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I read an argument that Zune was essentially MS showing RIAA et al how bad a product that met all their DRM demands would be. No idea if its true, but I find it

I read an argument that Zune was essentially MS showing RIAA et al how bad a product that met all their DRM demands would be. No idea if its true, but I find it interesting.

sandworm101 5y ago
In that field, the biggest mistake is probably Sony BMG shipping a root kit on music CDs. That certainly showed the world how bad an RIAA-endorsed product could become. It made napster-downloaded MP3s the safer option, accelerating filesharing immensely amongst computer owners. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_BMG_copy_protection_rootkit_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_BMG_copy_protection_rootk...
- version_five 5y ago
  Yes, that whole era was about tech companies trying to balance demands from traditional distributors who had lost their power, and consumers that wanted the freedom they digital media provides. There were many missteps and retrospectively terrible products and business models that were tried before be got to where we are today. I wonder of the same is true re (broadly) government power. Tech companies are now balancing the power governments and other stakeholders would like them to wield with what people will tolerate. Its not really a surprise there are missteps again.
fatnoah 5y ago
I think a big difference between Zune and Apple's CSAM issue is that there were people (literally dozens of us!) who LOVED the Zune.
- Macha 5y ago
  There have been people defending Apple's CSAM policy on hacker news as well. It comes down to how you weigh "small harm on everyone, potentially abusable to serious harm in other countries eventually" vs "major harm to a small number of children". Clearly the majority opinion here (and mine also) is the first of these is worse, but it's not like I can't understand how people who believe the second is worse came to that opinion - I simply disagree with them.
  - Retric 5y ago
    I have defended Apple because they like everyone else in the industry were already doing this server side. Their getting backlash because they are open about what they are doing not because it’s in anyway unusual. The actual negative implications are slightly worse battery life and more network traffic if you use iCloud. The upside is people can inspect the perceptual hash. Also, the phone isn’t reporting anything it doesn’t have the database to compare it to.
jaywalk 5y ago
Software-wise, Zune was lightyears ahead of iPod. If you lost your MP3 collection on your PC, you could plug in your Zune and download the MP3s right off of it. You still can't do that with iPod/iPhone today.
- MereInterest 5y ago
  It's been a while, but I think my Zune was directly exposed as a USB storage device when plugged in.

I read an argument that Zune was essentially MS showing RIAA et al how bad a product that met all their DRM demands would be. No idea if its true, but I find it interesting.

sandworm101 5y ago

In that field, the biggest mistake is probably Sony BMG shipping a root kit on music CDs. That certainly showed the world how bad an RIAA-endorsed product could become. It made napster-downloaded MP3s the safer option, accelerating filesharing immensely amongst computer owners. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_BMG_copy_protection_rootkit_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_BMG_copy_protection_rootk...

version_five 5y ago
Yes, that whole era was about tech companies trying to balance demands from traditional distributors who had lost their power, and consumers that wanted the freedom they digital media provides. There were many missteps and retrospectively terrible products and business models that were tried before be got to where we are today. I wonder of the same is true re (broadly) government power. Tech companies are now balancing the power governments and other stakeholders would like them to wield with what people will tolerate. Its not really a surprise there are missteps again.

fatnoah 5y ago

I think a big difference between Zune and Apple's CSAM issue is that there were people (literally dozens of us!) who LOVED the Zune.

Macha 5y ago
There have been people defending Apple's CSAM policy on hacker news as well. It comes down to how you weigh "small harm on everyone, potentially abusable to serious harm in other countries eventually" vs "major harm to a small number of children". Clearly the majority opinion here (and mine also) is the first of these is worse, but it's not like I can't understand how people who believe the second is worse came to that opinion - I simply disagree with them.
- Retric 5y ago
  I have defended Apple because they like everyone else in the industry were already doing this server side. Their getting backlash because they are open about what they are doing not because it’s in anyway unusual. The actual negative implications are slightly worse battery life and more network traffic if you use iCloud. The upside is people can inspect the perceptual hash. Also, the phone isn’t reporting anything it doesn’t have the database to compare it to.

jaywalk 5y ago

Software-wise, Zune was lightyears ahead of iPod. If you lost your MP3 collection on your PC, you could plug in your Zune and download the MP3s right off of it. You still can't do that with iPod/iPhone today.

MereInterest 5y ago
It's been a while, but I think my Zune was directly exposed as a USB storage device when plugged in.