Anodyne
Friday, May 27, 2005
 
ART (Aesthetically Rejected Thing): EMI Canada Copy Controlled "CDs"

My brand new legally purchased Pet Shop Boys "Pop Art" 2CD-set won't play on my office computer's music player of choice, only on EMI's proprietory, bug-ridden automatically installing "copyright control" software, which won't let me adjust the levels or any other setting to my liking. A glorified version of the Fisher-Price "record player" I once had as a kid.

"Please remember that this recording and artwork are protected by copyright law. Since you don't own the copyright, it's not yours to distribute." This despite the Canadian government's collecting a tax on MP3 players, CD-R blanks, etc. to compensate artists for any sales lost as a result of digital distribution. To say nothing of my not wanting to distribute the copyrighted material in the first place, but merely to enjoy it, as was promised by EMI's deceptive packaging.

To my mind, this is a little like me refusing to sell someone a new book, on the grounds that it's possible for them to photocopy the text after leaving the premises.

I look forward in my lifetime to buying a CD direct from Chris and Neil, artists I admire and support, without the dubious "help" of the useless folks at EMI.

Fortunately, BitTorrent and Limewire have helped me re-acquire that which I have already paid for.
- posted by cjb @ 9:45 PM


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