DRM software is designed to protect copyright in material, such as music, films or software, that is stored or transmitted digitally. It works by encrypting the content and managing how that content is used.
The problem at the moment is that there is not a single DRM standard, which means that a person buying a DVD might be able to play it on, say, his DVD player but not his computer, because the computer uses a different DRM product that cannot read the DVD.
One solution to the problem would be to develop a common language that will translate the differing technologies so that they can speak to each other, and this is the ambition of the Coral Consortium, the launch of which is due to take place today.
According to reports, members of the group will include Sony, HP, Philips Electronics, Twentieth Century Fox and InterTrust Technologies. The task for the Consortium will be made harder by the fact that neither Microsoft nor Apple have joined the group.
