You’ve got to hand it to the recording industry. They’ve gotten really good at shooting themselves in the foot. And they just keep doing it.

At least one of the big recording companies is now trying another copy restriction system on their CDs, hoping to prevent people who pay lots of money for their product from doing what they want to with the purchase.

So in a move that risks alienating a dwindling customer base, the major record labels are tightening up restrictions on CDs.

This juncture in technology is a tricky proposition for music lovers, who often say they support artists’ rights to combat piracy. Yet, when it comes to individual use, they assert ownership of their CDs with an almost parental pride.

Trying to pressure internet service providers into revealing the names of people sharing files didn’t work. Shutting down the original Napster fostered many more illegal downloads on new peer to peer systems. Suing a few downloaders only made the RIAA look like fools. And earlier attempts at CD copy protection were bypassed in about 28 minutes.

This new system will not be any more successful. Not only is it incompatible with the most popular music player out there but it still makes it far too difficult for the average user to do what they want with the music they’ve supposedly bought.

Way to go, guys! Continually pissing off your customers is certainly a great way to improve your business.