Microsoft responds to the OPM controversy

For those of you who listen to our podcast, you shouldn't be too surprised to hear Microsoft's response to the PVP-OPM (Protected Media Path — Output Protection Management) controversy that's been under fire and notably intense scrutiny 'round these parts of late. Basically, Microsoft believes they stand merely as the platform provider, and with OPM they're merely giving the studios the software support for what said content providers believe is required in order to secure their product from theft. So ok, it's fair enough for MS to say OPM still leaves it "up to 'the market'" to determine what's viable to the consumer. Sorry though, but we still have to call BS on it. Because at the end of the day, in this situation MS holds the cards. It's their platform to do with what they please—which includes the right they have as the world's largest software company to defend the end user from overbearing DRM and unreasonable piracy countermeasures. Honestly though, what do you expect? Microsoft did state one of their primary goals with OPM is to "[deliver] content using business rules that create incentives for the content owners."

[Via DMT]