10/10 news - whudhesay?

[FredThompson]

What is this sentence supposed to say?

"Could the studio's trying to protect themselves with DRM that makes consumers run back to traditional DVD retailers in order not to piss off their largest retailers (Target makes up about 15% of the total US retail market)?"

[foxyshadis]

"Could the studios be trying to protect themselves with DRM, which makes consumers run back to traditional DVD retailers, in order not to piss off their largest retailers? (Target makes up about 15% of the total US retail market.)"

A few commas and the missing word should save it from run-on purgatory.

[unskinnyboy]

"Could the studios be trying to protect themselves with DRM, which makes consumers run back to traditional DVD retailers, in order not to piss off their largest retailers? (Target makes up about 15% of the total US retail market.)"
The order of the sentence doesn't make sense. The way you have written it would seem like the consumers are running back to the traditional DVD retailers in order not to piss off their (consumers') largest retailers?

I would go with:"Could the studios be trying to protect themselves with DRM, in order not to piss off their largest retailers? (Target makes up about 15% of the total US retail market), which makes the consumers run back to traditional DVD retailers."A total reordering, I know, but this makes more sense, if any sense at all.

[kypec]

I agree totally with your interpretation, unskinnyboy.
How could come that consumers piss off the retailers?
Opposite is always true I think ;)

[foxyshadis]

The order of the sentence doesn't make sense. The way you have written it would seem like the consumers are running back to the traditional DVD retailers in order not to piss off their (consumers') largest retailers?

I would go with:A total reordering, I know, but this makes more sense, if any sense at all.

Yes, it's a dangling modifier, but I'm not Doom9's copywriter so I left it alone. :p (Though I was employed as one once, so I have to resist rewriting yours as well. ;))

[dragongodz]

The order of the sentence doesn't make sense. The way you have written it would seem like the consumers are running back to the traditional DVD retailers in order not to piss off their (consumers') largest retailers?
try taking a breath at the commas. the rewritten sentence by foxyshadis makes perfect sense and is grammatically fine. the commas are there for a reason and tell you how the sentence should be read.

the middle section is just more information, in this case the result of the questioned action. so you have action, result of action, reason for action.

anyway have a look here
http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000081.htm
at the example that starts
"Example: Marcia Gomes, "

[unskinnyboy]

At this point, we all know what the sentence really means to say, so it wouldn't be surprising if we could understand the meaning however distorted it is like if I wree to tpye lkie tihs.

While I understand action, result of action, reason for action, my only gripe is when you refer to a subject in the 3rd part, it is unclear as to who exactly you are referring to (consumers or the studios). The way it is rewritten, while it is far from perfect, is at least clear on that part.

[FredThompson]

It still isn't clear to me. Is it supposed to propose that studios use DRM to push consumers back to stores to buy physical discs?

I can't see the logic in that. It's short term thinking, like urinating in your pants to keep your butt warm.

[dragongodz]

my only gripe is when you refer to a subject in the 3rd part, it is unclear as to who exactly you are referring to (consumers or the studios). The way it is rewritten, while it is far from perfect, is at least clear on that part.
there is no "far from perfect". either it is grammatically correct or not. it is. so any problems understanding the meaning falls back to the person reading it. :)

this is all getting really outside the scope of this forum so i think best to get back to a more related part, rather than have a mod tell us to.

Is it supposed to propose that studios use DRM to push consumers back to stores to buy physical discs?
yes that is the question it asks. just remove the middle section and you have
Could the studios be trying to protect themselves with DRM in order not to piss off their largest retailers? (Target makes up about 15% of the total US retail market.)

can't see the logic in that. It's short term thinking
that assumes studio heads think logically and long term. methinks you give them more credit than history shows they deserve. ;)

[Shinigami-Sama]

whens the last time a retail company given us any credit?
other than instore? O:
thats how much credit they deserve

but I do agree, doom9 needed to take a breath mid-sentance, then again he's had little free time it seems; I know that feeling