Certainly large-scale consumer protests should make a major dent in making DRM slink away into a dark corner, never to return--especially if the industry's bottom line suffers accordingly.
We have indications DRM shouldn't last, if the success of Yahoo Music's non-DRM offerings are truly indicative. The novelty here is the author advocates 50 cents per track (what I have thought would be more than a fair price, that would also include a reasonable profit--even more so if it is bought online) or lower (since consumers can effectively produce a CD/DVD on quality media for only $1). Especially in the case of online sales (as the companies would not incur costs for media/burning/packaging) that were to 'take off,' music profits should go up and an aggressive pricing should slice piracy to almost nothing. However, while the article is largely positive in hoping we will soon enjoy the "DRM-free" life, it is hard to say if the industry will wholesale give up on its brainchild, something it is still at least partially convinced should work in some form.
