Wherein the Fly Hates DRM and the RIAA

A few weeks ago, I bought a new computer. Now, some of you may remember that a few years ago, there was a massive uproar among recording artists and within the recording industry that revolved around record sales that were supposedly going to be hurt by digital music. Rather than responding to this with an actual effort to adjust to and exploit the new technology, the recording industry came in kicking and screaming. They finally relented once they'd figured out a solution that would sufficiently screw the consumer: digital rights management.

As I mentioned, I bought a new computer. As I've transferred the files from my old computer, I've found that all of the files I downloaded from the now-dead Yahoo(!) music store are permanently locked. I spent an hour or so auditing those files, and here's what I found.

I have 647 total audio files (mp3s), some of which are podcasts, some of which are rarities or oddities I've found online, and most of which are music.

Of those 647 total audio files, 308 files are from the Yahoo(!) Music store, and are DRM locked. At $0.99 per song, that's $304.92 that I've paid to legally acquire music, that I'm now unable to use.

Of those 308 locked files, I have the CDs for 198 of those songs - 186 songs worth of which are available here, and 12 of which are on CDs that are across the continent in [Hometown].

I don't have the CDs for 106 of those files, so the only way to reacquire them would be to repurchase them on Amazon.com, or buy the CDs. That means I'd be out at least another $106 to reacquire music that I'd already purchased.

Needless to say, I'm less than thrilled about all of this. I get a new computer, and because the RIAA are dicks, I have to spend at least $106 all over again? All of this, for obeying the rules, instead of downloading music illegally? I'm obviously frustrated with Yahoo(!) for taking down their DRM server - MSN is keeping theirs up until 2011, and seriously, it's not that costly to keep that kind of resource available for your customers when you shut down. The real issue is the RIAA.

As far as I'm concerned, the RIAA can go fuck itself.

Also, I'll probably be selective about which songs I replace, not only out of frugality, but because I don't think that the folks who enforce this DRM nonsense deserve another $106 (or $308, for that matter) from me.

Idiots.