I'll throw my hat in the ring here. After I upvote you for starting a good discussion (which it seems few people ever do on HN). The MAJOR difference I see is

I'll throw my hat in the ring here. After I upvote you for starting a good discussion (which it seems few people ever do on HN). The MAJOR difference I see is that Apple does what it does, and doesn't hide behind a lobbying group to take the heat. They say "this is the way we are going to do this, because it is better." We may not agree, and I usually don't, but whatever. The movie studios, however, let the MPAA do all the dirty work and get all scorn. That way, MPAA == evil corporate mongers, while, say Warner Brothers == "ooh, Dark Knight Rising comes out this year!!!" Boycotting MPAA's member companies is a way to say we see through their crap, and aren't going to put up with it.