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OS X meets XP.
Originally posted by JBean MS\' new OS to try and take over the world and controll what programs everyone can use! I\'m never getting it
Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems restrict the use of digital files in order to protect the interests of copyright holders. DRM technologies can control file access (number of views, length of views), altering, sharing, copying, printing, and saving. These technologies may be contained within the operating system, program software, or in the actual hardware of a device. DRM systems take two approaches to securing content. The first is "containment," an approach where the content is encrypted in a shell so that it can only be accessed by authorized users. The second is "marking," the practice of placing a watermark, flag, or a XrML tag on content as a signal to a device that the media is copy protected. According to Professor Ed Felten, both approaches are vulnerable to cracking by individuals with "moderate" programming skills. DRM technology and legislation requiring the inclusion of copy control systems pose serious threats to privacy, open source software development, and the fair use of copyrighted content. Some DRM technologies have been developed with little regard for privacy protection. The systems usually require the user to reveal his or her identity and rights to access protected content. Upon authentication of identity and rights to the content, the user can access the content.DRM systems can prevent the anonymous consumption of content. DRM systems could lead to a standard practice where content owners require all purchasers of media to identify themselves. In other areas where individuals can borrow or purchase media, such as video rental stores or libraries, statutory and ethical protections prevent the transfer of personal information linked to the content acquired. Such protections do not exist in the music and growing electronic book markets. In these unregulated areas, artists and authors may have more difficulty in finding an audience for their work because of the privacy risks associated with linking identity to content consumption.In addition to preventing anonymity in access to digital information, DRM can be used to facilitate profiling of users\' preferences or to limit access to certain content. This is done by assigning an identifier to content or to the content player, and attaching personal information to the identifier. For instance, Microsoft\'s Windows Media Player has an embedded globally-unique identifier (GUID) to track users. Similarly, Microsoft\'s eBook Reader requires the user to "activate" the software and link it to a Passport account. From there, Microsoft captures a unique hardware identifier of the user\'s computer. There is also an activation limit that can stop a user from transferring an eBook to other computers. This enables Microsoft to prevent users from sharing books or from reading a book on a different machine.Also, Windows Media Player creates a log file of the content a user views, and "phones home" to a central server to obtain content titles. These technologies mark an important development in the use of copyright law: copyright can regulate duplication of works to protect content owners. Now, copyright is being used as a justification to both protect content and to profile the consumers of content.Linking personally-identifiable information to content may result in "price discrimination." Price discrimination is the practice of selling an item at different costs to different consumers. It can be facilitated where the seller knows the consumer\'s identity, and can associate the identity with a profile that includes financial information on the consumer. DRM systems may enable content owners to control access to content, but also to adjust the price of content based on the consumer\'s identity.Alternatives exist that would provide copy protection and at the same time protect privacy. For instance, token and password systems could be used to authorize a download of digital content. Alternative, non-privacy invasive solutions have not been explored adequately.DRM systems that have been designed impinge on users\' control and use of content. Many DRM systems will not allow a user to transfer content to portable devices, such as MP3 players. In addition, many DRM systems work only with Windows operating systems to the exclusion of Linux and Macintosh users.DRM systems may also be designed to actually harm a user\'s system. One product in particular, InTether Point-to-Point, can impose "penalties" for "illegal" uses of files. The program can force a reboot of the user\'s computer or destroy the file that the user was attempting to access. A Celine Dion album released in 2002 by EPIC and Sony records can crash a user\'s computer if the disc is inserted in a CD-ROM drive.DRM may also be referred to as "Content Management Systems" (CMS), "Content/Copy Protection for Removable Media" (CPRM) or sometimes as "technological measures."The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) can interfere with a user\'s ability to access content. The DMCA is a 1998 law designed to increase copyright holders\' rights. The DMCA created civil and criminal penalties for the creation or distribution of DRM circumvention tools. As a result, a user attempting to circumvent copyright protection, even for legitimate reasons, may violate federal law. The DMCA was the American version of implementing legislation for a World Intellectual Property Organization treaty.
