BTW, before this issues gets muddied by talking about translations and user styles, let's at least acknowledge that they, on the whole suck compared to the best ROM styles.

The reason we need protected style formats is so that the manufacturers THEMSELVES, as well as talented commercial third party style houses can return to making styles of the quality you get in the ROM pack. So this is not only going to benefit third parties, but the manufacturers that some seem to assume this is NOT in their best interest. To be honest, I would be unsurprised to see a manufacturer actually making MORE profit by selling three YEARS (at least) of monthly ROM quality styles securely to users of their arrangers, than the modest profit (one time) from the sale of a new arranger (and someone else buys the used older arranger, so no sale at ALL to that guy!)

Remember when styles came on a ROM card you put in your arranger? They sold a BOATLOAD of those (when they were any good!). Yet managed, somehow, to stay in business. Didn't stop people from buying the new model...

But, it is becoming all too apparent, without protected style delivery, our choices have all but completely dried up for QUALITY styles (not naff translations or even naff-er user styles). This needs addressing, in the worst way...