So I've been all caught up in the webxcitement concerning Cory Doctorow's Microsoft Research DRM talk. While I'm not a pirate, and haven't even thought about Kazaa Supernodes for years, I have to say Cory does articulate my biggest problem with current copyright protection schemes and DRM. It's my stuff, who the hell are you to tell me what to do with it?! I paid $14 for that Sheryl Crow CD. It's MINE. Don't tell me what to do with it, who I can or cannot give it away to, which systems I may or may not play it on. Give me back my $14 and you can feel free to do all the crap you don't want me to do with it. Otherwise, leave me the hell alone. I didn't wake up one day and think "Gee, if only I could pay more to do less and be a possible criminal in the process." I want to listen to some tunes. And I want to listen to them the way I want to, where I want to, when I want to. And I'm actually willing to pay money for that music to boot. But apparently, nobody's willing to sell it to me under those simple conditions. So I haven't bought a CD with my own money for 6 years now. Besides, Brittany Spears? Christina Agulera? The Ester Formerly Known As Madonna? Do I really reget missing this aweful state of affairs? Oh, and Sheryl Crow? Apparently she sold EVERY EFFING SONG off of her albumn to Jeep. So next time I want to hear Hole in my Pocket I'll just wait for the next Jeep Liberty commercial.