Apple serves Cease & Desist to Hymn Project
updated 11:05 am EST, Mon February 25, 2008
Hymn Project shuts down
The creators of the Hymn Project have once again been forced to shut down, a site moderator has announced. Apple has served the current website with a cease-and-desist order, insisting that all downloads of the associated software be removed. The moderators are further blocking anyone from linking the software on the site, or even pointing people to functionally similar applications.
The Hymn software is meant to strip Apple's copy protection from music bought at the iTunes Store, without any loss in audio quality. Although the FairPlay technology is nominally meant to block music piracy, Hymn's founders note that it also prevents owners from listening to tracks under operating systems such as Linux, or loading them onto non-Apple media players. Similarly, FairPlay limits users to five computers, and makes it difficult to create backups without burning CDs. The coders of Hymn thus defend it as enabling fair use.
Unfortunate
02/25, 11:20am reply
That the record labels (and Apple to some extent) have been so short-sighted about DRM. I stopped buying iTunes tracks when Hymn stopped working and I went to listen to music on my Powerbook and it would not work because it lost the authorization. This happened at a cabin in the middle of nowhere, with no internet connection available. My music became useless - thank goodness I had some CD's handy.
ClevelandAdv
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2004
Re: unfortunate
02/25, 12:36pm reply
I couldn't agree more. Although Apple wants DRM-free music, the labels still don't understand how it only inconveniences their paying customers, and not the pirates.
We need better fair use laws that trump the DMCA.
hayesk
Professional Poster
Joined: Sep 1999
Difficult to back up???
02/25, 01:51pm reply
This, at least, is patently false. The files are files and you simply back them up, or back up your entire itunes library.
dscottbuch
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2000
re: unfortunate
02/25, 03:26pm reply
What the h*** are you talking about?
I buy DRM free music from the ITMS all the time.
The most recent album i purchased was the Boogie Down Productions Deluxe album.
coldfusion1970
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 2004
what is the news?
02/25, 06:17pm reply
Had they released a new version? The old version was broken when iTunes 6.0 came out and has not been compatible with newer versions of iTunes. What changed?
moofpup
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 2007
Patently False?
02/25, 08:34pm reply
"This, at least, is patently false. The files are files and you simply back them up, or back up your entire itunes library."
And this is blatantly inaccurate. If the computer is NOT authorized, it won't play the purchased music. It's not merely a transition to another computer; it's a requirement that the other Mac is authorized. Check your iTunes library and examine your account to determine if your computer is authorized. And, as stated, that's limited. If you want to go through the trouble, then use WireTap and you'll create your DRM-free song.
ptklenk
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2006
re: ptklenk
02/28, 02:22pm reply
And that is not a backup, it's a copy.
If you want to fight DRM music, quit agreeing to the terms and buying the music. If you agree to the terms, buy the music and then break the term, that's a breech in contract.
You as a consumer do not have the right to breech the contract, regardless of how unfair you think it is. The fact is, you purchased the music with that agreement. If you don't agree with the agreement, your only choice is to not purchase the music or purchase it somewhere else with fewer restrictions.
Do you really want our Government to be in the habit of taking away your rights and responsibilities?
jameshays
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Mar 2003