“The French Senate approved a new copyright bill yesterday, but amended it to soften a requirement for digital music vendors such as Apple Computer to open up their DRM (digital rights management) technologies to competitors,” Peter Sayer reports for IDG News Service. “The text of the bill approved by senators on Wednesday retains the principle of DRM interoperability, but opens a loophole allowing companies to keep their technology secret… Senators weakened the bill’s blanket requirement that vendors give details of their DRM technology to those wishing to develop interoperable systems. Instead, they voted to create a new regulatory authority responsible for mediating requests for such details.”
“The authority will have the power to order companies to share details of their DRM, but companies will be able to refuse as long as their DRM systems only limit usage of digital music or movies in a way approved by the author or copyright holder,” Sayer reports. “Developers of open source software seeking to make their code interoperable with DRM-protected systems and files will also face a challenge: DRM technology owners will be allowed to prohibit publication of source code developed using the details they provide, if they can show that such publication would seriously affect the security and effectiveness of their DRM system.”
Full article here.
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Related articles:
French Senate vote could offer loophole for Apple’s iTunes – May 09, 2006
Vive l’iTunes! French ‘state-sponsored piracy’ DRM law gutted in committee – May 01, 2006
Force open Apple’s FairPlay? What has possessed the French this time? – April 27, 2006
French Trade Minister: Apple’s iTunes must play fair in French music market – April 14, 2006
JP Morgan: French DRM law will have limited impact on Apple Computer – March 28, 2006
Dvorak: What the French got right with proposed DRM law – March 28, 2006
Will Apple’s Steve Jobs bid France adieu? – March 22, 2006
Wired’s Kahney: Proposed French copyright protection law a good thing for consumers in the long run – March 22, 2006
Apple calls proposed French DRM law ‘state-sponsored piracy,’ predicts iPod sales increase – March 21, 2006
French National Assembly approves digital copyright bill; could affect Apple’s FairPlay DRM – March 21, 2006
Apple wins…. good for them.
will not have share?
Frenchy. “I surrender—again.”
I thought the record labels wanted to force iPod interoperability to prevent Apple from maintaining its iTMS monopoly. I hope Apple has enough clout with them in France to prevent them refusing to sign a new contract with Apple to take account of this new law.
Ron. You’re an idiot.
ron,
you mean just like the Americans did in Vietnam, and are going to do again in Irak.
Thank you Vanna — Is there a “to” in the title?
— I’d like to buy a vowel.
The French: cheese-eating surrender monkeys.
‘Nuff said.
You America haters need a slap in the face. France did surrender and France is known for surrendering.
FRANCE is the butt of jokes in the world because everyone knows the french are a bunch of bottom feeder losers. Whether you like it or not it’s true!
Hate America all you want but you know you envy us.
DON’T FORGET you freaks, Apple Computer is an American company. Steve Jobs is American no matter how much you wish he were a ‘native european’. LOL
Vive USA!
Korea, Bosnia, Somalia….
to all the xenophobes who for the last few weeks have been saying that the french should not make apple open up fair play to now say that the french surrender once again – i ask : do really expect to have your cake and eat it?
pick one stance and stick with it.
MW : ‘although’ i do not have much time for a lot of french politics, we must try to be fair and praise them now for seeing sense.
Kate = cheap-ass, trailer-trash crack whore.
Hey, generalizations are always fun!
My country is going down the drain, I know this. In 10-20 years Muslims will overtake the French government. How sad it will be. We welcomed the immigrants with open arms when we needed them and they are the ones who will now destroy the France that I have grown to know and love.
What happened to our model social system? We are being destroyed from within, slowly but surely.
To the Americans who hate on France. Yes there are problems with my country but most of the people are still good.
Anyway, I withdraw from this discussion. While I hate to agree with the blind France-haters, there are kernels of truth in what they say.
For sale on Ebay
1 french rifle, good condition, only dropped once
1 pair french politician trousers, slightly soiled
1 set of male testicles, never used
Please contact Charko at
Charko’sACoward@ImADouchebag.com
Charko’s Ameritard Cousin:
Of course Steve Jobs is American. Any talk of his biological half-Syrian lineage is entirely irrelevant….
Of course.
their govt sucks, but their chicks suck better.
Hey I am back.
The truth needs to be heard. STEVE JOBS and APPLE COMPUTER are European in spirit.
The way I see, MICROSOFT is to the business world what USA is to the free world. A big bully who uses its might to have their say in the world.
APPLE on the other hand is free and independent as is the European Union. Europe loves Apple Computer because they represent us Europeans in so many aspecets.
The reality is that Apple Computer is European in spirit. Steve Jobs may be an American citizen but I have a strong feeling that he wished he were European and that Apple Computer would be relocated in Western Europe.
Silly Americans, APPLE COMPUTER is basically a European company with European ideals.
Apple Computer is so far from being American it makes me love Apple macs and ipods even more. One day Apple will come (I can dream can’t I?) to Europe and represent us as they do now in spirit.
More, Ron….
No $hit you retard that Steve is half Syrian. DUH
My dear American Cousin,
you really don’t get it do you?
I’m not an ‘American hater’. I’m just throwing your silly xenophobia back in your silly face.
I’ve always had American friends and am an admirer of America. But in ALL countries there are nasty xenophobes, like you.
You belong to the group of French, German, British, Japananese (etc) Xenophobes.
You have more in common with them than you do with fair-minded, unprejudiced Americans – or their equivalents in other countries.
If you read the passages regarding open source solutions you’ll find that this bill actually goes beyond current French law, in protecting proprietary DRM technologies. This is a very good bill.
Youval….
I’ve been to Paris twice, loved the people. Some of the most gracious and kind I’ve ever met in my travels. But you’re right, it’s the government of France that is struggling to find it’s way right now. Glad to hear you’re in the USA now.
I don’t think it’s fair to call people french haters or xenophobic when their frustrated with a country that opposes everything your country wants to do and accomplish, regardless of the political party in the white house, or regularly makes it national policy to oppose american business.
Trashing the people would be xenophobia, but being disgusted with the government is a different thing.
Some people, and I’m not refering to you, use the title xenophobe to lable anyone who has any problem with the French. Just like some people lable someone as racist when they have a problem with the agenda of the black caucus in the usa congress.
Opposition doesn’t automatically denote fear, racism, or hatred. It can, but not always. Sometimes it’s legitimate, but in online forums it’s easier to lable people that to understand them.
Any of you France-haters on this board now willing to send back the Statue of Liberty? After all, it was created by a dirty, surrendering, cheese-eating Frenchman. Or maybe you asshats would like to go back to being a colony of Britain again? If it wasn’t for the help of the French, you donut-eating scumbags would be scarfing down steak and kidney pie instead.
Damn, I should send this mongologue to the Colbert show instead of wasting it on the likes of you…
Shut up before I slap your mom like my dad used to when they were kids.
You don’t have any American friends you liar. I’m not a Xenophobe, I just hate my retarded European cousin, mainly you.
YES I KNOW MY RESPONSE IS CHILDISH so you’ve got nothing else to say.
BYE and don’t expect me to send you any gifts on your birthday.
p.s. nevermind I’ll send you 13 dead frogs via snail mail.
more ron and charko qualify as ameriphobes
RON you shut cho mouth.
Take that dirty statue back to france and drop it on the house of parliament while you’re at it.
I am creating a George Washington statue that we will put in it’s place.
The original Statue of Liberty was of a Black woman whose hand was shown breaking the chains that held her in the shackles. But that was too radical for the “freedom-conscious, status preserving power structure, who at that time were only concerned about preserving their own status. Statue of Liberty, my eye.
it’s obvious you’re the same poster because of the way you type and use elipsies. Please be honest enough to use one handle instead of pretending to be more than one person. Unless you’re macdude, then post away, we’re used to him being a nutcase here.
Wow, what a discussion.
Anytime France is mentioned, this starts! It really reveals the underlying tension/hatred these two countries have for one another.
I’m a U.S. citizen with love for both countries. We both have problems, we both have things that are good. Let’s leave it at that?
My dear American cousin,
how pathetic your post is!
I certainly do have American friends and, unlike you, they can write good English.
Yeah, send the statue back. If keeping it means we have to owe the french one day longer. Rip it apart and send the bitch home. Ungrateful frogs.
Ameriphobe – figure it out.
I am posting under one handle, not multiple ones.
I like Americans. However, when they talk stoopid, they become Ameritards.
I also dislike people who are wilfully ignorant of the past and the present. I tell them so, to their faces as well as on boards like this. They don’t like it much because it creates an unwanted conflict in their effort to sound more like Bill O’Retard or Rush Drugabuser or whatever.
I also dislike donut-eaters. And Puritans. And especially puritanical donut-eaters. Puritanical donut-eaters were the reason the Founding Fathers were Deists.
I see Americans as Deists, until they start talking stoopid. Then they become Puritans.
Now it’s time for lunch. Let’s see, what on the menu? Hmmm… I’ll have the Puritan stew, please. Excuse me, that stew still comes with the cheese-eating surrender monkey? Fresh? Good! And a Budweiser, please. And an Alka-Seltzer…
More Ron’s advice to Americans….
“If it wasn’t for the help of the French, you donut-eating scumbags would be scarfing down steak and kidney pie instead.
More Ron’s attempt at correction of another…
“Kate = cheap-ass, trailer-trash crack whore. Hey, generalizations are always fun!”
More Ron’s Super Ego talking to More Ron…
How about you hold yourself accountable to the same level you hold others accountable Mr. shit for brains.
Hey, super ego…
Since I’m now apparently arguing with a 12-year-old, reach over into your 50 Cent “Get Rich or Try Dyin’ ” backpack and pull out that U.S. history book — it will be the dusty one; you never look in it because you and your donut-eating friends think hip-hop is more “cool” than knowing your own history — and look up what it says under “The Battle of Yorktown.” Report back to the class… we’ll wait.
An apology would be nice, but not expected. No sane person expects an apology from an ignorant ingrate.
More good news for Apple. Another reason for a decline in the stock price.
How is Steve Job’s health these days?
This one goes to 11.
In France, the Senate is useless! Only the deputies vote the laws!
So, You’re refusing to hold yourself to the same standard you set up for everyone else?
Let’s not change the subject and try and make this about history.
The post I’m interested in is are you able to hold yourself to the same standard that you hold others to. Or.. are you going to pretend to ignore it, call someone a 12 year old, use sarcasim, and ask for an apology.
The question remains…”How about you hold yourself accountable to the same level you hold others accountable Mr. shit for brains?”
Will everyone just S.T.F.U. and talk about what this article is about? Holy Hell, does every topic have to degenerate into a “FRANCE SUCKS/AMERICA SUCKS” argument!? Who the hell made you people experts on everything? France has problems, America has it’s own problems, BIG FREAKIN DEAL! That has nothing to do with the topic at hand!
Next thing you know, someone’s going to write a post to an article on French Champaigne claiming that such-and-sch label didn’t win top awards, because sheep in France have foul smelling hooves or the fact that cabbies in Chicago all pick their noses…
Christ, people. Stay on topic and leave the political/hate topics to the lefist blogs and political sites.
“An apology would be nice, but not expected. No sane person expects an apology from an ignorant ingrate.” – must be another frenchman living off a 200 year old achievement, thinking that everything he’s done in the past 100 years means nothing.
How about the FACT that France was bribed and bought-off with Oil For Food money (along w/ Germany, Russia and China) to stall UN sanctions and then, AND THEN, sold weapons (night vision, anti-aircraft artillary, etc.) to Saddam to use against us. And they wonder why we fscking hate them? The question should be: Why haven’t we bitch slapped France for assisting in the assualt on our troops? With friends like France who needs enemies?
super ego:
Technically speaking, I am holding myself to the same standard “kate” is. I said “generalizations are always fun!” and I have continued to paint with the same broad brush “kate” used.
I have also provided historical context to assert that the French have helped America (Revolutionary War) and paid tribute to it (Statue of Liberty).
You, super ego, have contributed nothing to this but anger, which is the hallmark of the Ameritard. Good jeorb.
As mentioned before: I like Americans. When they turn into hideous trolls like “kate” and yourself, it’s time to release the Hounds of Truth!
“This is the Colbearrr Reporrrrrrr!”
Ron, More, Ron, etc.
The American Revolution was the last time the French showed any backbone. Ever since Napolean shit the bed at Waterloo the only thing they’ve been known for is cheese, wine, the French New Wave, and bellyaching about everybody else. France is in a mess, their economy is wrecked, they’re people don’t work and all they can think to do is blame the Brits. Oh, and the Americans.
As for Lady Liberty? Just come on over and try to take it. She’s ours now and forever.
Oh – and Viet Nam? Do you remember your history? France started the whole thing. It had been a French colony. Remember Dien Bien Phu? And when you couldn’t take it any more, you got America to help you out. AND THEN YOU RAN! You left us with the crap you goofed up. That’s history. Remember it. Learn from it.
They should have taken the chance to do away with all proprietary DRM. If DRM must be used, all the companies should congregate around an open standard.
Down with proprietary DRM. It’s bad for the consumer.
Oh yeah, and how about the FACT that the same friggin thing is happening all over again with Iran? France has been bought off AGAIN along with Russia and China, the UN Security Council sticks it’s head up it ass and Iran pushes forward with it’s nuke weapons program. Thanks an butt load France for making the world a safer place!
Bill:
You’ve forgotten the 1980s so soon? Didn’t you jiust speak with your buddy Ollie North last week?
What was episode called again? Oh right: “Iran-Contra.” Arms for hostages. Sell guns to Iran to send money to undermine yet another foreign government. Two-for-one deal; another fine jaerb by the U.S. government!
And you schmucks are telling me that I’M the one who’s tough to get along with…
Nigel Tufnel: This one goes to 11.
Brilliant non-sequitur response, Nigel.
Brilliant.
More Ron/Charko – same person, look at the posts.
Coward and an ameriphobe.
Thankyou “tired of everything”, these rants that people go off on are getting very annoying and do nothing but bring out the worst in people.
DRM or no DRM, As long as apple continues to make $$ and isn’t hurt by the EU, I’m in favor of it. Go apple!
Charlie’s Uncle…
And you’re a donut-eating Ameritard chickenhawk. What’s your point, loser?
“Technically speaking, I am holding myself to the same standard “kate” is”
uh – the question was are you willing to hold yourself to the same standard you hold OTHERS to MR. shit for brains. You’ve just been hoisted on your own pitard…. need a translation for that? How about you turn down the anti-american rants, the calling someone a 12 year old, the doughnut eating comments, and get back to the post at question if you’re not gonna at least admit when you’re wrong.
“What’s your point, loser?”
That you’re a coward who posts under numerous handles to make his argument appear more universal and that you’re an ameriphobe – wasn’t that plain enough for you?
super ego:
It’s “petard”, not “pitard”, retard.
Yo, Rico! Back to troll study hall before I pop one of Rush Limpdick’s caplets in yo’ ass. You need a timeout; your troll-fu is becoming exceedingly weak, what with being absolutely pwned by history and current events and your own anger and your total lack of reasoning.
I’ve stayed on topic and answered every single one of your totally asinine questions. That you reject my answers is much more a reflection on your poor skillz, junior, than on me.
“Fat, (angry) and stupid is no way to go through life, son.”
NEXT!
more, ron – Was that other government FRANCE? No. Or any other of our supposed allies? No. So, what’s your argument again? That’s right, stupid.
If it’s in our nation’s strategic interest to assist in destabilizing a rogue government, that’s one thing, whether you agree with means and motive or not. But you cannot possibly equivocate that with a government on the take who is taking cash under the table in one hand and supplying arms to an enemy of an ally with the other in a war that they are “supposed” to be having no part of. Oh, they may not have been fighting on the battle field but they sure the hell were handing out the weapons – to the fscking bad guys!
Just like your name suggests, you’re a moron, more, ron.
GO USA! We are the biggest! We are the baddest! We are the smartest and most educatedest! All the world eats our dust and smiles! ARRRRRRR! Feel my biceps!
Yeeesh. Shouldn’t there be a separate forum for posters age 12 and under?
Anyone here understand why Apple doesn’t license FairPlay or make iPods WMA compatible? Is it just to lock iPod users into iTunes, or are there technical or legal reasons? Personally, I don’t care – I buy CDs and rip ’em. So much for the “closed” system.
Hmmm, that should have been equate, not equivocate.
Charlie’s Uncle:
Yes. I’m a coward. And you’re a big Internet tough guy.
I like Americans. Too bad they seem to be outnumbered on this board — and in parts of the U.S. … the “red” parts — by Ameritard losers who voted for voted for a dumbass like Chimpy McFlightsuit! Twice!
Heck of a jerb, Ameritards!
Wow – the spelling police are out in force.
The question remains, and it’s obvious that you’re not gonna answer it.
Have a nice life shit for brains. Charlie’s uncle is right, you’re an ameriphobe, and a coward. You only insult, you don’t answer posts put to you. You have not answered my post about are you going to hold yourself to the same standard that you hold others to. You know it and so does anyone else reading your drivel.
You’re absolutely the lowest of the low when it comes to bloggers. You rant and rave, have nothing constructive to say. You laugh at americans and pretend that everyone who disagrees with you is a conservative republican. You’ve been arguing with a democrat you idiot.
angry and stupid is exactly what you are, the fat part you’ll have to decide for yourself.
Nice try at the street talk, it’s not convincing.
lol. I think you’ll find that there are pleanty of American’s on this board, both red and blue. but post away frenchieflameboy…. it’s fun to watch. Correct my spelling all you want if it helps you feel better. The straight fact is, you are a lowlife ameriphobe. Live with it.
Well, I don’t know about most of the rest of you donut-chomping, knob-polishing, Larry-The-Cable-Guy watching bunch of you, but I think it’s a good thing that they’re ironing out this DRM business over there in France; maybe the riots will stop now.
MW: all… that is…
/lights a cigar, whistles softly…
“…they voted to create a new regulatory authority…”
More frikkin’ beauocracy!
thanks for giving in ameriphobe
After having read back through these posts, I have determined that:
1. By accusing “More Ron’s Super Ego” of being 12 years old, I have inadvertently insulted every 12-year-old… to whom I hereby apologize. It’s obvious that the reading and comperehension skills of MR’SE are dreadfully, shockingly far below those of the average 12-year-old. So BIG ups to the li’l peeps, yo.
2. MR’SE reveals him/her/itself further by forgetting the previous handle and later splatting out the sartorially inelegant “More Ron Is Charlie,” further forgetting that now he/she/it has tangentially insulted one of the other putative “posters” in this thread. “Sylvia,” anyone?
3. MR’SE likely doesn’t know the meanings of the words “sartorially” and “putative” but figures it’s all a part of the hate-down, so they can’t be good.
How’my doin’ so far?
More Ron’s Super Ego :
was the irony of your ‘hoisting’ deliberate or accidental?
Main Entry: pe·tard
Pronunciation: p&-‘tär(d)
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French, from peter to break wind…
1 : a case containing an explosive to break down a door or gate or breach a wall
2 : a firework that explodes with a loud report
MW : ‘hear’ – now that’s ironic
More ron is exactly that. A moron.
MRiC:
Sir/Madam/Thingee,
I find myself mortally wounded. Well played, damn you, WELL PLAYED!
I like your ideas and in the little time I have left before I am forever enveloped in the sweet caress of Morpheus, I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
Strike the tent!
/falls
Why is it that the loudest proclaimers of “America (USA) is best” are the most likely to have never actually been outside of the US (or even their own state, come to think of it), in order to provide a valid frame of reference for their opinion?
Believe it ot not, there are many places in the world, some quite nice, where the quality of life is every bit as “good” as it’s thought to be in the USA, (but often isn’t).*check out infant mortality stats at
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3852568.html
Also, the people manage to live very fruitful lives and never give a passing thought to how “bad off” they are since they aren’t Americans. Why days and even weeks might go by and they never even think about USA!
Moron….
“I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.”
sure… go to this url
http://www.moronisafrog.com
and subscribe away
lol, this is getting hilarious
Macaholic,
“America (USA) is best” has been proclaimed by who in this thread?
First the Beatles, now the French, and the day after tomorrow, the world.
mmmwhahaha ahah
Bonjour. Rendezvous?
*name withheld*
Was not referring to a specific statement, more of a general sentiment that gets expressed.
Macaholic…
ok. cool.