Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] iTunes music files (was "You had to know itwas coming")

[Jonathan King <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 08:00:03 -0600 (CST), Mike Miller
<EMAIL:PROTECTED> wrote:
> On Mon, 10 Jan 2005, Spurling, Shannon wrote:
> 
> > I don't think there is any loss. I may be wrong, but you are talking
> > about transcoding (Lossless) to remove the DRM component, not resampling
> > (Lossy). Apple had to put in some kind of DRM in order to pacify the
> > recording companies, I am sure. I don't own an iPod, but I have seen all
> > kinds of Slashdot articles about the converter and people having to take
> > it off their web site because of the DMCA, if I remember correctly.
> 
> I see.  I didn't know it was a DMCA problem.  Figures!
> I would just want to convert the file so that I can use it with my MP3
> player, which is not an iPod - it's my cell phone / PDA device:  Treo 600.
> I can put up to a 1 GB card in it and load it up with MP3s.

Doable.  Brute force method is to get iTunes to burn the AAC-encoded
stuff to a CD (hmm...maybe even just a disk image?) and then re-rip
that into MP3.  I think perl or applescript scripts exist to automate
this.  Googling "itunes applescript ripping" returns a gratifying
number of hits.  I think inside of 5 minutes you could find a solution
that would work pretty well.

So if the question is: isn't copy protection that can be completely
subverted by a google search or three inside of an hour completely
lame?  And the answer is, yes, but it was enough to get some CEO types
to consent to the iTunes music store happening, and I think that will
be seen as the turning point.  Originally, people thought the iTunes
music store would be worth a ton of money for Apple, then they
realized the margin was tiny, then they realized it would help sell
iPods, and now we're finding out ITMS is selling hundreds of millions
of songs...so that margin will really begin to add up.  Plus, the
profit for record companies is excellent, which means that the profit
for a (likely growing) number of independent labels and acts will be
even better, and it's *just possible* that this will be the solution
that will eventually lead to somewhat lower prices, vastly improved
selection and convenience, and way fewer lawsuits.

My conspiracy-like theory about the iTunes law suit is that it is
either being filed by a complete nimrod who doesn't realize there are
trivial work-arounds, or that it is an MS-sponsored effort to spread
FUD and/or keep control over media players in general.  And, yes, I
mean that.

jking

 
> Mike
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