I’ve been halfway following the kerfuffle over RealNetworks having cracked the DRM scheme used by Apple’s iTunes Music Store. 

Hostilities started in late July, when RealNetworks cracked Apple’s FairPlay code, meaning songs bought from the RealPlayer Music Store could be played on the iPod—a move that went down very badly over at Apple. RealNetworks then decided to ratchet up the pressure by slashing the cost of its downloads to below the 99-cent price barrier favored by Apple.

The next step—a campaign and petition to get music fans to support the company’s open stance—hasn’t worked out quite as it might have hoped, after some people besieged the petition with obscenities and anti-RealNetworks postings.

The petition, on RealNetworks’ www.freedomofmusicchoice.org site, is titled: “Hey Apple! Don’t break my iPod.”

…

Readers were encouraged to sign up and leave comments on the petition, now running at more than 900 signatures. However, many comments left by petition signers were less than complimentary and featured a selection of tartly worded phrases and four-letter epithets, with the target being RealNetworks itself. CEO Rob Glaser came under particular attack from the Web site’s visitors.

Visitors—some of whom identified themselves as “Michael Jackson,” “The Pope” and “Bill Clinton”—expressed the view that they already have freedom of choice and would be exercising it by using Apple’s iTunes music service.

I’ve got an iPod mini, and while it plays my regular MP3 files, I have bought some music from the iTunes music store.  But of late I’ve soured on iTunes, primarily because of their closed format.  At present, I can only listen to the music I’ve purchased in one of the following ways: a) copy it to the iPod, b) listen on one of the computers, or c) burn a CD.

While the iPod and its headphones are OK when you’re out and about, it’s not so great when I’m at home.  In my living room I’ve got a Squeezebox digitally attached to my 500-watt Sony receiver which is driving a Cambridge Soundworks Newton MC300 speaker system (complete with 1000-watt sub).  In the bedroom I’ve got an Audiotron attached to another stereo.  All of this provides me with high-quality sound from my MP3 collection in either of my main living areas.  Unfortunately, the iTunes files can’t be played by either of these units.  The Squeezebox will play AAC files through its server software, but it can only play ones that don’t have DRM restrictions. 

When I first started getting music from the iTunes music store, I didn’t think the restrictions would annoy me as much as they do, but it’s gotten to be an irritant as time has gone by.  I suppose I could burn a CD and then rip it to MP3, but that seems like a lot of trouble, not to mention the lower sound quality.  Even though Apple touts their 128Kbps AAC files as being of high quality, I can definitely detect the difference between it and a 320Kbps MP3.  Another alternative would be to go ahead and strip the DRM from the files using something like Hymn, but it bugs me that I’d have to do that.  DRM is one of those things that bother me because it says they think you’re a potential criminal.  It’s no way to treat your customers.

So, given all the factors, I think I’m going to return to CDs and ripping MP3s.  While I like the idea of being able to buy individual tracks, the DRM doesn’t fit my usage model and the files from Apple don’t meet my quality expectations. 

Link via Slashdot.