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DRM on audio CD's abolished

EMI has stopped publishing audio CD's with DRM. It is the last publisher to do so. This means no DRM audio CD's will be released anymore.

On her website the NVPI (Dutch music organisation) reports that EMI is the last publisher to abolish DRM. “The costs of DRM do not measure up to the results”. The DRM software has to be renewed constantly to fight cracking. In addition it didn't work very well. […] Another complaint came from consumer rights organisations. They complained that people could not copy CD's for their own private use while that is legally allowed [in The Netherlands].

By abolishing DRM it has become easier to publish mp3's on the internet. Yet, Brein [Dutch RIAA] does not worry about an increase in illegal mp3 distribution. According to Tim Kuijk from Brein DRM had no effect at all on the ammount of mp3's published on the internet.

Uploading and downloading of mp3's is here to stay, unless DRM technology is significantly improved. Honest people will always be honest people and DRM doesn't stop people who have ill intentions anyway.

From draconian rootkit-style DRM (Sony-BMG) to no DRM at all in one year. A definitive victory for consumers everywhere.