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Monday, November 10, 2003
IE Add-On Enables Digital Rights Management
Why is it that this recently released "rights-management" add-on for Internet Explorer makes me queasy? Digital Rights Management, or DRM, is a hot growth area for content distribution, and in theory is a good thing because it protects digital content from piracy, illegal duplication and so forth.
Yet, somehow, when Microsoft gets involved, it's gotta make you wonder what they're really up to. With their operating system monopoly, they have in the powerful position of being able to control a vital component of the global economy and society.
Industry observers already know that MS is trying to woo Hollywood and become the standard online media format, complete with their vision of DRM. But, if it were up to me, I'd be very suspicious of Microsoft's intentions. Why not throw Apple a bone for its Quicktime format, Hollywood, and keep the computer industry more diverse?
Sheesh, don't you just get tired of Microsoft trying to be the master and commander of everything that's built with zeroes and ones?
Posted by
Cory Kleinschmidt
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