It's not often I post commentary on things I don't know much about, but give me this one opportunity. Thanks.
I have very few rules in my life. They include the basics like "don't steal candy from a baby if it can catch up with me" and so on. One big one that has come from the introduction of copy protected CDs really is quite simple: "Don't buy Copy Protected CDs".
As a Mac user these copy protection methods invariably have no effect - you get two discs on your desktop, one an actual audio CD that shows up in iTunes, and another trying to get you to run evil software. However, every time you purchase one of these CDs you are encouraging this form of copy protection. Just say no.
In case you think I'm suggesting you download everything, well, in the last 6 months I've purchased 171 tracks off the US iTunes Music Store. I've downloaded none from anywhere else. I'm not advocating stealing. (How can I justify iTMS purchases? They let me do everything I want with the music: listen on several computers and listen on my iPod. The DRM'd CDs won't.)
It is possible to get good music on CD, without copy protection. My latest purchase Bernard Fanning - Tea & Sympathy is a great example of this. Give your support to albums, artists, labels who do not use copy protection.
Look on the back of a CD before you buy it. If you see anything related to copy protection: DON'T BUY IT. If you do, and it does, take it back. Don't let them argue, refuse to accept copy protected garbage.
This stems from Bad, bad Coldplay. Quoted from the leaflet:
Thank you very much for purchasing this CD and helping the cause of 'Anti-Piracy'.
Well there you go. Glad I didn't buy X&Y. Sorry Coldplay. Great album, but your label will not get my money as long as it treats me like a criminal.
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