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17 Mar 06 - 05:12 AM (#1695920) Subject: Tech: French DRM From: JohnInKansas French Plan Would Open iTunes to Other Devices, By Astrid Wendlandt, Reuters, eWeek, March 13, 2006 [quote] PARIS (Reuters)—France is pushing through a law that would force Apple Computer Inc. to open its iTunes online music store and enable consumers to download songs onto devices other than the computer maker's popular iPod player. Under a draft law expected to be voted in parliament on Thursday, consumers would be able to legally use software that converts digital content into any format. It would no longer be illegal to crack digital rights management—the codes that protect music, films and other content—if it is to enable to the conversion from one format to another, said Christian Vanneste, Rapporteur, a senior parliamentarian who helps guide law in France. "It will force some proprietary systems to be opened up ... You have to be able to download content and play it on any device," Vanneste told Reuters in a telephone interview on Monday. [end quote] I'm not sure the further description doesn't strike me as a mangled mess of conflicting requirements. It's okay to crack DRM if you're heart is pure, but the penalties for some other forms of manipulations of DRM protections remain "substantial." I'm not sure how the DRM system is expected to permit "legal" cracking, and still have any effect on illegal cracking. The French probably understand all this. ….. (?). The Reuters© article indicates that some performing artists have registered some strong protests, so this may be of interest - to some - for the "Rights" issues as much as for the "Tech" aspects. I'm not sure I understand the implications well enough to speculate. John |