Liscencing is [unfortunately] the wave of the future. No longer do you actually own anything you purchase; rather you obtain the ability to use it for a set period of time, after which point you lose that right. It makes sense in some fields, such as Antiviri software, in which the bandwidth used updating the products’ definitions rack up real money over time. However, it is being more and more applied in fields where it doesn’t belong. Then there’s DRM, a form of liscencing that restricts you on use rather than by time…
eBooks are a great example. If you buy a DRMed eBook (which consists a large proportion of all commercial text out there), then you purchased a Liscence to use the eBook. You don’t actually own it. The difference? Well, when you’re liscenced, you can’t do what you want with your property. You cannot print off your eBook more than twice, for example. You can’t have a computer speak it out loud. You can’t do this or that, even though you payed $15. A real book in comparison is much better: you pay the same, but you can do whatever you want with it. A very clever quote somewhere? You want to photocopy that page? No problems. And such activity by the way is legal. Companies just would rather nick you for every cent.
Another example is for example internet music. You just payed $25 for 15 tracks of music from an online service such as iTunes. However, even though you bought the music, it still isn’t yours so to speak. You cannot burn it to an actual CD. You cannot listen to it on other players. No, instead, you are restricted to use it as the company sees fit. A real CD in comparison is much better: you pay the same, but you can do whatever you want with it. Back up to MP3 and listen on your iPod? No problem. Listen on a DVD/CD player? No problem. Again, such activity is legal, but the companies still don’t allow you to use it.
Another example is liscencing with Microsoft Office for example. You as a government entity or agency pay Microsoft thousands of dollars, and in exchange you get to use their software for a year. After that point, even though the software is zero-maintenance on the part of Microsoft… you still can’t use it. It is this type of liscencing which I find especially worrisome.
Picture this:
You spend $40 on a chair. But that only gives you the right to use it for a year, because liscencing isn’t the same thing as actually owning property. Then, after that year: BAM. Spikes come out of the chair, and you have to spend another $40 if you want to use it again.
[Missing Picture]
Liscenced seat. Swipe credit card to use. After period expires, spikes pop up.
Companies like giving the illusion that you own the things they sell you. Else you wouldn’t buy it. Not only that, but the government realising the nefarious potential of this system would legislate acts to prevent overuse of the system. However, companies don’t have to try very hard putting up this fake front: the government doesn’t care. People don’t care. Why? Because this is all still in the “computer world”, a field that few higher-ups bother to understand.
However, this will soon exit this computer world as it becomes standard business practice. It will be interesting to see how its dealt with then.