Wal-Mart Backpedals On DRM Shutdown

BY Shane SinnottPublished Oct 15, 2008

As previously reported, Wal-Mart recently shut down the DRM servers for its online music store, effectively crippling legally purchased tracks by making it impossible to move them between devices without the cumbersome task of burning them to CD first. In an about face, the company has announced it will continue to support the DRM tracks.

In an email sent to users, Wal-Mart cited "feedback from our customers” as one of the primary reasons for its decision to continue to support the DRM servers, and have their customer service "continue to assist with DRM issues."

In halting its DRM server shutdown, Wal-Mart follows both Microsoft and Yahoo in what’s becoming a predictable trend: announce the shutdown of DRM servers, receive a lot of bad publicity in the form of "this is horseshit” articles all over the web, announce cancellation of pending shutdown and hope everyone soon forgets.

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