New Microsoft Licensing Fee Intended to Keep Out Hobbyists and Small Programmers

I'm so glad that Linux and OSX are getting more popular.

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Originally Posted by Slashdot

BokLM writes "Microsoft's Amir Majidimehr, Corporate VP of the Windows Digital Media Division, explained at a DRM conference in London why they require a license fee from device makers." From the article: "According to Amir, the fee is not intended to recoup the expenses Microsoft incurred in developing their DRM, or to turn a profit. The intention is to reduce the number of licensees to a manageable level, to lock out 'hobbyists' and other entities that Microsoft doesn't want to have to trouble itself with."

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Originally Posted by boingboing

Microsoft's DRM requires that device makers pay Microsoft a license fee for each device that plays back video encoded with its system. it also requires every such vendor to submit to a standardized, non-negotiable license agreement that spells out how the player must be implemented. This contract contains numerous items that limit the sort of business you're allowed to pursue, notably that you may not implement a Microsoft player in open source software.

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Hobbyists make the best programs. Microsoft = fail.

I want M$ taken to court for this.

I'm sure MS will be so successful at locking out these devices.
Anyway, it doesn't surprise me.
They've already stated that they want to lock out all non-DRM content and all unsigned code.
Sorry MS, but I think I'll decide what runs on my computer.

Doesn't phase me. I'm not in this gen.

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Originally Posted by kedawa

I'm sure MS will be so successful at locking out these devices.
Anyway, it doesn't surprise me.
They've already stated that they want to lock out all non-DRM content and all unsigned code.
Sorry MS, but I think I'll decide what runs on my computer.

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This is why I'm grabbing a copy or two of XP Pro before Vista comes out. After that, I'm learning Linux. They can go do tax returns on an alligator's back for all I care.

Live CDs are your friend.
Almost everyone to whom I've shown Ubuntu Live has ended up installing Ubuntu as their main OS, and those that haven't are just waiting for certain apps or technologies to be supported.

The writing is already on the wall. Just look at how much progress Linux has made in the last five years, and how little Windows has improved since Windows 2000.
MS's kernel versions speak for themselves; W2K = NT 5.0, WXP = NT 5.1

Sooo.... Does this mean no more homebrew at all? No more MAME? No more homebrew shmups? Or does this only mean no more homebrew media players... No more Winamp or FLAC. Either way, that sucks.

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Originally Posted by kedawa

Live CDs are your friend.
Almost everyone to whom I've shown Ubuntu Live has ended up installing Ubuntu as their main OS, and those that haven't are just waiting for certain apps or technologies to be supported.

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Tell me more about this. I need a PC to play music. Only that. Nothing else. MS keeps all of the good functions of Windows Media Player locked out unless you buy XP. I don't feel like buying XP.

With Ubuntu could I:
Encode music with a lossless compression?
Encode music into a more advanced lossy compression than MP3 for playback on a Nomad Zen Xtra?
Transfer music to a Nomad Zen Xtra?
Burn CDs?
Rip CDs and have the internet automatically fill in song names?

Where does one get Ubuntu programs? Is there an Ubuntu Photoshop?

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Sooo.... Does this mean no more homebrew at all? No more MAME? No more homebrew shmups? Or does this only mean no more homebrew media players... No more Winamp or FLAC. Either way, that sucks.

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I think its just referring to hardware... hence the word DEVICES.

i love how everybody acts like any OS made before Vista will suddenly disappear or cease to function at the end of this year. if you don't like the way Vista is headed there's plenty of other options.