Opinion: High-Definition Video--Bad For Consumers, Bad For Hollywood

[nightflier]

Whatever happens in Hollywood, I can certainly understand Doctorow's anger, and to some extent I hope he is right. I also have to admire the man for having the courage to say it so bluntly. I have long believed that Hollywood doesn't have a clue beyond its own greed and my frustrations extend to all the superior technologies that have floundered because of excessive profiteering. I have no problems with artists acquiring the power to sell their art directly to the consumer and cutting out the racketeering middlemen, aka the RIAA/MPAA. HDCP & DRM are just attempts at retaining control over direct distribution.

[Groundbeef]

And for every attempt at copy protection there are breaks. DRM has just been broken. DVD encryption has been broken. Just a matter of time until someone breaks the new stuff, and they Hollywood will have to think of some other way to make it harder for us to watch what we own!