WalMart relents; keeps DRM machine pulsing

Oh, poor WalMart, hoping to save a couple of dollars by switching off their DRM servers, even although it meant their customers would suddenly find their legally-purchased music collection was broken.

The trouble is, of course, the internet is full of meddling kids, and so after being made to look crooked, now WalMart is having to back down:

Based on feedback from our customers, we have decided to maintain our digital rights management (DRM) servers for the present time. What this means to you is that our existing service continues and there is no action required on your part. Our customer service team will continue to assist with DRM issues for protected windows media audio (WMA) files purchased from Walmart.com.

While our customer support team is available to assist you with any issues, we continue to recommend that you back up your songs by burning them to a recordable audio CD. By backing up your songs, you insure access to them from any personal computer at any time in the future.

We appreciate your support and patience as we work to provide the best service possible to you. As we move forward with our 100% MP3 store, we'll continue to update you with key decisions regarding our service and your account via email.

Thank you for using Walmart MP3 Music Downloads.

The Walmart Digital Music Team

That noise? Oh, that would be the sound of Sam Walton's ghost typing through gritted teeth.