Even if one is unperturbed by the general notion I can see this having implications for drive performance and would be concerned about the implications of the scheme to RISC OS users. For example what if a remarkably expensive license was required before ROL could provide support so that RISC OS users could (like their PC counterparts) download data and software from sites that comply with CPRM. Or what if data vendors simply refused (on economic grounds) to provide software to license their content on RISC OS machines.

I think this is yet a further example of those at the top trying to dictate what hardware/software people buy (and perhaps ultimately) what operating systems we use.

Will (for example) people need to buy a CPRM compliant drive to replace their relatively new drive so they can (legally) download MP3's ? I can see the attractions of this for hard disk manufacturers like IBM I can't but get the feeling that the long suffering punter is getting it in the neck again.

Besides which there's an opt-out so it can be disabled.

This proposition has proved to be really unpopular, with the Slashdot geeks getting all hot under the collar, so I would guess that it's unlikely to find much support if it ever goes commercial - who's going to buy it? Hopefully market forces will be on the side of good.

Besides which there's an opt-out so it can be disabled.

Firstly, as the 4C entity have now made quite clear in the latest revision of the proposal, cprm doesn't apply to fixed disc harddrives - only to removable media, some of which ALREADY support cprm.

Secondly, no you don't have to use it. 'Opt-out' is indeed a possibility, but all that means is you decide not to 'deal with' ('listen/watch' if cprm is indeed applied to harddiscs, 'copy' if it only applies to removable media) any media that is protected by cprm. The music industry WILL find some way of protecting their music and charging for it, limiting the copying users can carry out. Be it cprm or some other system, there will come a time when if you'd like (legal) access to music over the internet, you'll need a cprm/whatever complient system.

One assumes, however, that Pace's future boxes will need to be complient with any such standards, and maybe they'll get licesenses or whatever for RISC OS, and we'll get complient systems afterall.