Embedding DRM software into files can be a very effective way at controlling the distribution and unauthorized usage of material. DRM works by assigning ownership, which is authenticated by the host equipment. It’s become very popular in usage over the last few years, although DRM is generally ill-received by the end users.
This unpopularity of DRM software results from a very generalized mentality that why should something cost more and work less? It is this paradox that makes DRM software so controversial. According to a recent press release by Sony music, trying to circumvent DRM software measures is equivocal to stealing.
While Sony may believe their DRM music and software should require all end users to buy multiple copies, for every audio device they own, most users disagree. The vast majority of end users believe (and are growing some level of regard finally) that if they buy a piece of music, whether or not it has DRM software or not, they should be able to play the same file on their CD player, their ipod, their computer, or whatever else they choose.
Unfortunately, this is generally not the way that modern DRM software works. Another nearshoring software company company that is big on the dissemination of software DRM culture into the wild is Microsoft. With recent advents of BluRay and HD discs, Microsoft has been very active in pushing DRM in their software. Some even believe that this overly acceptive stance is contributory to Vista ’s poor success in the retail market.
In general, the DRM restrictions on Vista are so robust and comprehensive that these newer video disc formats will not even play on x86 32 bit architecture. This is because there are unsigned drivers in existence that could be used to circumvent DRM technologies. As a result, only Vista 64 bit supports playback of DRM video disc software content.
Despite all the controversy over DRM software, it remains a potentially valuable tool if properly used. There are three major areas that DRM software could be improved on, one is accessibility. New advances in the video disc DRM software have made playback impossible on several devices, or take several minutes to load on a variety of devices from the PS3 to Samsung video players.
This requires legitimate users who purchased not only legitimate hardware but also a brand new retail copy of a DRM content disc to wait on firmware updates. By improving DRM software accessibility, developers could reduce the alienation of contributory users who buy and use their products.
A second area DRM software technologies could be improved on is pricing. Especially when you consider DRM software products definitively cost more than unladed and pirated versions. Why pay more for a telephone quality audio track that will only play on a computer every Monday that happens to be a full moon when a quick peek on a torrent site or P2P file transfer client allows a user to buy a DRM disabled full-version software product?
A third area of DRM software improvements is portability. Changes to iPods to disable non iTunes software management have forced tens of thousands of Linux and alternative operating systems users to to result to black-hat techniques for circumventing the DRM software just to allow the same files – files that played on older equipment which no longer work on newer iPods.
If these changes occurred to DRM software technologies were to happen then DRM, which currently is a fairly robust system when it comes to securing digital content, would be a very strong choice for a wide assortment of software developers. Without changes to DRM software technologies, however, the future currently looks bleak as more and more end users pursue alternative means to enjoy content without excessive restrictions.