Over on TechCrunch, you can read a brief summary of an hour-long Q&A session with Bill Gates and a few hand-picked web journalists; and where apparently any questions could be asked. Of course the conversation eventually got round to the question of digital rights management (DRM), and the unfolding disaster of the so-called protection 'standards' being not inter-operable. Readers may be aware of the growing disenchantment of consumers, particularly when iTunes music is not useable on 'PlaysForSure' devices such as Creative's Zen range, nor indeed even on Microsoft's own Zune.
The transcript comments are best read on the original site, but in summary Gates appeared to recognise that the model of protecting artists and companies rights was too far strongly swayed against the legitimate user. He offered an interesting suggestion that it should be possible to "buy an artist out for life" - possibly a reference to a regular income payment to an artist, in return for free distribution of their non-DRM'd music.
Despite Gates still being in a position of considerable influence, exactly what this set of opinions will make is something we will have to wait and see.
