4 ms·

you never really own them Controversial take, but does "buying" explicitly mean owning? You never really "own" a movie you buy on blu-ray either—you own the at

you never really own them Controversial take, but does "buying" explicitly mean owning? You never really "own" a movie you buy on blu-ray either—you own the atoms, but not the content which is merely licensed to you as it is with a legal download. The difference between downloads and physical media is actually less characterised by ownership and more by perpetuity of access. The key benefit of blu-ray is that perpetual, legal access is limited only by your preparedness to maintain functioning equipment. A legally downloaded, encrypted movie file also relies on your preparedness to maintain functioning equipment—but that equipment can also betray you.

Mordisquitos 6y ago
But maintaining functioning equipment is within your power if you have sufficient technical ability—maintaining a functional streaming site is not, regardless of your ability.
- simondotau 6y ago
  If you purchase a movie from Apple, you can download it to your computer and play it offline so long as your copy of iTunes is authorised. I can't find any evidence of Apple placing an expiry date on authorisations.
ClumsyPilot 6y ago
Actually that you gor pointing out that you cannot repair apple eqipment because they actively prevent you from getting access to soare parts, making sure your machine will break, and you will loose your movie. They also refuse to repair old machines or recover user data. On the contrary, you can buy a replacement bluray player.
rtsil 6y ago
The question here isn't ownership, it's possession. > "Apple contends that '[n]o reasonable consumer would believe' that purchased content would remain on the iTunes platform indefinitely," writes [U.S. District Court Judge] Mendez. "But in common usage, the term 'buy' means to acquire possession over something. It seems plausible, at least at the motion to dismiss stage, that reasonable consumers would expect their access couldn’t be revoked." https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/apple-must-face-lawsuit-for-telling-consumers-they-can-buy-movies-tv-shows https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/apple-must-face-la...
hawski 6y ago
In some jurisdictions you can make a copy (how to do this is another matter) for your own use, i.e. for backup in case the original medium got unplayable. So then the disk, the box and maybe the purchase confirmation acts as an unlimited time license. At least that's how I remember it worked in Poland.
Closi 6y ago
Buying a DVD is surprisingly similar: you are buying two things, you are buying a physical copy of something (i.e. a movie which can be played) and a perpetual licence to play it in certain limited circumstances. Even though you 'own' the DVD you still don't get to do what you want with it - you can't do public screenings in the UK for example without further permission. And even though you 'own' the DVD might not even be able to copy the data to your own laptop for personal backup, again depending on jurisdiction.

Mordisquitos 6y ago

But maintaining functioning equipment is within your power if you have sufficient technical ability—maintaining a functional streaming site is not, regardless of your ability.

simondotau 6y ago
If you purchase a movie from Apple, you can download it to your computer and play it offline so long as your copy of iTunes is authorised. I can't find any evidence of Apple placing an expiry date on authorisations.

ClumsyPilot 6y ago

Actually that you gor pointing out that you cannot repair apple eqipment because they actively prevent you from getting access to soare parts, making sure your machine will break, and you will loose your movie. They also refuse to repair old machines or recover user data. On the contrary, you can buy a replacement bluray player.

rtsil 6y ago

The question here isn't ownership, it's possession. > "Apple contends that '[n]o reasonable consumer would believe' that purchased content would remain on the iTunes platform indefinitely," writes [U.S. District Court Judge] Mendez. "But in common usage, the term 'buy' means to acquire possession over something. It seems plausible, at least at the motion to dismiss stage, that reasonable consumers would expect their access couldn’t be revoked." https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/apple-must-face-lawsuit-for-telling-consumers-they-can-buy-movies-tv-shows https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/apple-must-face-la...

hawski 6y ago

In some jurisdictions you can make a copy (how to do this is another matter) for your own use, i.e. for backup in case the original medium got unplayable. So then the disk, the box and maybe the purchase confirmation acts as an unlimited time license. At least that's how I remember it worked in Poland.

Closi 6y ago

Buying a DVD is surprisingly similar: you are buying two things, you are buying a physical copy of something (i.e. a movie which can be played) and a perpetual licence to play it in certain limited circumstances. Even though you 'own' the DVD you still don't get to do what you want with it - you can't do public screenings in the UK for example without further permission. And even though you 'own' the DVD might not even be able to copy the data to your own laptop for personal backup, again depending on jurisdiction.