Maybe DRM is better if this is the alternative…
Wired reports on a new and annoying way of obtaining DRM-free music:
On Monday, for example, Sony BMG announced it will release a mishmash of 37 albums in the unrestricted MP3 format, confirming last week’s report that the label would ditch DRM. Under Sony’s new plan, consumers would purchase a credit-card-like ticket from Best Buy, Target, Fred’s, Winn-Dixie or other outlets. The cards will have a number that must be entered into the MusicPass site, where the full album can be downloaded.
If Sony just opened a DRM-free online store or released their catalog on iTunes, they would de-incentivize illegal copying. A big part of online media is ease of access and instant access. Making us have to drive to a store to buy a download ticket, then return home to download music is like having to go put a quarter in a pay phone before you make a call on your cell.