I disagree. I do not want my computers OS deciding it has to crypt my personally created works. I want those to be as interchangeable as possible. I do not want layers of protection on it. I want transparency and interoperability on my work.
Look first of all if you were a content maker and you seen someone making an illegal copy of your work (even if it was to make a dirivitive work or something that was not for monetary gain) it's still illegal in the USA (my country). If you read the Digital Millenium Copyright Act you will see that it was badly written piece of legislation that trounces all over fair use rights. This is not Microsoft's fault it's just the reality of government not understanding consumers and being run by major companies like hollywood. They are asking for these things built-in as protections. The big companies. Microsoft is more or less just complying with current law.
I think these laws need adjustment and change, but instead of trashing microsoft for it and writing stuff in here, you need to write the lawmakers and tell them this stuff and why it needs changing. If you let the big companies win they will change what the general public sees as fair use.
Microsoft won't protect your "works" automatically. They give you a choice of protecting them or not protecting them. It's not all or nothing. It's a choice. If you had to make your livelyhood off media or easily copied stuff you'd worry about it too. Talk to the old Atari ST community as to what piracy did to the software developers of that platform and they had no defense at all. Most people who have to do this stuff for a living like the fact that it's there.. For instance if you were getting royalties off a dvd from an old tv show. Because you bought a home rights private play licensed dvd doesn't mean you can take a clip from that and put it out there for public consumption without permissions.
My point with the thief thing is not to call people thieves (if you are offended though you should be asking yourself why and if you did anything to make you feel that way), but what do you care if you are not making illegal copies of something if it's in there or not..
What's in Vista doesn't work any different than what XP did if you are using it in a legal way. Protected Audio Path and stuff like that has been in drivers from ATI and Nvidia for a long time.
If you are just are figuring this out, then you need to look at the drivers you have installed as this is a mainstream thing and has been for some time. The fact is Hollywood asked that this stuff be there not to rip you off but protect themselves from getting ripped off.
When you buy a DVD the dvd and it's contents are not yours, you are licensing playback from home equipment You don't own any of it. It doesn't grant you the rights to use it or move it or copy it somewhere. Read the fine print. According to laws here in the USA you don't have rights to a backup. Most dvd producers will have a replacement program however. DMCA superceded most legal fair use doctrine and has been in plae for a long time now.
People are great at seeing the consumer side but did you ever try to make a living by music, videos, movies etc. Piracy just adds the cost of these items. I respect Microsoft for suporting the companies who loose money daily off of this and giving them an option not to loose revenue.
Also if you aren't making illegal copies or doing misuse of materials then you aren't a thief and have nothing to worry about and I am not accusing you..
There isn't an opinion here or anything to debate, it's either legal or illegal through current laws (me I am speaking about within the USA). If you really want to make a difference contact your lawmakers of where you live, make sure your own rights to fair use are protected.
I have heard many rationals for illegally duplicating things and saying well I have a right to use this for "X" purpose. Your government dictates what is legal or illegal in laws set forth. Those aren't debatable unless you get them changed. Otherwise it's just a justification.
