This post started life as a rant towards Samsung for breaking my blu-ray player with a firmware update in Jan-2012. But this one event has made me realise how damaging the war against piracy is on the innocent legitimate and paying consumers. I will interject my tale with other examples.
Blu-ray distributors continually change the encryption algorithm they use for their new discs to stay one step ahead of pirates but this means that all blu-ray players relie on the mother company to issue it firmware updates. Often the discs are distributed quicker than the firmware and so your excitement is diminished when your disc doesn't play. But some times the firmware can break the device: like it did for me.
In the news this week,
Diablo III's release was damaged by server issues. These server issues affected everyone and not just the online multi-players. EVERYONE! Blizzard only allows consumers to play the game unless it keeps a constant connection with Blizzards software. Developer hopes that this will make piracy difficult but at the cost of the honest consumer. No off-line play, your at the whim of their servers, and there is no trust. I think if you are a paying customer you should be treated with respect.
Back to my blu-ray player: It was out of warranty but I am still in need of the firmware for the reason stated earlier. But Samsung have still not admitted blame and have offered me next to nothing in compensation. As a consumer I do not want to be blamed for issues that come about by a companies lack of trust.
DRM has always been a pain for paying consumers. eBooks, mp3s and videos all have had DRM attached to it by companies like Amazon, Apple, BBC, Channel 4 etc etc. Restricting who can play a media is beneficial again to the distributor but at the cost of the consumers flexibility: Only certain devices (ipods), restricted number of devices, no sharing nor freedom. I do not care about company profits especially if that company treats its consumers with distrust.
Again back to Samsung: all I want is a working blu-ray player that works with all blu-ray titles.
- So anti-piracy controls MUST be invisible.
- The paying consumer MUST be trusted.
- Flexibility to use the media however and whatever way they wish.
- If DRM does restrict enjoyment then distributor MUST accept blame.
Hopefully, Samsung will now see the error of their ways....
In parting I want to propose an idea: If you have purchased a book in paper format why the hell could you not trade it in for an electronic version?
2 comments:
Then don't buy Diablo III, don't buy Samsong blue-ray players. You vote with your wallet as a consumer. Since you are a "legitimate" consumer and probably believe in Capitalism then make your voice heard by buying a competitors product.
Don't blame piracy on companies trying to figure out how to make their products. Your arguments against piracy makes no sense with no facts to any of the claims you make.
Keep reading.
I didn't mean to sound like I was just blaming the "companies" but I did want to give my opinion on how piracy prevention is causing issues to legitimate consumers.
Thank you for your comments thou. I appreciate all feedback. I will be taking your advice and voting with my wallet.
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