Abortion MPAA Style

Just checked out this article on IGN:
Next-Gen DVD Copy-Protection Debacle

If the article is accurate, and I have no reason to believe it isn't, it appears that the MPAA is trying to kill the next generation of DVDs before it's even born.

They have made it a requirement to severely cripple next-gen DVD players for existing HDTV owners. Basically if you own an HD set today and try to play HD-DVD or Blu-Ray content in a couple of months when it comes out, at best you will be presented with a severely downgraded picture (From 1080p down to 720p, losing more than 30% of the picture quality), and at worst you may be presented with some warning to the effect that you're not allowed to play the content. This is particularly infuriating for me because my HDTV doesn't support 720p.

In other words, the MPAA have let their irrational fear and broken business model destroy any chance of early adoption of the new format. The irony is that the AACS and HDCP (both code names for the copy-protection schemes that are to be used in the new DVD formats) will probably be cracked inside a month. So the MPAA has crippled the new formats out of the gates, ruined any chance for rapid adoption, and it's all for nothing.

When are they going to learn?

I had planned to adopt the new formats (both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray) fairly early on, but now I think I'll wait until there's a properly cracked piece of hardware, or until there are proper instructions for cracking it available. I don't see any reason why we should be crippled by their fear and paranoia.

And before you go shouting foul, think about it like this: if you punish someone for following the rules, do you seriously expect them to keep following the rules? No, not unless you're insane ( and the MPAA clearly is). Punishing people for following the rules, or giving them a signigantly diminished reward is counter-intuitive to garnering cooperation.