mraymer's Journal: DRM, DMCA, and patents, OH MY!

That's right, in my very first Slashdot journal entry, I'll tackle some big topics. Before I begin, this is US centric... I live in La Crosse, WI, and I have been to a whole two other states (so I stay home a lot, heh). I have not been to any other countries, so I cannot speak for them. OK, you've been warned... so no insensitive clod remarks! ;)

Let me start out by saying I fully understand that people should be paid for the work that they do; those that give should receive. The business model needs to be reworked, not the technology! Anyway, this isn't about payment, it is about the use of foolish laws to destroy technology and freedom.

In a time when freedom should really define who we are as a nation, greedy corporations are trying to squeeze money out of us by restricting the freedom we have on our own technology. I do not see how this is any less anti-American than [insert random terrorist group here], nor do I see what these companies hope to gain, besides a very small, very short-term increase in profit.

DRM is basically the technology needed to enforce the DMCA. DRM shouldn't exist because the DMCA shouldn't exist, we all know that. But DRM is worse, because it cripples the technology we have for the sole purpose of generating money. Greed can be good; it drives us to accomplish things we otherwise wouldn't, but DRM is an excellent example of greed gone bad. How does a society that purposely disables its technology so that its members have to pay more for data than they should sound? To me, very foolish.

Instead of crippling software, companies should create new workable business models. Instead of suing people over silly patents, the government should rework the patent system in order to stop it from being used as a tool for companies to generate income that they don't deserve. Instead of threatening to put people in jail for swapping files, companies should provide their own access to high quality audio/video files for a very low fee.

If that fee is low enough, people will pay. They will pay for the quality, for the reliability, and out of the goodness of their hearts. At least I know I'd pay for a high quality encoding of certain movies. It would beat DVD for me because I don't have to wait for a physical item to get here, nor do I have to go pick one up.

OK, rant over. If anyone who reads this wants to flame... go ahead! :) But I think most Slashdotters would agree with me on this stuff, which is why I posted it here! ;)