Growing up my world revolved around Windows XP, CDs, and DVDs. We used to have physical media laying around – media we either purchased or acquired from questionable sources. For creating music or editing photos, my go-to tools were Sony Vegas and Adobe Photoshop, good software back then.
Back then, if a family member wanted a copy of a movie, it was a straightforward process of copying the DVD or copying the file after ripping it. The point I’m trying to make here is that we used to own our media.
However, the concept of ownership is gone now. Individuals are shifting towards streaming services, while organizations are moving to SaaS (Software as a Service). Despite my complaints to these organisations, they seem not to care. So I’ve decided to stop caring about these organizations. I’m not saying that it isn’t aweful. In fact, it’s horrible. The IT engineers at these organisations are losing their passion and the overall enjoyment of running their own software and services. The enthusiasts depart, leaving the incapable paycheck collectors in place.
Nevertheless, my focus lies more on consumer software and media ownership.
How did we reach a point where, to purchase a digital book, my only option is to navigate through Amazon? I refuse to create an account and disclose all my personal details just to “buy” a PDF or ePub. It’s not truly buying though, considering that if Amazon deems the book ‘inappropriate’ for me or the licensing agreement with the publisher changes, they can simply remove it from my library.
And let’s not even dive into the world of subscription services. It seems like everything nowadays is tied to a subscription. Want to catch the latest Cringy Serie? Better get a subscription to Netflix. Excited for part 2? Well, you’ll need another subscription, this time from HBO. It’s almost as if we’re heading towards a future where we’ll be paying a monthly fee just to activate our car seat heaters in the winter. As absurd as it may sound, the joke’s on us – it’s already happening, BMW implementing subscriptions for features like heated seats..
Why does it have to be so complicated? I hand over my money, and in return, all I ask for is the product – no constant tracking, no DRM, no nonsense! It’s easier to pirate media than to buy it legally. Piracy is completely justified!
