Digital Rights Management

[benslayton]

Does anyone know how I can use encrpt songs like itunes does.(DRM-Digital Rights Management)?

[Twey]

You don't want to.

DRM is similar to "no-right-click" scripts on websites. It's just not possible to do effectively, and can always be bypassed. More importantly, it's not ethical to do effectively. Who are you to tell people how they may and may not use their computers?

[benslayton]

For one my Client is the one to tell people that they may not use His songs for mass production. So I believe I have that right to considering hes my client and friend.:mad:

[Twey]

(sigh) It's been debated to death. The bottom line, beyond the ethical implications of dictating to users what they can and can't do with their software, is that it's not securely possible anyway.

You might want to read this (http://defectivebydesign.org/about), this (http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/opposing-drm.html), and this (http://www.freecreations.org/Against_DRM2.html).

Even the artists (http://blogs.zdnet.com/Spyware/index.php?p=726) don't want DRM.

[benslayton]

look man i dont really care. The DRM will help. No everbody knows how to get around it.

[Twey]

If you'd read the links, you'd have noted the most common technical factor against the adoption of DRM: everybody doesn't have to know how to get around it. It only takes one, then open copies will fly around all over the place.

[benslayton]

look bro, this guy isnt big yet. He will be tonight. He is staring on NBC's Star Tomorrow. But Can u just tell me what I need. Any help counts.

[Twey]

In order for people to use DRM'ed media, you must write a player that can play that media, or at least a codec for an existing player. Sorry, but that's probably not going to happen in a day, even if you had a team of coders sitting ready for your order :)

[benslayton]

So Itunes in example is apples player. Right.

[djr33]

go and buy something that will encode like itunes does.
then use that.
look for various formats.

Really, it's possible to get around all things like that, even if just manually running a cable from audio output to input. Been there, done that. (for something totally unrelated, though.)

YOU, personally, will not, cannot, and should not try to do something like itunes. Apple has a staff of hundreds of experts working on that. There's no chance anyone by themselves could do better or as well.


Really, if you NEED it, then go buy something that will let you do it. It'll be expensive, but if you NEED it, it's worth it.

[Twey]

But Can u just tell me what I need.What you need is to stop trying. I'm sure you've probably witnessed one of the many discussions over no-right-click scripts and the like that occur on these forums from time to time. All the same arguments apply, plus the "it-only-takes-one" problem. It's just not possible.

[djr33]

Just for the record, I know how to get around itunes encoding. It's not hard.
As such, that proves that even if you do a job that is that good, it won't be good... basically.

There are ways to make it a bit confusing, like adding no right click, but they're usually just annoying.

However, if he is the one controlling what's on the page, maybe go with something like that, just to make it feel more secure to him. BUT... tell him it isn't secure. Hehe.

[benslayton]

i'm sure it would make him feel better. But there is always a possibility of it working right. Even though there are the people that do know.

[edit]I understand what ya'll are trying to say. Example even if I didnt know how to get around it. You can still record it with a program like MCI Recorder.

[Twey]

Exactly. I mean, even if you had no knowledge of computers at all, you could just stick a microphone next to the speakers.

[benslayton]

But then there is quality.


Anyways is there anything to do in my clients case?

[Twey]

Well, yes, but you'd still have a working, listenable copy.

Honestly, just copyrighting it will be more effective.

[benslayton]

ok it is copyrighted. But that still doesnt stop tons of copyed cds from getting out.

[Twey]

Of course it doesn't. But neither does DRM.

[benslayton]

So i guess that there is no solution.

[Twey]

No effective solution, no.