AfterDawn: News

Wal-Mart decides to maintain DRM servers

Last month we reported that Wal-Mart was shutting down its MP3 DRM servers, effectively killing off any music you have purchased from the retailer, unless you burn the music to CD and then rip it back DRM-free.

It appears the giant retailer has done an about face after public backlash and will keep the servers running at "the present time," according to Ravi Jariwala, a Walmart.com spokesman.



The decision follows that of both Yahoo and MSN who decided to shut down their servers and reversed the decision after public backlash.

"(Walmart.com) will continue to evaluate options and no decisions have been made at this point. In the meantime, we'll continue to offer MP3 downloads through our online music store and will assist with DRM issues for protected Windows Media Audio (WMA) files purchased from Walmart.com," added Jariwala.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 10 Oct 2008 16:31

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• 6 comments

• JRude

  So. DRM bytes the butts of big retailers. Think of the expense of carrying the servers. Serves them right.

  10.10.2008 16:57 #1

• ydkjman

  It is nice they are taking care of the customer. They could also think about just offering the tracks that people have gotten with DRM in the DRM free format and then still go ahead and shut down the servers.
  What's going to cost more keeping the servers up on line or doing doing this other thing?

  10.10.2008 18:05 #2

• DVDBack23

  Originally posted by ydkjman: It is nice they are taking care of the customer. They could also think about just offering the tracks that people have gotten with DRM in the DRM free format and then still go ahead and shut down the servers.
  What's going to cost more keeping the servers up on line or doing doing this other thing?Smart idea. Offer the customers the tracks they already downloaded in drm-free MP3 and then shut down the servers in a few months. Would save them money and would make the customer happy as well.

  10.10.2008 18:25 #3

• defgod

  Quote:Originally posted by ydkjman: It is nice they are taking care of the customer. They could also think about just offering the tracks that people have gotten with DRM in the DRM free format and then still go ahead and shut down the servers.
  What's going to cost more keeping the servers up on line or doing doing this other thing?Smart idea. Offer the customers the tracks they already downloaded in drm-free MP3 and then shut down the servers in a few months. Would save them money and would make the customer happy as well.Well duh. But they are a company in the business of making money. I really don't seeing them doing this but hey there might actually be a company that takes its head out of its ass. And sorry for sounding like an ass myself.

  10.10.2008 22:22 #4

• ydkjman

  Originally posted by defgod: Well duh. But they are a company in the business of making money. I really don't seeing them doing this but hey there might actually be a company that takes its head out of its ass. And sorry for sounding like an ass myself.Tell me how would keeping the servers open be making money? If I got to download all my songs again that I had before but this time for free without the DRM, it just might make me head back and buy more. Plus they are cheaper than other paying web sites.

  11.10.2008 02:34 #5

• miltex

  Just plain damage control
  

  When the chips are down, you can count on miltex !

  11.10.2008 03:04 #6