Something I've never understood

[rbandrews]

New Apple computers have HDCP, which is a nefarious copy protection system, built into the video-out ports. So you can't play HDCP-protected videos on non-HDCP-compliant (read: older than brand new) monitors. And everyone is up in arms about their civil liberties being infringed.

So here's my question: since when has watching TV and movies at a sharper resolution been that important? Why does anyone care? They released a technology that is totally superfluous, and then saddled it with oppressive DRM. The response here is to just not buy that technology, not to become self-righteous about the DRM.

You poor things, only standard-definition movies. However will you survive?

Comments

[rbandrews]

Everyone seems to do that when I bring this up... There's absolutely a difference. HD is beautiful, no doubt about it. It's just not a necessity to have.

DRM sucks, and it's fine to protest it, I do all the time. I dunno, it's just this attitude that people have a god-given right to watch HD video and that any limitations on watching it are the same as burning printing presses or something.

This article is what set this off.

[candle.livejournal.com]

BoingBoing is not a high quality commentary site to begin with and Cory Doctorow is an idiot. He's a fanboy of the worst type (Apple (prior to this), kitsch, anti-DRM) and happily bends reality to fit his view of things. Listening to him for advice on computers is like listening to the typical RedState poster on political matters.

The Ars article (http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/11/17/apple-brings-hdcp-to-a-new-aluminum-macbook-near-you) is much more reasonable about it.