Nickname: Dade

Review: busy bee consulting This is not easily with protected music because when you copy the music to CD you also copy the DRM protection.

Date reviewed: Mar 21, 2007 3:07 PM

Nickname: Wim

Review: If you follow the news reports, it appears that the young generation - even those working in the music industry - expect copyright in its present form will disappear. Add to that, that the music industry until now hasn't been able to find a way to embrace new technologies. The objection of the big artists don't count for me. It is well known that the present system leads to a few superstars, while keeping the big mass of artists invisible. If the French proposal passes, it could be the beginning of a big experiment. It may fail, but it may also become the model for the rest of the world.

Date reviewed: Mar 18, 2006 10:18 AM

Nickname: IMRAN.TV

Review: I thought our politicians were idiotic with their "rename French fries" plans, but this proposal from the French is just one more example of stupid politicians at work. As far as "some kid" stealing music and being fined for it: Apologists for little thieves should also consider not penalizing someone with a year in jail for merely shoplifting a $20 pair of jeans. I do not recall any "kid" being fined $300,000, but if parents know THEIR homes can be lost to fines if they do not control their kids' use of DSL to steal and share music, they will be more diligent in teaching and managing their kids. Imran

Date reviewed: Mar 18, 2006 1:44 AM

Nickname: Bill

Review: Stealing is still stealing, regardless of whether the government sanctions it or not. If you haven't purchased the CD, you have no right to copy it. If you haven't purchased the CD or the track, you have no right to have it on your player. If Apple creates a format that works on its player but not others, then it is a component part of a system -- just like any other system of products. If the French persist, then Apple will/should ignore them and find a way to sell in markets that are not controlled by French law. Life in Cupertino will go on, and the French will be poorer for the loss.

Date reviewed: Mar 17, 2006 11:52 PM

Nickname: linathael

Review: To get a better idea of what is going on, I recommand the following article: http://www.hardmac.com/news/2006-03-17/#5275. It's written by French in English, so the understanding is better than the speculation in this BusinessWeek article. Apple does not have to stress at all. This is more of a problem for French customers and Internet users/Websites.

Date reviewed: Mar 17, 2006 4:02 PM

Nickname: eek

Review: The music downloader will pay 38 euros. 300,000 euros is if you sell hacking & trojan software.

Date reviewed: Mar 16, 2006 11:05 PM

Nickname: Terrin

Review: I see nothing wrong with this proposed law. First, if a kid downloads a single song off the Internet, fining the kid $300,000, seems a bit excessive. Especially when you would be fined much less for beating up the artist who created the song! A flat penalty more in the range of a parking ticket is reasonable. Second, in America people supposedly have fair use rights to use copyrighted works that they paid for as they see fit. Unfortuntely, companies have lobbied Congress to undermine those fair use rights through legislation like the DMCA, which makes it illegal to circumvent copyright protection measures. If the DMCA existed 30 years ago, we would never have had VCRs. All France is doing is saying, "Hey, if a person buys something, they have the right to play it on the player they choose." I see nothing wrong with this, provided Apple does not have to support the other players.

Date reviewed: Mar 16, 2006 3:05 PM

Nickname: PCG

Review: I agree w/ Bob. The youth will certainly register their anger if the law is passed and Apple pulls iTunes from France... As far as the previous comments about music downloading not being worth the trouble, have you ever actually done it? In iTunes it is surprisingly easy (and easy to spend lots of money in no time!)

Date reviewed: Mar 16, 2006 1:38 PM

Nickname: S

Review: Johnny Hallyday? Aznavour? Are they still alive? Hopefully people aren't buying iPods to listen to them. The point does remain valid that music sold by Apple needs to say "only plays with our mp3 player" or "works only if you're one of us." And you mean consommateurs, not "consummateurs."

Date reviewed: Mar 15, 2006 10:47 PM

Nickname: Patrick

Review: In the "Apple's French Dis-Connection?" article, you stated, "This provision would hit Apple particularly hard because the computer maker sells music that is compatible only with its own iPod player." Although it is true that Apple's implementation of DRM is proprietary and only works on their iPod, it is also true that the user can burn a CD with purchased music that is free of DRM and can be re-imported in MP3 format. With this type of work around in-place there is no need for concern.

Date reviewed: Mar 15, 2006 10:44 PM