Wow, not even a months notice!
*Customer Notification - 5th March 2010*
http://bigpondmusic.com/WMA_support/?cid=30070-wma
On 17 March 2010 10:56, elliott-brennan <m...@elliott-brennan.id.au> wrote:
> Saw this e-mail from Bigpond today (they're not my
> ISP).
>
> **************
> *Dear BigPond^® Music Member,*
>
> BigPond Music won't be supporting the Windows
> Media Audio ('WMA') file format after 1 April
> 2010. That means you won't be able to download new
> DRM (Digital
> Rights Management) 'unlock' keys for the WMA files
> you've bought from us already
> - so you should back up your music now.
>
> Any MP3 files you've bought from us won't be
> affected. Read further if you want to know more
> about WMA files.
>
> *Here's why you should back up your music.*
>
> As long as you keep using the same computer and
> operating system, you shouldn't have any trouble
> playing your WMA music files. But if you try to
> move them onto a new computer or operating system,
> they won't work if you don't transfer their DRM
> keys as well.
>
> Besides, backing up your collection is a good idea
> - for your MP3 files too.
>
> *So here's what to do.*
>
> You can back up your music collection now, by either:
>
> 1. Burning it to audio CD (Click here
> <
> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/howto/burn_how_to.aspx
> >
>
> to find out how.)
>
> 2. Backing up your WMA files and licences
> separately (See how to do it here
> <http://support.microsoft.com/kb/265473>.)
>
> *Additional information on WMA's & DRM.*
>
> All our music was in the secure WMA file format
> when BigPond Music started. Whenever you
> downloaded a WMA file you downloaded it's
> encrypted Digital Rights
> Management ('DRM') code at the same time.
>
> DRM is a kind of lock and key system. The key
> unlocks the music so that it'll only play on your
> software. The downside of this security is that
> WMA downloads
> don't work on popular systems like Apple's iPod
> and iTunes software. It's also hard to move WMA
> files without downloading a new licence key.
>
> We started selling MP3 files without any DRM or
> licence key restrictions in August 2008. MP3's are
> a much more universal format that works on most
> digital music players and software. We stopped
> selling WMA files in March 2009, and only offer
> MP3 music now.
>
> *
> The BigPond Music Team*
>
> **************
>
> Feel sorry for those who were suckered in.
>
> Regards,
>
> Patrick
>
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>
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