The Digital Rights Management (DRM) plague

Many people have asked me why I sold my Mp3 player. And it is difficult to explain why, since it was definitely a great piece of engineering. It was small, light with a high capacity and really good looking. So, since it had all of the above, why did I change it?

Because I was sick and tired of large corporations dictating me on how I use and listen to my music. The plague called DRM is a menace and has to be stopped. Sony, Apple and Microsoft have no right to tell me how I can use something that I've paid for. When I buy a CD, I pay at least £10, or 15E or $20. And I pay ALOT of money for the service provided. Still, I want to buy the CD instead of stealing it since it's only fair and people live through my and others' purchase of this product.

BUT, when a multi-billion industry comes and treats me automatically as a thief then I get pissed off. Imposing restrictions on me will only move me to the other side of the spectrum where I won't care if a steal a CD or not. I mean, who hasn't written a cassette to a friend? Isn't this helping the spreading of the music's popularity? Why should Sony make my life difficult when I just want to listen to the things I bought? I don't see the point any more, especially from one of the most ruthless cartel in the world.

All of you, please; stop buying the iPod, stop buying Sonys, stop buying music from iTunes. Buy something that is not infested. And think about it. What will happen when the iPod is not the trendiest player out there as the signs already show? What will you do with all the music that you've bought from iTunes? Well, you'll just be another victim of customer lock-in.

Buy something like this that sounds great and gives you the freedom you need. No iTunes, no SonicStage. Just drag'n drop.

By the way, the Sony sold for a good 160 quid :P