[Bush2000]

That's fine, if you can eliminate and replace Red Book audio with some secure format from the get-go. For downloadable music that you sell, you can probably make it work. But audio CD's are not encrypted, and can't be encrypted without breaking literally billions of CD players out there. Consumers are not likely to be enamored of an album that requires them to buy a whole new stereo to listen to it.

It depends entirely on what legislators decide to do. If under pressure from Congress, manufacturers are forced to add stronger encryption technology to devices such as CD and DVD players -- even if the changes require a change in format -- eventually, consumers won't be able to buy any other kind of device. And if manufacturers support existing CD and DVD formats while Hollywood modifies the new discs to conform to the stronger encryption, the consumer won't have much choice in the matter.

[js1138]

And if manufacturers support existing CD and DVD formats while Hollywood modifies the new discs to conform to the stronger encryption, the consumer won't have much choice in the matter.

You assume that people over 30 give a rat's patootie about the latest music. Or that people under 30 give a rat's posterior about fine points of law. There was once a prefect digital medium (from the artist's point of view). It was called digital audio tape. I can't recall ever seeing one.