Will Apple Follow Microsoft's Lead to Restrictive DRM?

Steve Ryan asks: "The direction Microsoft are taking with Windows (for example, the DRM issues in Vista) have led me to believe Windows will soon be an OS which controls the user, rather than the other way round. I like XP, and I find it stable, but I do not want to upgrade to an OS (Vista) which is restrictive. This leaves me with either Linux or Mac OS X. I like Linux, but it may not work with my laptop, so I don't really want to risk it. OS X seems nice. I spend most of my time writing documents and surfing the web, so it should handle everything I want, and I would be happy to buy a lovely MacBook Pro. This leaves me with my question: Will Apple follow Microsoft's lead and implement a DRM loving policy?"

Umm....

[rolfwind]

This leaves me with either Linux or Mac OS X. I like Linux, but it may not work with my laptop, so I don't really want to risk it.

And OS X will? (Legally?)

Anyway, Linux or BSD is guaranteed freedom while OS X you have to trust a company. It's that simple. We can analyze Apple all we want but in the end it is a company that can decide to turn one way or the other at any moment. Not so with your average Linux distro.

Or play both sides and get a Mac and dual-boot. Keep your files in open or standard formats so you can easily move to other OSes.

Re:Interesting fact-I'm tone deaf.

[ericdano]

Of course, most of the POP stuff out there, like 90%+ of the stuff on iTunes, is so compressed when mastered that an MP3 of it really doesn't sound much different than the actual CD. All that Rap, and Maroon 5, Fray, etc.

Re:Interesting fact

[Thalagyrt]

That was me posting, and I've worked with pro audio for over 10 years, so can your shit. There is a loss of quality from going out of a DAC and into an ADC, period. I don't give a crap that your dad's a DJ, because you obviously haven't done anything serious with music. Go pull out an oscilloscope and do a frequency analysis on that "lossless" copy, will you? Then come back and tell me that it's the same signal. You'll be surprised to find that it IS NOT.

Even though the signal is all internal, you don't seem to understand that you are going through multiple signal processors, and as such there is always a change in the final sound. What you've said is entirely irrelevant simply due to that. Now, once you have some experience and have grown past your current age of eleventeen, maybe you can come back after you've learned how this stuff actually works.

You're not fooling anyone.

Re:Not M$

[Zebra_X]

Do you have a source for this? I looked around and I couldn't find anything definitive. I did find this site:
http://www.tuaw.com/2006/11/02/apple-drops-trusted -computing/ [tuaw.com] but it cites this site: http://www.osxbook.com/book/bonus/chapter10/tpm/ [osxbook.com] as the source of this information.

However, after reading the the second site, it does not say that the TCPM is not included (it states the chip included) it simply says that Apple is not currently using the TCPMs capabilities.

I think though that Apple is including and will continue to include that chip, and I am willing to bet that it will be used at a later date. We'll be told something to the effect of "iMovie download store is open! You'll need the latest Intel based hardware to access this content" under the auspices of "compatibility" when in fact, it will be becuase their encryption scheme will require the TCPM.

Re:If you want a Mac so badly, just buy one alread

[Golias]

Actually, it's the best laptop keyboard I've ever owned. (A HELL of a lot better than the crappy keyboard on the Dell Latitude D620 I got from my company.) Not only is it nice to type on, it's much easier to keep it clean, since bagel crumbs and hair can't fall under the keys. I also like how the keys recess when I close the lid. It's the first laptop I've ever owned that didn't eventually end up with a silhouette of the keyboard etched on the screen surface.

I still call shenanigans on the original post, however. He's afraid Linux won't work with his current hardware, so he wants to run out and buy a MacBook for OS X??? B.S.

If you like Linux, and are willing to buy new hardware, just buy a Laptop that's known to work with Linux. For that matter, it's free to try out on the hardware you have. Maybe there are no problems to worry about. Either way, problem solved.

I ***love*** OS X, but if you are not interested in certain non-Linux software (such as Apple's Garageband, which kicks all kinds of ass), then Linux is a perfectly fine choice, IMHO.

I still wouldn't recommend Linux to my white-haired aunt, but for anybody who is enough of a geek to be reading DRM arguments on /. it's fine.

That said, if you are buying a laptop, the MacBook offers a lot of ! for the $.

The MacBook Pro is not as good of a value. It's a sensational laptop, but if you have that kind of money to throw around it might be simpler to just have desktop systems installed and waiting at every location you will ever go to.