Music & Computers - I'm Mixing Geek & Politics

I started out this morning reading an article about Orrin Hatch (Sen. Rep-RIAA) and his Induce Act, which will be coming up for a vote in the judiciary committee later today.

"The recording industry (proposals) would effectively put at risk all consumer electronics, information technology products, and Internet products and services that aren't designed to the industry's liking," read one letter sent Wednesday and signed by lobby groups representing technology companies, including News.com publisher CNET Networks. "We urge you not to move forward now."

D.C. showdown looms over file swapping

These clowns don't have a clue. The RIAA is stuck in it's belief that they can use politicians, lawyers and the courts to stop a fundamental change in their industry. This just won't work.
People love music, but worse they hate devices that try to restrict their rights to listen and use such entertainment. Technology has left them in the dust and rather than adopt to new models they attempt to sue 12 year old kids.

Worse yet is other large and lumberous corporations are trying to help them while trying to wrestle control of all digital rights.
Here's a rather long article in 'The Register' about Big Steve

Last Sunday Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer kicked off this week's European tour by sitting down with a small group* of British journalists and dispensing pearls of wisdom, notably on the future of Apple in home networking (it has none, natch, says Steve). He also did at least one interview, with the Financial Times (published in Tuesday's paper), remarkable largely because it inadvertently revealed the Microsoft High Command's paucity of ideas - if this is all Steve's currently betting the company on, then Microsoft is in big trouble.

But the Apple stuff, particularly the ill-informed 'iPod users are thieves' slur, is worth examining in some detail, because it shows that Steve doesn't Get It, that Microsoft doesn't Get It, and points us to the reasons why they don't Get It. Microsoft, essentially, is pre-programmed to fail in the battle for the home, for consumer electronics, and for consumer digital services.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/07/ballmer_doesnt_get_it/

Also if you have lots of time read Andrew Orlowski's article on what the music industry might consider doing instead

How the music biz can live forever, get even richer, and be loved

DRM as invisioned by MS and all their friends in the RIAA an MPAA is doomed to fail. People will simply not tolerate something as draconian as they have planned.