[History & Theory of New Media] Reflections on 'Wiki" Entry
For class, I created a 'wiki' or glossary-like entry on Digital Rights Management, or DRM. I chose this topic since it is a controversial issue in gaming right now that I think many people are unaware of. I had a working knowledge of what DRM was from personal experience, but was unsure how to explain it. I also needed to provide validity to my explanation, so found a source that met both of these requirements.
Briefly, DRM is when usage control is taken away form a user and given to a computer program. It was created to combat piracy, which is a legitimate and pressing issue in the gaming community. However, it does present other issues - such as stopping consumers from having full control over their purchases and preventing them from doing activities which are considered 'fair use'.
While not a gaming example, Keurig started using DRM to try and force their customers into using only Keurig-brand coffee cups. However, instead of boosting sales, it just made consumers angry that they could not buy which brand "k-cups" that they wanted.
A gaming example is how Electronic Arts (EA) games on PC can only be played through their own game service, "Origin". This means that users need to download an additional software program to enjoy a game they purchased - and that they can have issues attempting to play said game while disconnected from the internet.
References
Layton, J. (2006 January 3) How Digital Rights Management Works.
HowStuffWorks.com. Retrieved from https://computer.howstuffworks.com/drm.htm
Briefly, DRM is when usage control is taken away form a user and given to a computer program. It was created to combat piracy, which is a legitimate and pressing issue in the gaming community. However, it does present other issues - such as stopping consumers from having full control over their purchases and preventing them from doing activities which are considered 'fair use'.
While not a gaming example, Keurig started using DRM to try and force their customers into using only Keurig-brand coffee cups. However, instead of boosting sales, it just made consumers angry that they could not buy which brand "k-cups" that they wanted.
A gaming example is how Electronic Arts (EA) games on PC can only be played through their own game service, "Origin". This means that users need to download an additional software program to enjoy a game they purchased - and that they can have issues attempting to play said game while disconnected from the internet.
References
Layton, J. (2006 January 3) How Digital Rights Management Works.
HowStuffWorks.com. Retrieved from https://computer.howstuffworks.com/drm.htm
Dzieza, J. (2015 February 5) Keurig's attempt to 'DRM' its coffee cups totally backfired: A system designed to lock out third-party competitors just enraged consumers. The Verge. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/2015/2/5/7986327/keurigs-attempt-to-drm-its-coffee-cups-totally-backfired
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