Didn't you know this was going to be the end result?
People have been saying this for years.. Over and over:
"If you don't stop stealing software and music, they are going to come down on EVERYONE like a ton of bricks.. Then, it's going to suck for us all, legitimate and illegitimate computer users alike, and we will have to deal with lawsuits and copy protection out the wa-zoo. Can't copy that digital picture of Grandma and send it to the folks back home? Thank the downloaders.. Got sued because they thought your garage band's MP3 was a metallica rip off? Thank the downloaders.. "
And all I ever heard in response was garbage like: "They can't stop downloading, "man""
Well, guess what? They're about to..
And frankly, I like this solution allot better than copy protection so tight you have to phone MS to re-install windows every time it crashes.
The problems with that are simple: I am not my brother's keeper, and zero tollerance via the court is something that western society has to have zero tollerance for. The entire downloading issue would have been far less of a problem if the record industry wouldn't have engaged in price-fixing (which the industry recently had to settle a lawsuit for) and clinging to a business model that technology is turning to dust. If you screw over your customers by using a monopoly on distribution, there is going to be a backlash by those customers. The industry helped turn a minor, underground illicit activity into something like Napster becasue the industry broke the law and abused their customers. I don't feel any more sorry for the RIAA than you do for the downloaders. Maybe if enough services like the one Apple is offering spring up, the market will re-balance itself, but not with the jack-booted tactics the RIAA is using.