Computerworld has an interesting take on Microsoft’s decision to abandon PlaysForSure with the Zune.

“The release of Zune means Microsoft is turning its back on its PlaysForSure digital rights management software and all those who use music services that use that scheme.

I say this for two reasons. First, last night I asked an executive at one of those music subscription services point blank whether his company, which uses PlaysForSure, was being shafted by Microsoft and his answer was a blunt yes. Others involved in the industry who I’ve spoken with agreed.

Need more proof? I subscribe to Rhapsody software, which I stopped using temprorarily when I reviewed Zune. When I was finished with the review, I shipped the Zune back to Microsoft but forgot about the Zune software on my system. I went back to using Rhapsody but … Rhapsody didn’t work. I couldn’t transfer music downloaded to Rhapsody to my media player. It did start working, however, when I uninstalled Zune.

PlaysForSure isn’t dead, but it is becoming very apparent at CES that it will die a lingering death. For Microsoft’s part, it is either unrealistically confident that Zune will be a big success over the years despite a sporadic ‚Äì at best ‚Äì start or it is burning bridges that it really shouldn’t be burning.