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0 pointsalistairSH2y ago0 comments

From Sony's website...

As of 31 December 2023, due to our content licensing arrangements with content providers, you will no longer be able to watch any of your previously purchased Discovery content and the content will be removed from your video library.

Note the use of "purchased" (not "licensed"). To a layman, purchased means "I bought the thing" not "I bought an ephermeral license to the thing". US consumer protection law sucks goat ass - language around digital content licensing could easily be "fixed" (but won't because our government is a revolving door with industry insiders).

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11 comments · 3 top-level

freejazz2y ago· 8 in thread

You can "purchase" a "license". In fact, what else would you call the exchange of monetary value for a license?

Joeri2y ago

If the license expires I would call it a rental.

For me if DRM is involved it is always a rental, license or no, as I am left unable to legally keep an archival copy to retain access to the purchased item beyond the undisclosed access window.

freejazz2y ago

>If the license expires I would call it a rental.

A license is a license. They don't have to expire either. I can sell a perpetual license to something.

> For me if DRM is involved it is always a rental, license or no, as I am left unable to legally keep an archival copy to retain access to the purchased item beyond the undisclosed access window.

Call it whatever you want. The correct term is a license. You were licensed something in accordance with a bunch of terms that may have included, for example, DRM. It's a license to use the good in accordance with the terms of the license. Why confuse things?

2 more replies

c0pium2y ago

I mean, yes. You are not allowed to circumvent the terms of the license. Why would you think that you would be able to do that? Do you make archival copies of keys to AirBnBs so you can retain access to the purchased room after the access window?

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PeterisP2y ago

The difference is that you bought a perpetual, permanent license to that thing, not an ephemeral one.

Revoking that license should be impossible without a full refund+interest.

Nullabillity2y ago

If you buy a table they can't come and take it back without your consent, even if they leave the full purchase amount on one of the chairs.

alistairSHOP2y ago

Sure, that's what I said. But the distinction between "license to a thing" and "own a thing" is lost of most people, especially when the seller goes out of their way to make the "licensing agreement" look like a normal sale.

vannevar2y ago

Yes, I thought you were pretty clear on this:

>To a layman, purchased means "I bought the thing" not "I bought an ephermeral license to the thing".

eviks2y ago

But the quote is "content", not license

And what else is "pay for a license"

vannevar2y ago

Yeah, they definitely pretend you've purchased the content. But you've only purchased a license, and even the license is so weak that it effectively says "you can use this as long as we arbitrarily decide you can, and we can take your license away at any time without refunding your money." So you're not really buying anything at all.

mfer2y ago

Polls have found that the average person in the US can't tell you many of the basics of how their government works. The laws aren't based on people taking the time to understand them. It is complex enough there really isn't the time. Especially if you spend the average amount of time staring at rectangle screens.

"our government is a revolving door with industry insiders" ... this is partly due to government compensation compared to the free market and our present desire for those with the ability to navigate this complexity to want to make piles of money. It's all about the benjamins. Which is also why IP holders use the law the way they do.

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0 comments

11 comments · 3 top-level

freejazz2y ago· 8 in thread

You can "purchase" a "license". In fact, what else would you call the exchange of monetary value for a license?

Joeri2y ago

If the license expires I would call it a rental.

For me if DRM is involved it is always a rental, license or no, as I am left unable to legally keep an archival copy to retain access to the purchased item beyond the undisclosed access window.

freejazz2y ago

>If the license expires I would call it a rental.

A license is a license. They don't have to expire either. I can sell a perpetual license to something.

> For me if DRM is involved it is always a rental, license or no, as I am left unable to legally keep an archival copy to retain access to the purchased item beyond the undisclosed access window.

2 more replies

c0pium2y ago

1 more reply

PeterisP2y ago

The difference is that you bought a perpetual, permanent license to that thing, not an ephemeral one.

Revoking that license should be impossible without a full refund+interest.

Nullabillity2y ago

If you buy a table they can't come and take it back without your consent, even if they leave the full purchase amount on one of the chairs.

alistairSHOP2y ago

vannevar2y ago

Yes, I thought you were pretty clear on this:

>To a layman, purchased means "I bought the thing" not "I bought an ephermeral license to the thing".

eviks2y ago

But the quote is "content", not license

And what else is "pay for a license"

vannevar2y ago

mfer2y ago

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse