DRM Free iTunes !!!

[bouche]

Apple has launched DRM free music

For anyone that doesn't realize what that means, I'm listening to a copy of a high quality (256 Kbit) version of McCartney (by paul mccartney) as part of EMI's deal. I'm listening to That Would Be Something in Windows Media Player even though I bought it on my iMac using iTunes!

That is seriously good shit and means anyone who has any player out there can play any music that is available under the deal. EMI is the start, but there will be other labels that will see the light.

As far as I can tell, all of Mccartney's catalog is available, as well as the Stones (among others!).

This is starting out on a good foot. THe quality is great and the selection is nothing to sniff about.

There's no reason to hold back from iTunes Music Store now. woo fricken hoo!

[paisley]

Steve Wozniak has been fighting for DRM-free iTunes for the past year, good to see it coming about

[bouche]

I'm impressed with fucking Paul McCartney right at the ground floor! WICKED! Get McCartney's first album as a test.

[hamilton]

Regarding iTunes Plus,

This is fucked up.

The way I understood it, you had the option of paying 99 cents for the usual version, or $1.29 for the hi-res one.

Seems simple enough. They exist side by side. You just choose which one you want. But NO!

So I upgrade my iTunes software, and then search for one of my favorite McCartney tracks, "Letting Go" from "Venus & Mars". I've got some credit, I'll buy it to see how good it sounds.

But when searching I could only find a handful of McCartney albums, lame ones like "Press To Play". As a matter of fact, I only saw FIVE McCartney albums when I said to show me all that was available, 41 songs in all.

But when I went to the iTunes Store homepage, and clicked on iTunes Plus, I saw "Band On The Run". But when I clicked on that...I got a message. "Do You Want to Set Your iTunes Plus Preference?"

"By selecting iTunes Plus below, you will always see the iTunes Plus version of an album or music video whenever one is available. You can change this preference by going to your iTunes Store Account page at any time."

Why would I want to do that? I want to see BOTH versions.

But when I clicked "Cancel", I found out I couldn't look at ANY hi-res versions!

So I clicked okay, and then I found out I could no longer see the 99 cent versions!

So I went to change the preference. In Preferences, under the iTunes Menu in the iTunes software. But there was no option in "Store" to go back!

I was flummoxed. Had I lost 99 cent tracks FOREVER!

Then, furiously checking every menu in the iTunes program, under Store, I found "View My Account". So I clicked on that.

Well, first I had to remember my password...

Then, once inside the system, at the top of my account screen, there was an option to "Manage iTunes Plus". The fucking boilerplate gives one the impression that you will be able to see the hi-res/iTunes Plus version whenever one is available. It DOESN'T tell you that if you click this box you will never see the standard priced one AGAIN!

At least I remembered to go to my account page. Since you only see the iTunes Plus option once, you've got to REMEMBER that you clicked this option. Otherwise, you will believe music is now $1.29.

This is fucking nuts. This is bait and switch. This needs to end IMMEDIATELY!

When I go to buy a car, they don't say if I want to LOOK at the one loaded up with options I can no longer look at the base model. Unless I remember that there are multiple levels and I go into the manager's office and sign a waiver. And then I can't look at the EXPENSIVE version unless I go back into the office!

And since you can only see one or the other, how many people are gonna no longer know that a cheap version is available?

Utter fucking bullshit.

Whom do I blame? Eric Nicoli or Steve Jobs?

Give us the option, cheap or expensive. That's the American way, comparison shopping.

But not in music. The going out of business labels are CONTINUING to fuck their customers.

P.S. If you click to accept iTunes Plus, THEN you can see "Venus & Mars". I clicked on "Letting Go", I'm still waiting for it to download... Oops, I got an error code. Has the track been lost forever? Have I lost my money? Doesn't seem like iTunes Plus is ready for prime time.

[hamilton]

He also had this to say, a few hours later:

And they wonder why we hate them.

In case you've been out of the Net loop, when you buy an UNRESTRICTED track at the iTunes Store, it comes with your NAME and E-MAIL address EMBEDDED!

Why is it these fucks think we won't catch on, that we're ignorant and won't spread the word how fucked up they are. Don't they understand this is how they got in trouble in the FIRST PLACE? The INTERNET!

Just like Lindsay Lohan can't cover up the fact that she crashed her car high on coke, Apple and EMI can't cover up the fact that they're fucking with us. This is WORSE than restricted/DRM/copy-protected music!

They're trying to SCARE US back into the last century. Trying to trip us up, trying to keep us playing on their terms. EMI hasn't given up on copy protection, they've just instituted a NEW ONE! Wherein they can trace your track if you choose to do anything untoward with it. Yup, if it's your track that's being traded P2P, you're FUCKED! You'd better not open your music folder to P2P trading, your NAME might get out!

How fucked up is THIS? Why don't you put a camera in my bedroom while you're at it. Why don't you require a list of every girl I ever fucked before I get into the gig. What's next, SAT SCORES?

I thought the music was supposed to be your friend. But now it's just part of the endless scamster scene populated by spammers and thieves looking to gain information, to strip us of our identities or beat us into submission. Yup, this is exactly what John Lennon had in mind when he made his music, a private FBI, that could fuck with you just like the U.S. government fucked with him, tried to get him deported. Lennon fought for years. There was an emotional cost. As for the FINANCIAL COST? He could afford it. Can YOU? If you're sued by the RIAA can you even mount a DEFENSE?

In the future, the music will float freely, or be so abundant and cheap that you won't need to trade/transfer/steal. But YOU'RE gonna have to sacrifice your rights now, along the way.

Where do they come up with this shit? How could they think they could get away with it? Are they really this afraid, this desperate, willing to do ANYTHING to protect their old business model?

As for 256kbps files... I've got thousand dollar speakers (http://www.auxout.com/Shop/) and I can barely hear the difference between the version of McCartney's "Letting Go" I downloaded from iTunes and the 160kbps MP3 rip I made from the original CD. On cheaper speakers, on earbuds? NO DISTINGUISHABLE DIFFERENCE!

In other words, EMI just wanted to find a way to charge thirty cents more while RETAINING the copy protection. FUCKERS!

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070530-apple-hides-account-info-in-drm-free-music-too.html

http://www.tuaw.com/2007/05/30/tuaw-tip-dont-torrent-that-song/

The embedding is rather disturbing, innit?

[larry_llama]

Wow this guy is angry. The real problem is that it's easier to download just about anything than it is to get it legitimately. They need to fix that first. Hell, it takes me longer to go to the movie store, rent a dvd, watch the FBI warning, and navigate to the actual movie on the DVD than it does to torrent a divx version.

[bouche]

I had no problems using iTunes for this. Looks like this guy is a little retarded on a computer.

I must say though, I didn't know about the embedded name/email. You can edit those tags though and remove your name...I would assume.

[Esau.]

High quality 256 Kb? Why not offer 320Kb?

Personally, I'd much rather purchase lossless and convert to higher quality myself. Although, I don't use itunes (and have no desire to) I am glad to see that they are goin DRM free, but I just can't see them scrapping DRM and leaving the end user full rein to edit the tags and share freely.

Just seems a bit to good to be true type thing, ya know? From not allowing you to copy, burn, share or edit to a free for all once the user paid for track? I just get the feeling editing the embbeded crap won't be that easy.

[AdamH]

I haven't figured out why I should buy tracks on iTunes instead of downloading the same thing for free. It's not that I don't want to but what about buying it is better than not paying for it? Don't say legality, that is a hzay construct with not much importance to me personally.

[Alexis]

don't they see that making it more difficult for some to be legit and buy something only makes them want to take the easy and FREE road even more

[bouche]

I mainly use iTunes for purchasing single tracks that I can't find anywhere. Usually it's for learning a tune on guitar. iTunes is really easy to find shit on.

I also purchased a Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey album when it came out because I think it was either an iTunes only release, or that I wouldn't be seeing them anytime soon to buy off of their merch table.

I think it's great to be able to buy from the littler guys on iTunes. The Slip should put their whole back catalog on there.

[secondtube]

but your paying for mp3's?

wouldn't it make sense to pay for LOSSLESS music?

[Alexis]

you've got a great point secondtube....

last night i was listening to some music, and for the first time in a long while i was listening to some older cd's that i knew had been either flac's or shn's....i couldn't believe how much better the music sounded. i've been using my ipod as a primary music source for awhile...and i always had this complaint that things were too quiet. didn't sound as crystal as i seemed to remember things sounding. was listening to phish, 12 31 93, the last disc of the show, and it just blew me away. the clarity, the volume, not sure if it was a matrix or an audience source, but there was a loud crowd and it sounded GREAT.

i've gotten off the lossless wagon lately, and i think i'm going to hop back on!

[bouche]

but your paying for mp3's?

wouldn't it make sense to pay for LOSSLESS music?

It would if they were available.

I'm not an audio snob. Mp3's at 128 sound great to me and anyone who hears them. I've not ever heard one complaint from ANYONE that said "my this sound quality sounds lossy". 256, there is a noticeable difference in good headphones. Although, I can still listen to 128.

I swear, you audio nerds are a very rare breed

[secondtube]

they are available.

they are in the form of a CD.

[bouche]

they are available.

they are in the form of a CD.

Since when have you been able to download a cd off of the internet?

[larry_llama]

I'm enjoying these lefsetz letters. thanks for posting them!

And full FLAC albums are out there in abundance if you are willing to look...

[bouche]

don't worry, I know how to get any album via FLAC. I'm pointing this out as a major turning point in legal online music distribution and sales.

this is just the start.