某些数字文件，例如歌曲、电子书和视频游戏，旨在防止消费者在购买时使用的设备以外的其他设备上复制、共享或使用它们。这通常会代表消费者产生刺激。在为产品支付血汗钱时，您希望能够用它做任何您想做的事情。
购买这样的程序通常会让您感到被欺骗，就好像您购买了损坏或不完整的产品一样。事实是，您受到数字限制/(D)权利(R)管理((R) DRM )的限制。(M)
但什么是DRM？在本文中，我们将帮助您理解这个概念及其对您的意义。
什么是数字版权管理？(What Is DRM?)
数字版权管理(Digital Rights Management)是一个影响深远的术语，它指的是控制用户可以使用数字媒体做什么的技术限制。这意味着使用控制从拥有内容的人身上移除，并将其置于计算机程序(computer program)的“手中” 。
DRM是一个由两部分组成的方案。第一部分是保护内容本身的加密。第二个是确保只有授权用户才能使用身份验证系统(authentication system)解锁文件。购买受DRM保护的产品时，您实质上是在购买有缺陷或不完整的商品。
这为DRM用户提供了对媒体制作和分发(production and distribution)的大量控制。有无数的应用程序和方法可用于插入DRM，例如服务器根据版权所有者设置的限制限制对电子书的访问，或限制您可以制作(copyright holder)DVD的副本数量。
从消费者的角度(consumer point)来看，这似乎过于严格，但 DRM(view but DRM)已经到位以遏制盗版的危害。文件共享网络使传统的版权法在实践中过时了。(law obsolete)每当有人从免费文件共享网站下载受版权保护的产品的MP3 或视频文件(MP3 or video file)时，负责原始产品的公司或工作室就会蒙受损失。(company or studio)
试图起诉每个在互联网上以这种方式违法的人是不切实际的，因此DRM是公司对其产品进行一定控制的方式。
数字版权管理标准(DRM Standards)
DRM目前没有行业标准。许多数字公司选择了DRM 保护(DRM protection)，以确保用户无法复制、打印、更改或传输材料。DRM的反对者最担心的是，当前的DRM趋势实际上已经超越了传统版权法(copyright law)所提供的保护。
反对数字版权管理(Digital Rights Management)的其他论据是用户隐私、技术创新和合理使用。根据现行版权法(copyright law)，合理使用赋予消费者复制受版权保护的内容以供自用(self use)的权利。首次销售(First Sale)，转售购买的数字内容的权利，以及有限期限，(Limited Term,)在一定时间段(time period)后版权到期，都是使用DRM也回避的原则。
如果软件中的计算机代码(computer code)受到DRM的无限期保护，则第三方供应商无法开发特定于软件的产品和插件。同样，如果硬件受到禁止更改的DRM 方案(DRM scheme)的保护，消费者将无法合法地修补自己的硬件。
如何检查 DRM 加密(How To Check For DRM Encryption)
如今，大多数付费数字内容(digital content)都受 DRM 保护。在购买数字视频/DVD、音乐文件和电子书时，您可能会遇到它。
查看您的产品是否受DRM保护：
Audio/Video File
- 右键单击媒体文件。
- 选择属性(Properties)。
- 导航到详细信息(Details )选项卡。
- 寻找受保护(Protected)的。如果文件包含DRM 保护(DRM protection)，右侧的Yes或No会让您知道。
iTunes 电子书(iTunes eBooks)
- 从 iTunes 资料库中选择电子书。
- 导航到File > Get Info。
- 打开摘要(Summary )选项卡。
- 位于Kind附近，您会看到Book、Purchased Book或Protected Book。前两者不受DRM保护，而后者受DRM保护。
DVD光盘(DVD Discs)
您只需购买官方身份的DVD即可知道它受 DRM 保护。这适用于在线和离线(online and offline)购买。
DVD可能受 DRM 保护的一些迹象表明：
- 圆盘内轮毂有版权铭文；
- 包装采用带有 2-3 个黑桃（珠宝盒）的塑料盒，并用玻璃纸密封；
- 您会在影片开头收到版权通知。(copyright notice)
还有其他方法，但这些方法最容易确定DVD是否受到保护。
DRM 的未来(The Future of DRM)
(Piracy)无论是离线还是在线，(offline or online)盗版似乎都没有放缓，那么DRM真的有效吗？已经有许多软件工具可以绕过甚至删除DRM 保护(DRM-protection)。
随着DRM继续在数字行业中变得标准化，我们不禁想知道是否有任何DRM 系统(DRM system)可以同时满足版权所有者和消费者的需求。专家们所说的可信计算(Trusted Computing)可以概括进一步了解未来的发展方向。
可信计算是指计算机始终按照(Computing)计算机硬件和软件(computer hardware and software)强制执行的预期方式运行。这确保了从生产到购买再到使用的受版权保护的内容的保护。计算机会自动知道用户可以和不能合法地对一段内容做什么，然后采取相应的行动。
这对消费者来说是一把双刃剑。一方面，你有用户权限，这会受到很大的抑制。另一方面，通过采用DRM标准，消费者将至少部分受益，因为DRM编码的媒体将在所有类型的设备上播放。
OTT Explains : What Is DRM?
Some digital files, such as ѕongs, ebooks, and video games, are designеd to prevent the consumer from copying, sharing, or using them on а differеnt device other than the one іt waѕ purchased for. This сan often create irritation on behalf of the consumer. When paying hard earned money fоr a product, you want to be able to do whatever уou want with it.
Purchasing such a program can often leave you feeling cheated, as if you’ve procured a broken or incomplete product. The truth is that you’re being restricted by Digital Restrictions/Rights Management (DRM).
But what is DRM? In this article we’ll help you understand the concept and what it means to you.
What Is DRM?
Digital Rights Management is a far-reaching term which refers to the technological restrictions that control what users can do with digital media. This means usage control is removed from the person who owns the content and places it into the “hands” of a computer program.
DRM is a two-part scheme. The first part is the encryption to protect the content itself. The second is to ensure that only authorized users can unlock the files using an authentication system. When purchasing a product protected by DRM, you are, in essence, buying a defective or incomplete good.
This provides DRM-users a lot of control over production and distribution of media. There are endless applications and methods that can be used to insert DRM such as a server restricting access to an ebook based on constraints set by the copyright holder or limiting the number of copies you can make of a DVD.
This may seem overly restrictive from a consumer point of view but DRM is in place to curb the detriments of piracy. File-sharing networks have made traditional copyright law obsolete in practice. Whenever someone downloads an MP3 or video file of a copyrighted product from a free file-sharing website, the company or studio responsible for the original product loses money.
It is impractical to try and sue every person who breaks the law in this way on the internet, so DRM is a company’s way of asserting some control over their product.
DRM Standards
DRM does not currently have industry-wide standards. Many digital companies have chosen DRM protection to ensure that users can’t copy, print, alter or transfer material, period. The biggest concern for opponents to DRM is that current DRM trends, in fact, surpass protections afforded under traditional copyright law.
Other arguments against Digital Rights Management are user privacy, technological innovation, and fair use. Under current copyright law, fair use gives the consumer the right to make copies of copyrighted content for self use. First Sale, the right to resell purchased digital content, and Limited Term, expiration of copyright after a certain time period, are doctrines that are also side-stepped by the use of DRM.
Third-party vendors are unable to develop software-specific products and plug-ins if the computer code in that software is indefinitely protected by DRM. On that same note, consumers are unable to legally tinker with their own hardware if it’s protected by a DRM scheme that prohibits alteration.
How To Check For DRM Encryption
Nowadays, most paid digital content is DRM-protected. You’re likely to come across it when purchasing a digital video/DVD, music files, and ebooks.
To see if your product has been protected by DRM:
Audio/Video File
- Right-click the media file.
- Select Properties.
- Navigate to the Details tab.
- Look for Protected. The Yes or No to the right will let you know if the file contains DRM protection.
iTunes eBooks
- Select the eBook from your iTunes library.
- Navigate to File > Get Info.
- Open the Summary tab.
- Located near Kind you’ll see either Book, Purchased Book, or Protected Book. The former two are DRM free, while the latter is DRM-protected.
DVD Discs
You only have to have purchased a DVD in an official capacity to know that it is DRM-protected. This goes for both purchases made online and offline.
A few tell-tale signs that a DVD may be DRM-protected are:
- The inner hub of the disc has a copyright inscription;
- The packaging comes in a plastic case with 2-3 spades (jewel casing) and is sealed in cellophane;
- You receive a copyright notice at the beginning of the film.
There are other ways, but these are the easiest to determine if a DVD is protected.
The Future of DRM
Piracy doesn’t seem to be slowing down either offline or online, so is DRM really effective? There are already many software tools that can bypass and even remove DRM-protection.
As DRM continues to become standardized across digital industries, we’re left to wonder whether any DRM system can satisfy both copyright holders and consumers. A further look into what the future holds can be summed up by what experts call Trusted Computing.
Trusted Computing is where a computer will consistently behave in expected ways that are enforced by computer hardware and software. This ensures the protection of copyrighted content from production to purchase to use. Computers will automatically know what the user can and cannot legally do with a piece of content and then act accordingly.
This is a double-edged sword for consumers. On one hand, you have user rights, which will be greatly inhibited. On the other, by adopting the DRM standards, consumers will be better off at least in part, because DRM-encoded media will play on all types of equipment.
