Fergie's Tech Blog

The DRM Grinch Who Stole Christmas

Once again, thanks to Om Malik for pointing out this article.

David Berlind writes in the ZDNet "Between the Lines" Blog:

Are you hoping that Santa will put a portable audio player in your stocking this year? Or, are you thinking about stuffing someone else's stocking with one. Then all I have to say to you is buyer beware. As these devices become more mainstream — meaning that people who know nothing about them or technology will be buying them — it's doubtful that the sellers of these products are going to be of much assistance in helping you to understand that all portable audio players are created so unalike that they can't even play the same music. That reality hit me today with the same thud that a 400 page tree killing catalog from the New York-based B&H Photo-Video-Pro Audio outlet made when the mailman dropped it in front of my door today.

The cover of the catalog is graced with pictures several portable audio products including Apple's new video iPod. At first, being the gadgethead that I am, I excitedly popped open the new catalog — here not coincidentally just in time for holiday buying — to walk B&H's paper aisles. Getting one of these catalogs is sort of like the testosterone rush that a lot of guys get as they pass through the automatic doors at Home Depot.

But, being the anti-digital restrictions management activist that I am, my splendor turned to curiousity when I noticed how much of the catalog was dedicated to portable audio players. In big bold text against a purple background on pages 18-67 are the words "Portable Audio Players." After thinking about that for minute, I turned to some other sections to see what they were called. One section is called "DVD Players and Recorders." Another section is called "CD and Cassette Players." Still, a third (only two pages in length) is called "S-VHS VCRs." I can understand why the catalog doesn't have one big massive section called "Physical Media Players and Recorders."

posted by Fergie @ 11/16/2005 09:20:00 AM