Don't force manufacturers to put copyprotection things in their equipment.

Doing so:

1) Reduces the quality and value to the consumer.  

* For example, the DAT technology essentially died an apathetic death in the consumer market because of essentially the same scenario.  

* The expert users will find a way around the problem.  The average person will have to bear the inconvenience burden.

2) Address the real problem

* the recording and other media industries got their value in years past because they provided a distribution service.  They also provided quality anciallary things such as large, attractive vinyl album packaging materials.  Now, with internet access their services are no longer needed, yet they are trying to force people to use their services.  They have let the ball down in the value-add aspect with bare bones CD and DVD packaging.  And the quality of music anymore relfects their failure to help discover and promote quality artists.  Indeed, the few interesting artists I listen to succeed IN SPITE OF the recording industry.

The point is, the media industry should take recent events as motivation to improve their services (including modernization allowing internet download at reasonable prices) not as an excuse to handcuff all electronic equipment I purchase.

-- MattWalsh - 27 Mar 2002