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Why Stupid DRM Might Be Good

posted by janrinok on Thursday March 06 2014, @04:12PM   Printer-friendly
from the cup-too-far dept.

We covered the Keurig's DRM'ed Coffee Pod three days ago, but today Blackmoore provides us with a link to a Cory Doctorow article: Why DRM'ed coffee-pods may be just the awful stupidity we need.

In it, Doctorow argues that this case might conceivably lead someone to initiate legal action which could eventually, given a technically-savvy judge, result in common sense being applied and legal precedent being created. Blackmoore also provides this quote from the article: 'But of all the DRM Death Stars to be unveiled, Keurig's is a pretty good candidate for Battle Station Most Likely to Have a Convenient Thermal Exhaust Port.'"

 
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  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by githaron on Thursday March 06 2014, @04:23PM

    by githaron (581) on Thursday March 06 2014, @04:23PM (#12181)

    In it, Doctorow argues that this case might conceivably lead someone to initiate legal action which could eventually, given a technically-savvy judge, result in common sense being applied and legal precedent being created.

    More likely, a non-technically-savvy judge will be presiding over the case and we will be screwed by one more unfortunate legal precedent.

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  • (Score: 5, Informative) by frojack on Thursday March 06 2014, @04:57PM

    by frojack (1554) on Thursday March 06 2014, @04:57PM (#12205)

    The legal precedent [arstechnica.com] is already on the books. And it doesn't work favorably for Keurig.

    --
    Discussion should abhor vacuity, as space does a vacuum.

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by hemocyanin on Thursday March 06 2014, @04:58PM

    by hemocyanin (186) on Thursday March 06 2014, @04:58PM (#12206)

    Exactly. Those who put their faith in our legal system to rectify a wrong, fail to understand what it is about. It isn't about being right or just or fair or logical. It's about certainty -- the ability to pick a topic, ask "should I do this" and get an answer. Often a very stupid answer.

    Now, stupid answers are their own problem, but even worse are the situations in which there isn't an answer. At that point, a lawsuit is basically a ticket to a gambling match where it is impossible to pin exact odds of winning/losing. A very expensive and potentially devastating gambling match in which the worst possible option could very well the ultimate answer.

  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Angry Jesus on Thursday March 06 2014, @06:38PM

    by Angry Jesus (182) on Thursday March 06 2014, @06:38PM (#12269)

    More likely, a non-technically-savvy judge will be presiding over the case and we will be screwed by one more unfortunate legal precedent.

    No, you've missed the point. It is precisely because coffee makers are about as non-technical as you can get that such a case has a chance for a favorable precedent. Chances are good that any judge drinks coffee, they won't need technical knowledge to realize that forcing customers to only use one brand of coffee in their coffee maker is ridiculous.