Not sure how much you guys care, but I loathe DRM. DRM is the reason I can't (easily) make backup copies of my DVDs. It's also why I don't buy music online. I don't want to be limited where and how I can play music that I own.

So, along those lines, Universal Music Group is going to be testing the waters with DRM-free MP3 downloads from several retailers.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20 ... sales.html

The article predicts that the test will succeed and that the rest of the retailers will follow. Great news for the consumers. It's about time the music companies caught on. Not that I would ever do anything illegal of course (*Cough*) but I'm significantly more likely buy music online if it's DRM free.

agreed. I wish it was possible to just download a straight MP3 from a website that I've paid for, but then I'd rather own the CD anyway.

But it's worse still if you have to play it using a special player or plug in

Everything they make (whether it be software-ish or hardware-ish) can be broken. The only problem is if the law is what you actually break. Regretfully (or not), I have to note that I still haven't felt any effects of DRM, so I am unable to complain really.