French iPod law prepares for vote

It would appear that the watering down and corporate-sponsored evisceration of the French iPod law has ceased, as today the French legislation cemented the final wording of the law, which is to be put before the French Senate and National Assembly in a vote without debate. It sounds as though the bill has attracted some chaff along the way and lost some weight around its DRM waistline, so what the latest down version will actually mean for Apple and French consumers if passed is a little unclear -- but what is remarkably apparent is Cupertino's steady and vehement opposition to the bill, or any that would imply FairPlay be gutted itself.

[Finished.Law.School @ Jun 22nd 2006 11:10PM]

But it is France, so will there be any real impact?

[Ace McGibbits @ Jun 23rd 2006 12:18AM]

Its France, there won't be any impact unless China (who makes the ipod) invades France, in which case the US will have to step up and bail them out again.

[Matt @ Jun 23rd 2006 2:01AM]

i got one word for you "charlie", racist

[Fox @ Jun 23rd 2006 3:29AM]

You guys are ignorant beyond belief.

[Merkur @ Jun 23rd 2006 4:29AM]

Being French and living abroad for many years, I heard a lot about smelly French, eating snails, frogs, etc... Quel cliché! Come on, you missed the point! This is not about the French or France, this is about the DRM and how this could change the industry...

I can't believe people are so STUPID to report everything to a country or a nationality... The Danish are planning the same law... so what you gonna say "yeah... the vikings trying to kick Apple's arse..." !!!

[Pomme @ Jun 23rd 2006 4:56AM]

Please, tell me these are not actual real comments. Please.

[Jeroen @ Jun 23rd 2006 6:04AM]

Music is data, not software and should be interoperable. You can play a cd on every working cd player (or it's not a cd player). There's no difference with an mp3, it’s just a new storage format.

Don't the above posts prove the accuracy of most predjudices against Americans?

The only thing left is invading France and then even recent polls would be confirmed

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/06/22/news/bush.php

"That's absurd!" Bush declared, dismissing a reporter's suggestion that most Europeans regard the United States as a bigger threat to global stability than North Korea, which has proclaimed it has nuclear arms, or Iran, which is suspected of developing them.

[njustn @ Jun 23rd 2006 8:46AM]

As ignorant as the first posts may seem, they do have something of a point. France is not a large market for apple in the ipod buisness right now, and it's entirely possible that if the sanctions on DRM are harsh enough, they may simply decide not to sell to france anymore.

If that is the decision, it will require a few much larger and more technology hungry countries for us to see a major change, though I hope that's not the case. Especially since this might open the eyes of the most ignorant group in the sector right now, the recording industry itself.

[Intrepid @ Jun 23rd 2006 9:04AM]

I hope you Apple loving people oneday realise that you have been screwed over by apples very restrictive DRM.
A person with a "playforsure" player can play music from loads of stores - and unlike Apple, Microsoft would license their DRM to anyone. Who has the monopoly now, mr. turtle-neck?

[Adam Ritchie @ Jun 23rd 2006 9:46AM]

As much as I like the idea of this bill, this is not appropriate solution to this problem. If you don't like Apple's restrictive DRM, stop buying your music from iTunes! This is a just another case of trying to solve a problem through legislation which should be solved by the market.

[Josh @ Jun 23rd 2006 10:02AM]

If Endgadget did some real reporting you would see that the bill is not just for Apple. It is requiring all makers to open their DRM for all. Sony, SanDisk, Creative,...they would all have to comply with this law.

I personally just go and buy a CD if I want some new music and then I can do with it what I please.

[brian @ Jun 23rd 2006 10:53AM]

@adam ritchie

I couldn't agree with you more. Ignorance/bigotry of previous statements aside, this is yet another problem which capitalism could handle with ease. Allow the free market to decide--that's how the wonderful things such as Skype became so popular. Viva la Capitalism!

[stev @ Jun 23rd 2006 12:09PM]

well i really dont like drm (or apple, their commercials piss me off)
it doesnt keep people from sharing music online it just makes itr a little harder (burn to cd, then rerip or use a special program to convert the files)

and it makes things harder for people who have legally bought the music
like when they lose the licenses after a reformat but recover the useless music files
or when they have a player that supports a drm then get a new one that doesnt and have to go thru pain to convert the files
hooray for mp3

[Pomme @ Jun 23rd 2006 1:35PM]

@ Josh

Yes, every online music shop available in France should comply with this law (which is, on several points, a very frightening law, search for "DADVSI"). The fact is, only Apple screamed and threatened to stop selling in France, and the company is the only one that sells songs that are not compatible with any other player (wether software or hardware), while others are just using the "playforsure" thing, so you can play their songs on each and every player (except... well, I guess you know.)

[Bruce @ Jun 23rd 2006 3:40PM]

The iPod + the iTunes Music Store is a business model created by apple for making profit. There is nothing wrong about that model in the US. Who gives a crap about DRM and interpolarity. If you do not like the restrictions of DRM do not buy music from apple, and do not buy an iPod but do not sue the company because you do not like their business model. Just because you were able to play any CD in any CD player before does not mean you will be able to do so for MP3. You cant use any rasor blade with any rasor. It's the same business model.