Microsoft to end support for MSN Music DRM
BetaNews | at | by Mike
As of August 31 of this year, Microsoft's "Plays for Sure" technology -- once codenamed Janus -- will no longer play for sure -- unless, that is, users play back the tunes on the same computers and OS forever. In a move that's come under concerted attack by users ranging from anti-DRM music bloggers to Linux fans, Microsoft has disclosed plans to stop providing authorization keys for songs downloaded from the old MSN Music service.
In an e-mail Tuesday, Microsoft told customers of the former MSN Music -- which was shut down and replaced by Zune Markeplace in 2006 -- that as of August 31, 2008 support will stop for "the retrieval of license keys for the songs you purchased on MSN Music or the authorization of additional computers.