Uh, this is weird. Bill Gates gave an interview where he told people not to buy DRM music. Like the DRM music Microsoft sells in it’s Zune Marketplace. Um. Ok, Bill. We won’t:

Gates said that no one is satisfied with the current state of DRM, which “causes too much pain for legitimate buyers” while trying to distinguish between legal and illegal uses. He says no one has done it right, yet. There are “huge problems” with DRM, he says, and “we need more flexible models, such as the ability to “buy an artist out for life” (not sure what he means). He also criticized DRM schemes that try to install intelligence in each copy so that it is device specific.

His short term advice: “People should just buy a cd and rip it. You are legal then.”

Or you could use eMusic. —MEGHANN MARCO

Bill Gates on the Future of DRM [Tech Crunch via BoingBoing]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.