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Daring Fireball: Why 2004 Won't Be Like 1984

Good stuff, but long.

The fact is, the market for DRM music is nascent. It remains to be seen whether any DRM-protected media format will be a long-term success. The entertainment industry certainly hopes so; consumer advocates certainly hope not.

If consumers revolt against DRM, and protected media slowly fades into oblivion, Apple has lost nothing. The iPod and iTunes have embraced unprotected audio files from the beginning.

But assuming that DRM-protected media takes hold, history indicates that one format will dominate the industry. The three major contenders now are Apple, Microsoft, and RealNetworks � and it�s generous to put RealNetworks in the list.

Is it any wonder or surprise that Apple would like to be the company that wins?

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