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Spoke to an old friend (who I've only had e-mail contact with over the past few years) this week, which was nice - even if I was having a difficult day in terms of stringing a coherent sentence together. I've obviously been thinking in symbols rather than words of late 8).
Had a bit of a rant about content control at work on Friday (mainly CSS, SDMI, CPRM plus variants, copyright including DMCA and the new, worse, European legislature), and it really rather made me feel very depressed. I love movies, music, books, art - always have done, always will. And I'm happy to pay my way. I'll go out of my way to do so. If I grab some music off something like "Napster", I'll go out and buy the single or the CD. If I wander into a shop, I'll buy a CD or DVD I like the "look/sound" of, regardless of whether it turns out to be a pile of shite when I get to hear/see it. Same with books, games, you name it. I'm an ideal consumer. I buy stuff. I am a "target demographic".
But I'm obviously untrustworthy. I shouldn't be allowed to consume without the express permission of a record/movie/etc company lawyer. Let's face it, they wouldn't want me to listen to something that wasn't making them any money, would they? Something not officially sanctioned? Heaven forbid! Just because an American can buy a DVD of the movie "Almost Famous" doesn't mean that I should be able to watch the same DVD here in the UK.
Global media conglomerates want the advantages of local and global markets without the disadvantages of either. I happen to believe in free trade, I believe free trade benefits everyone. But corrupt, morally bankrupt politicians (not forgetting the "intellectually-giftless" politicians who'll do whatever they're told for no fee at all) are happy to go along with whatever the "industry" tells them, and gets legislation passed to provide further control in the conglomerate's favour... after all, there's lots of persuasive "donations" in them thar hills, as Bernie Eccleston would attest. It wouldn't be seemly to look after the interests of those who voted for you, after all. When was the last time you heard a politician say "I'd have gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for you darn pesky voters"? But I digress.
I could go on, but I only wanted to mention that I'd had a bit of a rant. But buying music and DVDs has started to make me feel guilty for funding technologies and restrictions that I believe are insidious and reprehensible.
Which is a shame. Probably these feelings have been intensified because I've bought a pair of sonically amazing headphones which arrived yesterday afternoon and make good music sound like bliss (hell, even shite music sounds good, as long as it's been recorded well). Made by Etymotic Research, they fit deep into the ear canal and consequently isolate you (almost completely) from your surroundings (they double up as earplugs!). Very impressive indeed, and well worth the cash if you're so inclined 8). Fortunately, they'll play unlicensed (as well as unencrypted) music streams from a variety of sources including CD, Minidisc and MP3 players.
My games programming books also arrived, which I'm quite pleased about - lots of handy programming tips from developers I've actually heard of. Very good indeed. 8).
Lots of interesting stuff still in development. Much other stuff still chugging along. At least things are beginning to get interesting... 8)