Now to be pissed, again.
"Backing up and restoring licenses
Windows Media Player 11 does not permit you to back up your media usage rights (previously known as licenses). However, depending upon where your protected files came from, you might be able to restore your rights over the Internet.
If you encounter an error message that indicates you are missing play, burn, or sync rights for a file and you had these rights previously, you might be able to resolve the problem by restoring your media usage rights. You have several options to do so:
*
If you obtained the file from an online store, contact the store to find out if it offers media usage rights (license) restoration (some stores refer to this procedure as computer activation, computer authorization, or license synchronization).
The procedure for restoring your rights varies from store to store. For example, you might be able to right-click the file in your library or click an Error button or an Information button next to the file, and then click a command. Or you might be required to delete the file from your computer and then download the file again.
The store might limit the number of times that you can restore your rights or limit the number of computers on which can use the songs or videos that you obtain from them. Some stores do not permit you to restore media usage rights at all.
For details, see the store's customer support or Help links.
*
If the file is a song you ripped from a CD with the Copy protect music option turned on, you might be able to restore your usage rights by playing the file. You will be prompted to connect to a Microsoft Web page that explains how to restore your rights a limited number of times.
Cannot play back recorded TV that is protected with media usage rights in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 after 3 days
Recorded TV shows that are protected with media usage rights, such as some TV content recorded on premium channels, will not play back after 3 days when Windows Media Player 11 Beta 2 for Windows XP is installed on Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. No known workaround to resolve this issue exists at this time.
For more information about installing the Player on Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, see Installing the Player on Windows XP Media Center Edition."
Anyone else see what is wrong here? It's essentially telling us that if your DRM infected music collection is lost due to a, oh I don't know, let's just say a fatal OS error that requires a full format of your hard disk, it's not guaranteed that you can get it back.
But wait, I bought the disc doesn't that mean that I should be able to?
Oh no, that's the way things use to work in the good old days, but now it's not enough to just own the disc, you have to have a license to play what's on the disc.
But don't they say that you might be able to restore your licenses? Yeah, they say you *might* be able to. It's not saying that you won't be able to but it's also not saying that you always can. Even if you can, it's only for a limited number of times. A number they get to specify.
But what happens if I need to restore it more times than they let me?
Well, at this stage it seems like you are S.O.L. You get to go out and experience the excitement of shelling out your money for the album all over again. So, it's a way to enhance the experience. You get to feel the same excitement of getting the album all over again, except with the added features of anger and annoyance.
So to sum it up, what would you say I should learn from this?
It's difficult really to sum up such a large and complex idea such as balancing the needs of large corporations, artists and consumers and coming up with a solution in which all parties benefit. However, I would say that there are two things to learn here and they are:
1. Right now, the needs of consumers are not being taken into account. These large corporations can't simply cut corners anymore, so they have to create a new aftermarket. An aftermarket that is based off of the consumer getting screwed.
2. STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER 11.
Windows Media Player 11 does not permit you to back up your media usage rights (previously known as licenses). However, depending upon where your protected files came from, you might be able to restore your rights over the Internet.
If you encounter an error message that indicates you are missing play, burn, or sync rights for a file and you had these rights previously, you might be able to resolve the problem by restoring your media usage rights. You have several options to do so:
*
If you obtained the file from an online store, contact the store to find out if it offers media usage rights (license) restoration (some stores refer to this procedure as computer activation, computer authorization, or license synchronization).
The procedure for restoring your rights varies from store to store. For example, you might be able to right-click the file in your library or click an Error button or an Information button next to the file, and then click a command. Or you might be required to delete the file from your computer and then download the file again.
The store might limit the number of times that you can restore your rights or limit the number of computers on which can use the songs or videos that you obtain from them. Some stores do not permit you to restore media usage rights at all.
For details, see the store's customer support or Help links.
*
If the file is a song you ripped from a CD with the Copy protect music option turned on, you might be able to restore your usage rights by playing the file. You will be prompted to connect to a Microsoft Web page that explains how to restore your rights a limited number of times.
Cannot play back recorded TV that is protected with media usage rights in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 after 3 days
Recorded TV shows that are protected with media usage rights, such as some TV content recorded on premium channels, will not play back after 3 days when Windows Media Player 11 Beta 2 for Windows XP is installed on Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. No known workaround to resolve this issue exists at this time.
For more information about installing the Player on Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, see Installing the Player on Windows XP Media Center Edition."
Anyone else see what is wrong here? It's essentially telling us that if your DRM infected music collection is lost due to a, oh I don't know, let's just say a fatal OS error that requires a full format of your hard disk, it's not guaranteed that you can get it back.
But wait, I bought the disc doesn't that mean that I should be able to?
Oh no, that's the way things use to work in the good old days, but now it's not enough to just own the disc, you have to have a license to play what's on the disc.
But don't they say that you might be able to restore your licenses? Yeah, they say you *might* be able to. It's not saying that you won't be able to but it's also not saying that you always can. Even if you can, it's only for a limited number of times. A number they get to specify.
But what happens if I need to restore it more times than they let me?
Well, at this stage it seems like you are S.O.L. You get to go out and experience the excitement of shelling out your money for the album all over again. So, it's a way to enhance the experience. You get to feel the same excitement of getting the album all over again, except with the added features of anger and annoyance.
So to sum it up, what would you say I should learn from this?
It's difficult really to sum up such a large and complex idea such as balancing the needs of large corporations, artists and consumers and coming up with a solution in which all parties benefit. However, I would say that there are two things to learn here and they are:
1. Right now, the needs of consumers are not being taken into account. These large corporations can't simply cut corners anymore, so they have to create a new aftermarket. An aftermarket that is based off of the consumer getting screwed.
2. STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER 11.