Comments on: Google Video Goes Kaput

These downloads, if they can’t be burned or transferred without DRM to other media or other computers, sound like rentals of indeterminate length, at best. Or maybe the vendors should just say that you are paying to “borrow” the content. You do not own it, and may be forced to relinquish your access to it at any time. You borrowed it.

By: eric

eric — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 19:31:10 +0000

By: Vic

Vic — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 05:42:55 +0000

The big question is, should a purchase be labeled a purchase but not really be a purchase so long as some legalese defines some other meaning for such purchase.

Is a seller obligated to the conventional definition for words such as 'buy' and 'purchase'. What might be a better word for the non-rental acquisition of audio/video media that hinges on the undefined temporariness of the seller?

By: Vic

Vic — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 04:42:55 +0000

The big question is, should a purchase be labeled a purchase but not really be a purchase so long as some legalese defines some other meaning for such purchase.

Is a seller obligated to the conventional definition for words such as 'buy' and 'purchase'. What might be a better word for the non-rental acquisition of audio/video media that hinges on the undefined temporariness of the seller?

By: eee_eff

eee_eff — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 01:07:31 +0000

Well, google has done everyone a service then, by demonstrating how bad DRM is.

I suspect google lost much business because the files were DRM'd, too.

By: enigma_foundry

enigma_foundry — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:07:31 +0000

Well, google has done everyone a service then, by demonstrating how bad DRM is.

I suspect google lost much business because the files were DRM'd, too.

By: Steve R.

Steve R. — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:35:37 +0000

I've been ragging on this issue for the past two years. I hope, in a perverse way, that this issue will reach "critical mass" so that will become ripe for public discussion. Another early indicator of this looming issue was the release by Microsoft of its Zune Player as reviewed by TLF.

What is particularly disingenuous is Google's choice of words. I suspect that they must be competing with Microsoft for an Orwell Newspeak award. Google is basically claiming that to "enhance" their service they need to screw some of their customers. If I were a customer this would be a type of enhancement that I could live without.

From a technology policy perspective, the "bigger" issue that needs to be quashed is the apparent belief by corporations that they still retain unilateral unencumbered ownership and control of the media even after it is sold through legal machinations such as "licensing". (I acknowledge that corporations still retain copyright privileges on the content.)

As a side issue, since it is not DRM related. Software companies should issue final copies of programs when a product is discontinued. Like DRM, once a company pulls product support off the internet, updates will no longer be available. Which means that it would be difficult to reload a program as a consequence of a catastrophic computer crash.

By: Steve R.

Steve R. — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:35:37 +0000

What is particularly disingenuous is Google's choice of words. I suspect that they must be competing with Microsoft for an Orwell Newspeak award. Google is basically claiming that to "enhance" their service they need to screw some of their customers. If I were a customer this would be a type of enhancement that I could live without.

From a technology policy perspective, the "bigger" issue that needs to be quashed is the apparent belief by corporations that they still retain unilateral unencumbered ownership and control of the media even after it is sold through legal machinations such as "licensing". (I acknowledge that corporations still retain copyright privileges on the content.)

As a side issue, since it is not DRM related. Software companies should issue final copies of programs when a product is discontinued. Like DRM, once a company pulls product support off the internet, updates will no longer be available. Which means that it would be difficult to reload a program as a consequence of a catastrophic computer crash.