I Heart Apple
Let's face it, Steve Jobs is a genius. Sure he's looking to make Apple the leader in the world of technology and to gain more shareholders, but I truly believe he is the digital 'hippie' in the sense that he views filesharing like free love, rejecting the conventional standards of other competing companies.
He also proves to be extremely influential and persuasive. In February of 2007 Jobs stated, "the third alternative is to abolish DRMs entirely" (Thoughts on Music).
But now, just a few months after the controversial memo that had journalist Cory Doctorow reeling, saying, "I doubt Jobs' sincerity. I suspect he likes DRM because it creates an anti-competitive lock-in to Apple. I think he's trying to shift blame for the much-criticized DRM to the music industry, whose executives are twirling their mustaches and declaring DRM to be the only way forward for their industry." (Steve Jobs iTunes Dance), Jobs prophecy has come true, with a deal with EMI "selling songs online that are free of copy-protection technology through Apple Inc.'s iTunes Store" (CNN.com).
The Beatles music is not included in the deal - which may have to do with Jacko and Sony- a force to be reckon with and one that Jobs and EMI probably doesn't want to deal with.
I agree with Jobs when he states, "the problem, of course, is that there are many smart people in the world, some with a lot of time on their hands, who love to discover such secrets and publish a way for everyone to get free (and stolen) music, " (Thoughts on Music). My only modification to that statement is that you don't have to be smart to get around encryption- you just have to know the right people to do it for you. For instance, I just found out that a friend of mine (who will remain nameless for his protection) burned pirated DVD's and then encoded them onto iPod. Did I know this was illegal? I had a hunch. Could I have done it myself? Probably, but I am computer illiterate and it would have taken me a while to figure out how to get the decryptor software to be able to copy the DVDs.
Even with FBI warnings that are blurry and unreadable on our TV screens (YouTube video), and legal warnings that flash up on our computer screens, it won't stop us from getting what we want.
I am with Jobs- I am a digital hippie.
But if I were to come up with an alternative, I'd choose the RIAA's idea of software that would "sabotage the computers and Internet connections of people who download pirated music" (Tom Spring, PC World). Why not blow up someone's computer? That'll teach 'em.
Until then, I love my iBook, my iPod, my iTunes, my iMovie, anything that begins with an 'i'.
-Apple Lifer
Comments
I definately agree with your statements. Some people are going to go to whatever means possible for something that comes as "free". Whether it be illegal endeavor or not. I know my friends download music illegally, and their reasoning is that is saves them $18.00 on a purchase of CD, when they can download hundreds upon hundreds of songs for little or nothing.
But I think you have to keep in mind "integrity". That is the main reason I don't download music illegally. People are working hard to produce this music, so why should people be ripping them off? I know if I worked that hard on something, only to have accessed to people for free, would probably really upset me.
Posted by: Erin | April 15, 2007 12:23 PM
I liked your description of Steve Jobs. I thought it was great that you called him the "digital hippie." I think that he is really smart in understanding where the future for consumers and Apple is heading. He is just trying to make Apple not get left behind in the competition.
Posted by: Natalya Goncharova | April 15, 2007 02:06 PM
I was with you until your very last sentence...
I totally agree, Jobs reads like he wants to eliminate DRM. Does Google really sell anything to the people who use it? No, just advertisement. Since iTunes is so easy to use and has virtually every single song that someone would want to download, I imagine a world of downloading with commercial interruptions, or side bars or something. It's not a perfect world, but TV and radio are the same. If Jobs can turn iTunes into the advertising power of Google and Facebook (giving people something for free with small obstructions) I think he will have the new monopoly in advertising.
Posted by: William | April 15, 2007 08:47 PM