How the iPod Will Change the Face of Computer Security (via Digital Rights & Trusted Platforms)

Addison-Wesley Publishing ^ | 01 December 2005 | Bruce Potter

[ThinkDifferent]

Thought he meant files from Itunes which are not in mp3 format. They are m4p.

Right, thus the "burn and re-rip" steps, i.e. burn the "protected" m4p files to a CD, where they become regular CD audio files, then rip from that CD as MP3.

[Terpfen]

And if I have some other mp3 player, can I take the content I've paid for and play it on that other non apple device?

I don't know offhand, but I'll venture a guess and say that yes, you can.

how does the apple price break down in bulk? Near the currently priced CD's for the same number of songs?

Depends on how many songs are on the album. $0.99 a song is a great deal compared to paying $20 for an album with only 10-12 songs. The pricing structure really benefits people who only want a couple of songs from an album, rather than buying the entire album at once (which would be most people, apparently.) I believe you can buy entire albums at once at a discounted price compared to the CD.

why are we paying these middle men so mcuh while the artist - as a general rule - gets around $.25 cents on the dollar.

Because of Senators like Orrin Hatch, laws like the DMCA, and the semi-illegal tactics of the RIAA.

Personally, until they can figure out how to pay the artist for his efforts

A lot of artists hate DRM even more than you do, and have countered this by selling mp3s directly from their website with no restrictions. I can't give you a list, as not too many are doing this, but it's a growing phenomenon. If you're curious, Google shall reveal all.

[dhs12345]

Yuck!

Plan on a lot of "coasters" when you are done.

Or, there are m4p to mp3 converters on the Internet. Haven't tried one yet. What is the difference between the two?

[AFreeBird]

Sure. If they're from CDs just copy the MP3s, if they're from iTMS then either burn and re-rip

Well CD's, the non SONY BMG ones, I've already ripped to HD so I can USE then on ANY device I own. Well, at least any non DRM'd software/device I own. I didn't pirate the CD's, and as far as I'm concerned; I've ripped them legally.

But I was speaking specifically to the iTunes, since that was the jist of the article. And jumping through hoops (burn to CD and then ripping to HD is a big hoop IMHO). Why should I have to re-create a file that is already in digital format just to play it on a non apple device?

This is pure and simple Barbara Strisand, Horse Hockey.. a cluster f#@&.

DO NOT SPEND MONEY ON THESE PEOPLE! YOU are the customer for crying out loud! Just HOW MUCH money is too much. How many hoops do you want to jump through to enjoy the entertainment THEY'VE SOLD YOU?

Look, right now, to play a DVD I've legally bought and paid for, on my Linux computer, I would have to break the law to use codecs available to do so. Why? So Bill gates can collect fees for something that the RIAA/MPAA's should make sure that I have (give away the razor and sell the blades) to play THEIR CONTENT?

Did I mention that this is a cluster f#@k!

This s#!t *isses me off to no end!

[djf]

Hey, I bought a Napster card to pick up a few tunes I didn't want to buy the whole album for.

So you gotta have Windows Media Player 9 or so, which I installed. I downloaded a few tunes... they are in WMA format.

I can't find anything to convert them to WAV, so I can cut them to CD, and listen to them in my car, which PISSES ME OFF BECAUSE I PAID FOR THE TUNES!!!!

So now all I can do is listen to them on my laptop with these cheezy little 1In speakers...

[ShadowAce]

I can't find anything to convert them to WAV, so I can cut them to CD,...

Smart Audio Converter
NCH Audio converter

There are probably many more. I just did a Clusty search for "WMA to WAV conversion"