The Good Life... a weblog about life, technology, and the Opera Web browser

Downloadable Music vs. CDs

Today, Steve Jobs posted a note on the Apple Inc. web site about iTunes and Digital Rights Management (DRM, AKA anti-piracy). You should go read it, as it's quite good. It's OK, I'll wait. Done? Good. According to Jobs, about 10% of the music sold in 2006 is downloadable, DRM-protected, and purchased online. The remaining 90% is sold DRM-free on compact discs.

In his note, Jobs talks about the restrictions the music industry imposes on Apple, such as strict requirements that any breaches in DRM security must be fixed within a matter of weeks. DRM must be bulletproof, according to the music industry. The majority of downloadable music sold online has always been protected by DRM, so the music industry finally has a medium where they control how music is shared. Unfortunately for them, a non-DRM'd format is already the de facto standard. Since the mid-90s, MP3s have been available for download via newsgroups, web sites, and P2P networks. It's no wonder that DRM'd music has met so much resistance.

iTunes and Norway

If you haven't heard, the Norwegian Consumer Ombudsman has ruled that the iTunes' DRM violates Norwegian consumer protection laws because it prevents consumers from using their music on digital music players other than the iPod. Most people outside of Norway don't know how many consumer protections are in place in Norway. It's actually quite nice being a consumer in Norway, compared to the United States. For instance, most non-disposable consumer electronics in the US have something like a ninety day warranty on defects in the manufacturing process. In some cases, it's one year. Norwegian law requires a minimum five year warranty on these products (if I'm not mistaken, Norwegians please correct me).

One of the things I really liked about Norway is that it was obvious that big companies hadn't stripped away the rights of individuals. The iTunes case is the same sort of situation. Many people argue that Apple is no more responsible for making sure their songs are compatible with their competitors' MP3 players than printer manufacturers are responsible for making sure their printer cartridges are interoperable. However, they're missing the point. The Ombudsman seems to be saying that purchasing music is more than just buying a certain file format. It's buying the right to listen to the music as you see fit.

DRM and Me

I applaud Steve Jobs' willingness to remove all DRM restrictions from music on iTunes as soon as the music studios allow it and I hope this redirects the Norwegian Ombudsman to the real culprits here: the music industry. To this day, I haven't purchased any DRM'd music or copy-protected CDs and I have no intention of doing so. I'd really like to buy some DRM-free and music industry sanctioned downloadable music, though. Please Universal, Sony BMG, Warner and EMI, make it happen.

Instead of sandwiches (two pieces of bread with stuff in-between), Norwegians typically eat single slices of bread with meat, cheese, vegetables, and/or spread of some sort. As I made my afternoon snack today, it occurred to me why this is: Norwegians don't like pre-sliced bread. In fact, Norwegians I've spoken to have turned their noses up at the very concept of sliced bread. I don't know the basis for this detestation, but I think it has a direct impact on eating habits. While pre-sliced bread is available here, there's a far greater focus on unsliced bread. Pre-sliced bread wasn't always available in the US, so I do wonder if single-slice-sandwiches used to be the norm there, too.

When home-slicing bread, it's tricky to make slices as thin as a machine. Two slices of home-sliced bread are quite thick and hard to fit in your mouth at once. Thus, the Norwegian tendancy to only eat a single piece of bread at a time. In a way, it's an interesting study of evolution: the failure of pre-sliced bread dictated a different default sandwich style. Back in college, I remember being encouraged to travel abroad because it would broaden my understanding of the world. I like to think I've achieved just that with this epiphany today.

One of the perks of living in Norway is learning Norwegian (go figure). While I don't claim to speak fluently, I have learned a fair amount. These are a few phrases that have stuck out so far because of their pure brillance, quirkiness, or fun. I've tried to provide a rough pronunciation, too.[1]

et øyeblikk

Pronunciation: et oy-blek

A moment; literally, "an eye blink"

In English, we'd say "one moment/second/minute". The Norwegian way is much more elegant, yet just as meaningful.

takk for sist

Pronunciation: tuck for sist

Something akin to "nice to see you again"; literally, "thanks for last time"

There's no direct translation for this in English. It expresses happiness at seeing a friend again and reminds them that you had a good time with them last time you were together.

en rosin i pølsen

Pronunciation: en row-seen e pull-san

A surprise in something already great; literally, "a raisin in the sausage"

Norwegians like sausages and apparently raisins in sausages are (or used to be) just short of a delicacy here. So, a sausage is already great on its own, but add in raisins and they're even better.

ha det (bra)

Pronunciation: ha da (bra)

Good bye; literally, "have it (well)"

Most of the time, you just say "ha det", which translates to "have it". Similar to "see you" in that it isn't a complete sentence, but it's used so often that the meaning is understood.

koselig

Pronunciation: koose-lee

Comfortable, cozy

This is used especially to describe the inviting atmosphere of a house during the winter. A "koselig" home usually has a fire, plenty of candles, yummy smells, and good friends.

[1] Pronunciation is very dependent on the area of Norway you live. For instance, in Oslo, "d"s at the end of words are often silent. Also, since I'm giving a rough approximation in English, it depends on how you pronounce things in English.

Today is the 100th anniversary of Norway's indepen­dence from Sweden in 1905 and the signing of the Norweigan Consti­tution in 1814. It's celebrated yearly with two parades in most cities and towns throughout Norway, one for children and one for students graduating from high school (Russ). Through a Christian group we're part of here, Rebekah and I had prime placement in front of the Royal Palace. We even waved to the Queen!

We spent most of our morning in front of the Palace watching the parades go by. While they were nice, it got a bit repetitive after a while. One can only watch so many marching bands and children waving flags. There was a spirited attempt at The Village Peoples' YMCA, but that was probably the highlight of the parade music. At 1pm, we went to Domkirke, a large church downtown, for a traditional May 17th service. Afterward, we went to my co-workers', Lynn and Lars Thomas, apartment for lunch with some other co-workers. It was a long, fun day. As my sister Jen would say, The dogs are barking (my feet hurt).

One of the most interesting parts of the May 17th festivities is Russ, seniors graduating from high school. From around May 1st to May 17th, they celebrate the end of their primary school education with over two weeks of mischief. Part of the tradition is the Russ bus, a bus purchased by students as their transportation. The busses are decorated, filled with speakers, and travel the city waking poor slumbering souls at all hours of the night.

Another cultural gem is the traditional Norwegian costume, the bunad. These costumes are normally only worn for special occasions, such as weddings, funerals, christenings, and, of course, Constitution Day. Each county in Norway has its own style and colors, adding a bit more life to the May 17th parades.

I've been wanting to be a part of the May 17th celebration since I first came to Norway two years ago and today didn't disappoint. One of the best things about living in a foreign country is learning the culture from the inside. And today I got one more cultural notch on my belt. Check out some pictures from our day in our image gallery.

From this day forth, I declare that all bathroom doors must be created with clear external indication of their (un)locked status. Gone is the day where you'll have to jiggle the handle to see if the door is locked, knowing full well that you hate it when people do that while you're trying to finish your business. Forgotten is the day that you stood outside a closed bathroom door for five minutes waiting for someone to emerge just to have someone else more assertive than you try the door and go right into the empty lavatory. You, Mr. Bathroom Door Maker, can make this dream of knowing the (un)locked status of every bathroom door the moment it's encountered come true.

Airplane manufacturers figured this out long ago. Why hasn't everyone else? If there's one reason that I enjoy going on airplanes, it's because I always know if a bathroom is in use or not. Some airplanes even have overhead indicators that inform the entire cabin if someone is using the facilities. It's a truly excellent system.

Please bathroom door manufacturers of the world, answer my cry and let me know if someone is using the loo!