[solaris]

Wal*Mart shutting down DRM server, nuking your music collection - only people who pay for music risk losing it to DRM shenanigans

Hey suckers! Did you buy DRM music from Wal*Mart instead of downloading MP3s for free from the P2P networks? Well, they're repaying your honesty by taking away your music. Unless you go through a bunch of hoops (that you may never find out about, if you've changed email addresses or if you're not a very technical person), your music will no longer be playable after October 9th.

But don't worry, this will never ever happen to all those other DRM companies - unlike little fly-by-night mom-and-pop operations like Wal*Mart, the DRM companies are rock-ribbed veterans of commerce and industry, sure to be here for a thousand years.

So go on buying your Audible books, your iTunes DRM songs, your Zune media, your EA games... None of these companies will ever disappear, nor will the third-party DRM suppliers they use. They are as solid and permanent as Commodore, Atari, the Soviet Union, the American credit system and the Roman Empire.

Full story here: Wal*Mart shutting down DRM server, nuking your music collection -- only people who pay for music risk losing it to DRM shenanigans - Boing Boing

[Damo]

All together now....... WE HATE DRM

[tencircles]

another incredible story.

[strongbad]

If WalMart were to do the proper thing, they'd keep their DRM servers running and send the bill to RIAA.

[skyforger]

Originally Posted by strongbad

If WalMart were to do the proper thing, they'd keep their DRM servers running and send the bill to RIAA.

they prefer to grab pretty much more money for something their customers already paid for

[GHERDEZ]

Originally Posted by solaris

Wal*Mart shutting down DRM server, nuking your music collection - only people who pay for music risk losing it to DRM shenanigans





Full story here: Wal*Mart shutting down DRM server, nuking your music collection -- only people who pay for music risk losing it to DRM shenanigans - Boing Boing

This is not surprising from Wallmart. Their same in-store poor customer service now ONLINE.

They could have handled way better:
They could have given a year or two grace period for the customer to re-download their purchased music through them in the same way Microsoft offers free tech support for their operating systems for a limited period of time.
They could have released a file converter.
Or at the very least, could have given the customer, more time to make them find a solution on their own.

Instead, Walmart gave them, the two-week notice, but in reverse. In a tone, as if the customer, worked for them.

Way to go Walmart!

GHERDEZ

I have never bought any CD or downloaded music from Wallmart to this day. It has never been my kind of music store.

[gluteus maximus]

Following the negative reaction from its customers, Walmart has decided to keep the DRM servers going for the 'foreseeable future'.

More at: http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/10/w...n-drm-servers/

gm

[GHERDEZ]

Originally Posted by gluteus maximus

Following the negative reaction from its customers, Walmart has decided to keep the DRM servers going for the 'foreseeable future'.

More at: Walmart has a change of heart, decides to maintain DRM servers - Engadget

gm

Hello Maximus,

WOW.... WalMart's initiative, to start selling DRM free music, fell appart in days from its anouncement... or, just the day after they anounced that their DRM music would STOP WORKING. They just couln't take the HEAT, management buckled under pressure, and had to throw the white flag of surrender. And, unlike the last time, they couldn't get the anouncement apologetically enough to their customers ASAP.
From this, WalMart learned what licensced software companies have known for years: you cannot make public statements that evoke Y2K eve anxieties.
Licensced Sofware companies have had to come up with all sorts of initiatives to ecourage customers to change or transition into a new product, by offering freeware, free trials, products with limited capabilities, updates, money-saving coupons, etc. These, are followed up by various froms of customer support within a flexible, and ample timeframe. And, in no case, ever anounced that a product would stop working (or at least not completely). WalMart management, on the other hand, thought that they could just walk away from DRM music, like discontinuing an unsuccessful line of products, and deal with the customer by issuing directives, or else via e-mail. Now that crap hits the fan, because customers are complaing in stores nationwide, they realize, that their only option is to keep the DRM server running, at least, for now.
I don't see the DRM people helping them either by offering support, or by releasing a file converter, as I suggested that WallMart, acting responsibly, should have released to help their customers in my previous post. The DRM people, I am sure, are not pleased with WalMart terminating their business relationship with them. And, therefore, would see no incentive in helping WalMart by releasing a tool to let WalMart's customers, or anyone else, off the hook.
It will be interesting to see how WalMart backpedals uphill away from the DRM problem, since, I don't see them supporting the DRM server forever. They know that DRM is on slippery slope downhill for music sales. WalMart is going to look for ways cut itself loose at some point and tells customers to backup their music anyway. Because, they may still, get screwed in "the forseeable future" (or, rather, they already are for trusting WalMart ).

Thanks for reading...

GHERDEZ