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[JimH]

What was the book -- Ulysses?  Where he had to tie himself to the mast to avoid the seductresses on the rock (Sirens?) who were calling him?  

OK, tie yourself down and listen to what Microsoft's Wil Poole had to say this week about how MS will pry your wallet open and leave you smiling.

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/poole/05-07winhec.asp

[TimB]

Jim can you give the Readers Digest version of this for the attention-span impaired like me?



-=Tim=-

[MachineHead]

I'm so immersed...

Listening to: '(Let Me Up) I've Had Enough' from 'Ledbetter Heights' by 'Kenny Wayne Shepherd' on Media Center 9.0

[phelt]

The DRM-related blather from WinHEC seems especially ironic in light of this week's MS security fiasco:
$2 trillion fine for Microsoft security snafu?

[whoeveryouare]

Yeah--a "fine"--sure.  I'll believe it when I see it.  Microsoft will pad a few wallets, and that'll be that.  It's fun to imagine those careless slobs getting hit with the biggest fine in history, though.

[phelt]

Indeed. Sadly, we all know maximum fines are reserved for truly evil ppl, like college file sharers  

[PhatPhreddy]

I am just digging through the article now but want to make a comment about the DRM things said above....

I hear this all the time on AVS also (MS and DRM being evil) but with almost every DVD release being ripped (sometimes) compressed and distributed (free or otherwise) its pretty nieve to think that any higher quality source wont be DRM'ed...

Possibly DVD quality is enough for some and they would rather the status quo of stealable content and no DRM intrusion but for me I want HD distribution now !! (Have you downloaded and tried the WMP9 HD 720p and greater stuff on a big screen ?? Sure makes DVD look sucky !!!) The HD DVD consortium are still argueing about content control and HD DVD looks like >2 years out still...  Even when its released you can be pretty certain that one of thier restrictions is NO PC ripping or control !!!

While thats happening MS are releasing T2 ultimate edition with a 1920x816p (thats the same as a 1080p letterboxed version as its 2.35:1 AR) in June... So thanks to MS (and thier ability to convince a studio to trust thier content to MS's protection) I get HD films...

So I may have to jump through a DRM registration hoop... Erm OK... Otherwise I have to go out and buy a 1k USD DVHS deck and they ALL break down and seem to be a constant nightmare... Plus the expensive tapes (yes tapes... Yea gods!!) and no PC based ripping and control...

I hope some of you quality concious people (ape users ??) grab the Amazing Things free DVD from MS and check out the first 3 BMW 'hire' clips in 720p and WMA Pro 5.1... Check out the confidence trialer from MS's WMP demo stuff... Even check out T2 in HD... Then think about what other company can persuade hollyweird that it has a viable distribution solution for this valuable content... Then ask yourself if that alternative company has any thought for allowing PC based playback and control ??

I would argue that this convergence and protection of content gives those that buy the content a massive boost and for those that simply want to download it for free well sorry if your views are not listened too but $$ vote...  

I am sure this may press a few buttons but thats my morning rant !!!

I think the sooner MC support WMA Pro (loads of free 5.1 recordings being made available) high rez and multi channel audio and DRM content the better... This doesn't stop you playing any content you have or own (when the DRM works smoothly) but does stop (reduce) content theft and create an environment where users can argue for some access to the studio's more 'archive' quality material...

[PhatPhreddy]

Reading through the article it comes accross as pretty scripted PR but with some killer points of interest to media centric whole home control and media distribution.

The comments by Kieth Laepple concerning thin client nodes attached to the home network to distribute and control the media stored elsewhere in the home are big steps...

Personally I run tablet PC's as control interfaces... I built a large RAID array to hold my media... I store and rip all my audio and some of my video archive... The advances in XP tablet in XP media centre in windows media all hold promise of a better user experience... Combine this with some 'smart home' command and automation control (X10 etc) thinking and its all very relevant...