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I'm trying not to sound like a troll here but: why are you comfortable buying DRM time-bombs in fragile plastic form? I think Apple or Amazon's DRM servers are equally likely to be viable 10 years from now.


My bet is that in ten years, today's Blu-ray DRM schemes are pretty much as busted as dvd-css is today. It sure shows cracks already, and the bittorrent scene certainly seems to have no problem having high quality bd-rips.

Of course, if these online services become big enough for anyone to bother cracking the DRM, they are likely to be headed for a similar destiny.


Because at least a Blu Ray disc is a standard that is playable by a wide range of devices and vendors. You're right that Apple and Amazon aren't dying any time soon, so I should've said I don't want a single vendor determining how I play their videos.


The real question is simply whether the estimated longevity of a Blu Ray disc is greater than the estimated longevity of one of the major online video vendors. I'm not sure I'd bet against the physical media deteriorating or drives requiring replacement or upgrades before then - and since it's usually cost-neutral across the form-factors, there's a temptation to bet on software lasting longer than hardware.




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