Trouble for Apple's iTunes in Norway
Tech News
By Steve Ragan Jan 29, 2007, 11:37 GMT
Other features coming soon.
Talkback
page: 1
This is not about money at all. Instead, it's a baldfaced freedom-to-manage restriction by promoters of that old 'helpful-government' voodoo. Trouble is, virtually all 'helpful' actions by governments carry a price and the price is usually much higher than any perceived, short-term benefit.
So, in essence,
these countries are suing a company because the product they make and the service they provide are exclusive.
Is this like suing crispy creme for not having a diabetic equivalent to their donuts? Or suing microsoft because Xbox games won't play on PS2s?
The whole thing is like the article stated, it sounds like extortion.
There are other websites to legally download music. The music that is actually on the itunes store is there because of deals with publishing companies and artists. That reflects that there are deals and obligations that are protected by the MP4ACC format. To remove it and then allow the technology to be completely naked in Europe of all places would mean that the music could be basically ripped and immediately distributed illegally to pretty much everybody who wanted it for free. European Napster. I think that Apple should do exactly what the article says, pay the fine for each song downloaded, and maybe even offset the cost of operating by incrementally increasing the price of song downloaded in those countries. Then, let the free market decide what people want. If the people in Norway, Germany, etc, want to download the music for the higher price, they will. If the higher price gets them agitated (which it will) maybe they'll contribute to the process and petition their own governments to stop the nonsense against companies that are providing services to them.
'April fools day is too far off for this to be a prank. Norway really did declare Apple’s popular music store and is product illegal. In what many including major news services are calling the strangest, if not the most ridiculous, move ever against a company.'
OK, two brief points: 1) Exactly what major news services are engaging in that, well, strange and ridiculous exaggeration? Absolutely none that I have seen; and till I've seen one, I'll call that plain dishonest reporting. 2) Norway did hardly 'declare it illegal.' As you state yourself in the subsequent paragraph, what's happening is that an ombudsman is threatening to *take it to court*. Big diff.
Oh, and the hackneyed libertarian mantra that the consumer is free to vote with his wallet is one that can be applied to any business/consumer relation. If it's that simple, one might as well repeal all consumer law and leave everything up to supply and demand.
But it's not.
I'd treat this just like I'd treat all the Windows monopoly BS in the world. If I were Bill Gates, I would have just said, 'Okay, you guys don't like it...No more Windows, then'. I mean, if I had $50 billion in the bank, I'd just flip the bird and say sayonara. Windows XP forever, baby!!!
Steve Jobs should just shut down the ITMS in Norway effective today pending 'further evaluation of the market'. Make an example for any other country that wants to go down this road. The ITMS is no sacred cow. No profits to be made there. People will continue to buy iPods, though. ITMS is not the only place to get music, and the iPod is not LOCKED in this way by any stretch of the imagination.
I also like the idea of 'bundling' any added cost into the price per song number for any of this governmental BS.
Dear oh dear. Is it too much to ask that these people don't comprehend that it is possible to burn a music CD of your iTunes songs - costing €0.50 - and then to do with it as you would do with any other CD?
The crass stupidity of this is quite, quite unbelievable. What a waste of taxpayers hard earned money..
People just don't understand that it is a world domminated by Microsoft. If Apple withdraws its DRM from the market, we are mainly stuck with Microsoft's DRM, which WON'T play on iPods or Linux machines.
I think this it as people want it to be like. One software company that rules us all.
I find it strange that MS was attacked for so called 'non disclosure' most were up in arms, now the boot is on the other foot everyone cries foul !!! Amazing
page: 1
Latest Headlines in Tech
- 1. Solo or parallel: Installing Windows 7 on your computer
- 2. UN approves universal mobile phone charger
- 3. Shifting from XP to Windows 7
- 4. Beta versions help firms work out kinks, but approach with caution
- 5. Apple's new iMacs: 21.5 and 27 inches
Your Talkback on this Story