording songs from the radio - no idea how the quality is when its done though!

723.3.2005 08:33

Dela

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@venomX05, no problem mate, if you ever see any mess ups in nws articles let me know though, i dont mind feedback!

823.3.2005 08:37

venomX05

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Please if anything, there should be more news articles...can't mention how many times I check back to see what new stories are out to....ahem....comment on. There are definately informative, and I hope you keep up the great work!

923.3.2005 08:38

swarmpack

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you dont need to buy a ipod to get your songs that you buy from itunes to a mp3 player or whatever you download windows media player 10 and take your burnt disc from itunes and burn it to your libiary then onto your mp3 player.

1023.3.2005 08:43

Dela

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@swarmpack - yep that method works, but I would suggest trying some other software for ripping the audio, something that uses the LAME MP3 encode would produce quite nice quality! @venomX05 - ye sorry abou he lack of new news for the past sweek been busy with "real-life stuff" but usually I aim to get all the bes news of the day on the site.

1123.3.2005 08:53

restrec

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Sorry guys, I might not be in the right forum but I couldn't find an appropriate one from the forum list for the following situation: My son was given a list of websites were he can supposedly download free music with no harm risk for his computer. They are: www.tightbitz.com www.soundclick.com and bearsharelite.com Two questions:1) are they safe or not ? 2)Please give me just 2 addresses of sites where I can download music for him, which are affordable and safe to submit my Credit card. Thank-you for your help.

1223.3.2005 09:15

venomX05

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Whoa restrec, Tall order you gotta fill! Anywho, I think this might help you out... http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/144925 This is the Filesharing Forum, if I wear you I would start here, cause there is some research you got to do, because everyone has a different opinion. As far as the websites go...for free...I am not sure about that one, but if you want, try mp3lizard.com

Quote:
1) are they safe or not ?

With P2P's it all depends on what you go with. Because everyone says something different and has personal preference. But these are just my personal opinions.

Quote:
2)Please give me just 2 addresses of sites where I can download music for him, which are affordable and safe to submit my Credit card.

Yeah, I would like to know this myself, just for future reference. Hope this helps you with what you are looking for.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 23 Mar 2005 @ 9:19

1323.3.2005 14:29

jacsac

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For everyone out there supporting Apple because they thought they were looking out for your interests think again. It really chaps my ass that they would specifically manipulate music to monopolize their market dominance. I hate Apple more than Microshaft because they are wolves in sheeps' clothing. @dela- You do a helluva job bringing pertinent information to the community. Keep it up!

1423.3.2005 14:49

venomX05

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Quote:
It really chaps my ass that they would specifically manipulate music to monopolize their market dominance.

Now you know, I didn't EVEN think about this, till I read the article about the domain name in the UK. I am SHOCKED and appauled! LOL!

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