Ars Technica is reporting that the RIAA et al. says CD ripping, backups not fair use. What a disturbing idea. I avoid Digital Restriction Management because I don’t want a hard disk failure or the bankrupcy of my supplier to invalidate my ability to play what I’ve paid for. I rip my CDs to enjoy them on the media players of my choice, in the sample rates and formats of my choice and to have backups of CDs so easily scratched. (The RIAA argument that the only legitimate backup is one that I can purchase again doesn’t fly.) Didn’t these guys study Sony v. BetaMax? Time-shifting, place-shifting, media-shifting needs to be recognized as a right of the user.