News
Apple issues Cease and Desist to DRM-stripping devs
By Charles Starrett
Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Monday, February 25, 2008
News Category: Apple
Apple’s legal team has issued a Cease & Desist letter to the developers of the Hymn Project, software that allows users to strip the FairPlay DRM from files purchased from the iTunes Store. A post in the Hymn Project forums says that the letter demanded that all downloads be removed from the site. The post continues: “Until further notice, no links are to be posted anywhere on the site to programs that can strip DRM from any of Apple’s music or videos. Any user who does so will get the link removed and a warning from us. Any further infraction will get you banned permanently. The site will remain open for now and we won’t have a problem as long as we abide by the C&D.” In addition to the C&D sent out to the main developers, at least one individual user has also received a letter from Apple, following the user announcing publicly that he would offer a version of the DRM-stripping software to interested parties via email.
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1
That’s BS iLounge! Take a stand like DIGG did!!! This is something that should happen. Even though I can just burn songs I have purchased from iTunes onto a CD which allows me to play them from other devices, this is something that should be said out loud! Where’s your interoperability spirit?!!!!
GO DVD JON!!!!!!!! WE BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!!!
Posted by doompod on February 25, 2008 at 1:39 PM (PDT)
2
doompod,
this is a news article, not commentary. That’s what we do here…
Posted by RNB in Bakersfield, CA on February 25, 2008 at 1:51 PM (PDT)
3
While I don’t agree with it, it makes perfect sense…....from a business point of view.
Without DRM, iTunes music can be played on ANY device capable of playing AAC (m4a) files, not just iPods…...and with the iPod family being such a cash cow for Apple….well, any reasonable person could put 2 + 2 together…..
Posted by Huskerz85 on February 25, 2008 at 2:11 PM (PDT)
4
I may have just purchased my last DRM-d track from the iTunes store.
Posted by dodo on February 25, 2008 at 2:42 PM (PDT)
5
I’ve been okay with the iTunes DRM’ed songs because I could strip the DRM… but if Apple is going to block that, I guess I’ll be moving on to Amazon’s MP3 store now.
Posted by Bob on February 25, 2008 at 2:48 PM (PDT)
6
I hate DRM as much as the next guy, but Apple had to have it in order to appease the record studios. No DRM, no iTunes store. It’s that simple.
They are slowly getting away from it, but it’s a slow process.
Why wouldn’t they go after companies selling solutions to illegal break their codes? Why would they just let some small company distribute a method to break their copy protection? Of course they are going to go after it.
You can be annoyed with DRM as much as possible, but be upset that it’s their. Not at their attempts to stop people from breaking it.
That said, I never buy anything from the iTunes store… because I hate the DRM. But that doesn’t mean I have an unrealistic view of how the industry works. It’s a necessary evil that will hopefully be going away soon (for music anyway)
Posted by ort on February 25, 2008 at 3:30 PM (PDT)
7
The weird thing is: why now? Hymn has been around for years and I’m sure Apple has been well aware of it since shortly after it started. Why didn’t they do the C&D a long time ago?
Posted by dodo on February 25, 2008 at 10:02 PM (PDT)
8
So a site dedicated to software for removing DRM from iTunes has removed all links to software for removing DRM from iTunes? I wonder why they even bother having the site now.
Posted by bdb on February 26, 2008 at 2:19 PM (PDT)