><Quote>
> Remember a few years back when Microsoft launched a new type of DRM
> under the name "PlaysForSure"? The idea was to create a standard DRM
> that a bunch of different online music download stores could use, and
> which makers of digital music devices could build for. Except... like
> any DRM, it had its problems. And, like any DRM, its real purpose was
> to take away features, not add them, making all of the content
> hindered by it less valuable. Yet, because Microsoft was behind it,
> many people assumed that at least Microsoft would keep supporting it.
> Well, you've now learned your lesson. Playsforsure was so bad that
> Microsoft didn't even use it for its own Zune digital media device.
> Along with that, Microsoft shut down its failed online music store,
> and now for the kicker, it's telling anyone who was suckered into
> buying that DRM'd content that it's about to nuke the DRM approval
> servers that let you transfer the music to new machines. That means
> you need to authorize any songs you have on whatever machine you want
> -- and that's the only place they'll be able to reside forever. And,
> of course, any upgrade to your operating system (say from XP to Vista)
> and you lose access to your music as well. By now, hopefully, everyone
> is aware of why DRM is problematic, but it's nice of Microsoft to give
> one final demonstration by basically taking away more rights for the
> music it sold people with the promise that Microsoft would keep the
> music available.
></Quote>

> http://techdirt.com/articles/20080422/234401923.shtml