Microsoft and HP have announced new computersystems, coming in the holiday season. Not real news, except that the OS will be Windows XP Media Center Edition. This XP version offers new media experiences, but also tight copy-protections. This might be a reason for many consumers not to buy this product.
But Microsoft has included copy-protection with the operating system that uses encryption to lock recorded TV shows to the PC. Already, consumers can legally record television programs to VHS tapes for personal use and view them on another VCR in the household. Microsoft has taken a more conservative approach by thwarting the sharing of programs recorded digitally. That strategy might make sense as Microsoft attempts to attract Hollywood movie studios with its digital rights management and anti-copying technologies. But consumers may not react favorably to the copy protection, say analysts.
"You have to applaud their efforts (on copyright protection). But this is not a mainstream product, particularly if you're going to limit it where consumers are not going to be able to share that digital media between their DVD players and other devices," said ARS analyst Toni Duboise. "To take that (copying) flexibility away from consumers is a big mistake. There's no way consumers are going to like this proprietary way of doing business."
Once again, they try to limit our freedom. I keep wondering if there aren't easier ways to attract consumers. Intellectual property has to be defended, but not at every cost. The entire article, as usual here.
Source: Cnet
