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RealNetworks launches music sale, targets iTunes

updated 12:40 am EDT, Tue August 17, 2004

Real launches music sale

RealNetworks today announced its new music sale to kick off the .

by MacNN Staff

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jedi1yoda1
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Dec 2001

0

08/17, 12:56am | report spam | close Reply |
choice

How is it choice when their service only works with windows?

andydg
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2004

0

08/17, 01:03am | report spam | close Reply |
1 choice

There is only one choice, iTunes. :)

bedoughty
Junior Member

Joined: Oct 2003

0

08/17, 02:09am | report spam | close Reply |
Laughter

Just another beautiful way one company can be so painfully retarded. jedi1yoda1 has a great point.. It seems that it's not enough for Real to be hemmoraging money, (in part because M$ is pulling yet another stunt and doing what they can to snuff the competition) but now they have to get proactive about throwing it down a sewer.

Morons.

slipperfrog
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Joined: Nov 2002

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08/17, 02:37am | report spam | close Reply |
Ha!

Like Real has ever been about "Freedom of Choice"! Their format has always been proprietary, and I've never heard of them licensing it to anyone.

Bye-bye, Real. Say hello to Roxio/Napster for me when you get to h***.

adam1185
Junior Member

Joined: Apr 2004

0

08/17, 03:12am | report spam | close Reply |
haha

This is gonna backfire on real so bad. Check out the petition they've started at this website http://freedomofmusicchoice.org/

Something tells me they won't get too many positive signatures ;-)

pdot
Senior User

Joined: Aug 2000

0

08/17, 03:24am | report spam | close Reply |
strategy

This new promotion is to get people to use Real music on iPods and once there are enough users, they'll hope that it will convince Apple (i.e. get public support) to allow Real music on iPods.

TiDual
Forum Regular

Joined: Nov 2001

0

08/17, 05:52am | report spam | close Reply |
right or wrong

That's clearly the strategy, but doomed. There's no way Apple will let itself be bullied like this, especially so publically. I reckon Apple will ignore this entirely (to avoid too much press), and simply hold out for a little bit, then introduce an ipod update which breaks all harmony songs, a few ipod owners will be a little annoyed (since I don't think many will use REAL anyway), REAL will die, and apple will carry on with it's dominate share of >4GB players and on-line music sales.

bowwowman
Mac Elite

Joined: Jun 2000

0

08/17, 06:47am | report spam | close Reply |
no way

So now they are resorting to giving away their music for 1/2 price just to get people to try their lousy service... what a winey-butt, half-a*sed promotional stunt, too bad it will fall on deaf ears and hard heads..... maybe now consumers will see how silly this format war is AGAIN!

Open standards, thats the ticket..........

jasong
Mac Elite

Joined: Mar 2000

0

08/17, 07:37am | report spam | close Reply |
dialogue and thoughts

This site is an invitation for your dialogue and thoughts, whether it's about us or any other player o�n the field.

Um . . . the only place I could find for dialogue was discussing the articles they selected promoting their point of view. No forums for open discussion, no link inviting me to submit an article.

Furthermore, as has been said, and as I have said all along, Real, give me my freedom of choice, then we can talk. I use a Mac, provide me with service.

1800-whatever
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Joined: Jan 2004

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08/17, 07:38am | report spam | close Reply |
sign the petition ROLF

I was a bit curious what people had written where it says
"Don�t Let Apple Break Your iPod!� Sign up�" and if it would be like really pro REAL or what ...
LOL, well... go read the comments...
I'dd love them to send that of to Apple :-)

ethical_paul
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Joined: Mar 2002

0

08/17, 07:39am | report spam | close Reply |
Not for a nickel

I wouldn't buy a Real networks song if it only cost a nickel.

testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001

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08/17, 09:49am | report spam | close Reply |
Wow!

218 signatures so far. Soon enough, they'll have 500, and then 1000. And when that happens, Apple will crumble like human civilization did when the Apes took over! Bwahahahahahaha!

And I like comment 9. It makes a good point.

Why is [BUFFERING...] Real [BUFFERING...] even still in busi[BUFFERING...]ness?

cooner
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Joined: Sep 2003

0

08/17, 09:54am | report spam | close Reply |
Choice?

If Real's ever-so-noble goal were really "freedom of choice," they would be campaigning for the removal of DRM altogether. Really, the arguments about DRM are basically "I don't want limitations on how I use the music I purchase," and "I won't want to buy music with restrictions which may render it obsolete in the future or unusable when I buy a new player." Those situations apply no matter who you buy DRM music from.

Oh, wait, Read doesn't *really* care about freedom of choice, they just want to trick people to buying music from their inferior service.

Unfortunately DRM is here to stay as long as the Big Music Companies retain their control over the industry. The only way that's going to change is by an overall transformation of the industry. Sorry, but Real trying to get people to convert from on DRM to another isn't going to help.

scotty321
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Joined: Nov 1999

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08/17, 09:57am | report spam | close Reply |
Ha!!

Most of those signatures are from Mac users telling Real to shut up!! Rob Glaser has just moved up to #1 on my all-time hate list, tied with Bill Gates.

NDBounce
Senior User

Joined: Feb 2000

0

08/17, 10:04am | report spam | close Reply |
Why Not?

Okay, I know I am about to get slammed, but I happen to agree with the idea behind the petition, even though it is poorly motivated (I know it's abour $$ for REAL). But I think people should have the choice where to download music, be it Apple, Real, Dell, or Wal-Mart. I am not saying all are equal, but I do believe that if someone wants to use Real to provide them with their service they should be able to.

The idea of choice is not a bad one...I mean a lot of people here know how frustrating it is when their employer says they must use a windows based machine when I mac is an (at least) equally viable alternative.

I don't see how not allowing other companies products to work on the iPod is a bad thing for consumers. Apple allows other companies to make software that works on their Macs, why can't they let other people sell music that will work with their iPod?

Before you bash, please note that I am not saying REAL is a benign company looking out for the consumer. I have no doubt this is necessary for them to stay afloat. And I am not stating that their product is superior/inferior to iTunes. I'm simply wondering why people here think no one other than Apple should be allowed to sell us music for our iPods. I think that is silly.

Just because you prefer iTunes, does not mean that everyone does. If someone wants to use a product you consider inferior, let them. I personally love my Mac and the Mac platform. But I don't feel that Apple should be the only computer manufacturer. I truly believe that if someone really wants to use windows or Linux, they should be allowed to (granted I will probably make fun of them, but, it's their choice to frustrate themselves). Similarly if someone wants to use REAL instead of iTunes, more power to them.

srrojo
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Joined: Jul 2004

0

08/17, 10:07am | report spam | close Reply |
Musiclovers in the WSJ...

...an analyst in the WSJ wrote that factoring in all costs (and lack of media cost) that these shysters can STILL make a hefty profit at 15 cents a song. All arguments aside about how Real is a desperate company on its way down, the point still is-

Real, you're just another RIAA patsy. And the racketeering goes on.....

SomeToast
Senior User

Joined: Jan 1999

0

08/17, 10:17am | report spam | close Reply |
re: Why Not?

But I think people should have the choice where to download music, be it Apple, Real, Dell, or Wal-Mart.

And that would be swell, but unfortunately, as a Mac user, Real, Dell and Wal-Mart won't let me. Let's see them give some consideration to Apple before Apple gives any consideration to them.

AaronAdams
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2004

0

08/17, 10:43am | report spam | close Reply |
We've already chosen

I already chose against Real when I purchased an iPod. By their own admission, there are at least 70 other players out there with Real support. I bought one without. If Real support is important, users are free to buy another player. There is already plenty of choice in MP3 players, and people have chosen against Real.

jedi1yoda1
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Dec 2001

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08/17, 10:47am | report spam | close Reply |
choices

I think in the end, People want to choose iTunes and want an iPod. I don't think i've ever heard any of my friends who have iPods complain that iTunes was the only program they could use with it. I think if we had the freedom to choose iTunes or Real, i'd stick with iTunes.

To me it's kind of a choice between name brand and generic (i guess not as generic as Wal-Mart).

I'm sorry Real, that Apple has a dominance in something! Get over it. Why does it seem like when Apple does well, that everyone treats it as a bad thing has happened?

1800-whatever
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Joined: Jan 2004

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08/17, 10:54am | report spam | close Reply |
link ???????

is the link on the site to sign the 'petiton' gone allready ??????

or is it me?

digdog
Forum Regular

Joined: Mar 2001

0

08/17, 10:58am | report spam | close Reply |
joke of the day

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?r4apple&1

Petition #277:
Rob Glaser
Ups! I think I made a great mistake. I better delete this petition. :D

1800-whatever
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2004

0

08/17, 11:02am | report spam | close Reply |
link anyone ?

You can onlu still seem to get to the petion now via

This site is an invitation for your dialogue and thoughts

What a shame :-) Hmmm and that while the site says "This site is an invitation for your dialogue and thoughts"

jypeterson
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2004

0

08/17, 11:08am | report spam | close Reply |
Link to petition

Real has now removed the link to the petition that was going to be sent to Apple to open up the iPod. It backfired and now the link was removed from the 'Freedom of Choice' website. Here is the link to the petition as long as it is still up:
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?r4apple&1

A very funny read, but good job to those who post to the petition because they have forced the removal by their comments.

GOOD JOB! Keep the iPod working by keeping Real out!

cooner
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2003

0

08/17, 11:31am | report spam | close Reply |
Invitation for dialogue?

In addition to removing the link to the petition, Real has also removed a handful of comments that had been posted under their 'Q&A with Devo' article.

Noteworthy that while the online petition is fun, the comments under the Devo article as I recall actually pointed out some glaring inaccuracies in that article.

Amusingly, the link on the main page still thinks there are (7) comments. :)

LordJohnWhorfin
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2002

0

08/17, 11:36am | report spam | close Reply |
I'm for freedom of choic

RealNetworks should be aborted!

1800-whatever
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2004

0

08/17, 12:08pm | report spam | close Reply |
menu

Seems like they updated the menu on the left side on the site again.

petiton still up :)

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?r4apple&1

jasonbw
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2000

0

08/17, 12:26pm | report spam | close Reply |
great idea

i want the freedom to buy a realmusic track:
www.real.com/music

"We're sorry.
This service is currently not available for Mac."

funny, isn't it?

hulette
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2000

0

08/17, 12:29pm | report spam | close Reply |
massive hypocrisy

Does anyone think that if Real's music store was leading the industry by 70%+ that they would make even the slightest move to open up their DRM format? this is a desperate move by a desperate company. it's pathetic.

and yes, you can purchase music from other stores for use on the ipod. emusic.com bleep.com and audiolunchbox.com, just off the top of my head, all sell music in open MP3 format, completely compatible with the Apple iPod. and CD's, last I checked, can all be ripped and copied, *legally*, onto your music player of choice.

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

08/17, 12:34pm | report spam | close Reply |
Falling Into A Trap/

I went to the petition and read the comments. Some are funny, some make good points. However, I think there is a danger. Even though on-line petitions have the ability to record comments, as with real petitions, the only thing that counts in the end is the name and if the name can be verified. If 10,000 Mac die-hards sign the petition all saying how bad Real is, all that matters is that 10,000 people signed the petition. Real will be able to use those numbers.

If Mac users want to make a real point, no pun intended, we should start a "Don't Hack My iPod" petition or a "Freedom of Choice Means No DRM" petition or a "Freedom of Choice Means ALL Real Features Work on ALL Platforms.

groundwork
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

08/17, 12:50pm | report spam | close Reply |
new petition

Looks like Real decided the original petition wasn't going so well, so they decided to link to a new petition from their site.

http://www.petitiononline.com/4real2/petition.html

It looks like you can't leave comments on this one though? Would explain why only 22 people have signed it. What a joke.

1800-whatever
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2004

0

08/17, 12:50pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re : falling into a trap.

You have a point actuallly. A good idea .

Meanwhile real posted a NEW petition link on their site, but you cannot read what others have posted.

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?4real2

vickys-box
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Joined: Apr 2004

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08/17, 12:53pm | report spam | close Reply |
New petition

Doesn't allow comments though, so just put your comment in the space reserved for 'name' instead.

hulette
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Joined: Jan 2000

0

08/17, 12:57pm | report spam | close Reply |
desperate

man, they are just gasping for air here, aren't they? the air of desperation is so thick you could cut it with a knife.

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

08/17, 01:02pm | report spam | close Reply |
Following My Own Advice

I am willing to start the following on-line petition. It does borrow from some ideas listed here. I post it here first for your approval:

Don�t Hack My iPod

We, the undersigned, do herby demand that RealNetworks, Inc., withdraw its current iPod hack refered to henceforth as, �Harmony,� and cease and desist from all future attempts to hack the iPod�s digital rights management scheme.

We believe hacks such as, �Harmony,� to be not only unethical but potentially illegal as well. Does Hollywood tolerate the promotion of software solutions that allow the hacking of DVD players to play DVDs from different regions or to copy DVDs? No! (Reference recent lawsuits brought against manufacturers of such software.) Would Sony tolerate the hacking of its Playstation hardware and software so that Playstation game titles could be played on the Xbox or personal computers? NO! (Reference Sony�s lawsuit against Connetix Virtual Playstation software.)

Therefore, we, the undersigned, demand that RealNetworks, Inc. immediately withdraw, �Harmony,� cease and desist all current efforts to develop, �Harmony,� as well as any and all future efforts to develop similar technologies for hacking the iPod.

1800-whatever
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2004

0

08/17, 01:20pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re osakabill

cool. Go for it.

hulette
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2000

0

08/17, 01:22pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re osakabill

i'd sign. I also just sent an email to devo to ask for them to pull their endorsement. info@clubdevo.com

groundwork
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

08/17, 01:26pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: osakabill

I'd add something about the hipocracy of the whole campaign. Get your jabs in.

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

08/17, 01:57pm | report spam | close Reply |
Alternative Petition

Freedom of Choice Means REAL Freedom

RealNetworks, Inc. is currently waging war against Apple Computer, Inc. over the digital rights management scheme (a.k.a. �DRM�) used in Apple�s highly successful digital music player, the iPod. RealNetworks� most recent salvo in this battle is a promotion entitled, �Freedom of Choice,� complete with a web site and on-line petitions.

It is ironic that RealNetworks demands access to the DRM scheme used in the iPod under the banner of, �Freedom of Choice,� when RealNetworks itself does not offer freedom of choice to its customers. Currently, the vast majority of the content RealNetworks provides is not compatible with non-Windows platforms. Content ranging from digital music to digital video to downloadable games is unavailable to users of the Macintosh, Linux and other non-Windows operating systems. In fact, �Harmony,� RealNetworks� recent hack of the iPod�s DRM scheme, is unavailable to non-Windows users.

Therefore, we, the undersigned, demand that RealNetworks, Inc., make all of its content fully available to all computer users of any computing platform. Furthermore, we demand that RealNetworks withdraw, "Harmony" and its, "Freedom of Choice," campaign until that time RealNetowrks fully honors the concept of freedom of choice by making all of its content avaialble to all computer users. We regard anything else as hypocritical self-promotion.

1800-whatever
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2004

0

08/17, 01:59pm | report spam | close Reply |
re alternative petition

nice one !

Putta
Junior Member

Joined: Aug 2002

0

08/17, 02:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
Brilliant

Just tried to register at the site with username: realsucks it comes back and tell's be its already taken. Hmmm. Will have to try realblows...

srrojo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2004

0

08/17, 02:05pm | report spam | close Reply |
Hellyeah!!

OsakaBill, put this one up and I'll sign it!!

After you do that, contact Andrew Orlowski of theregister.co.uk, and you might have a movement!

1800-whatever
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2004

0

08/17, 02:45pm | report spam | close Reply |
meanwhile

While Osakabill is working take a look :

http://www.petitiononline.com/notreal/

klinux
Senior User

Joined: Jul 2002

0

08/17, 02:57pm | report spam | close Reply |
Man

What a bunch of whiners. Real wants to sell you music that's playable on the iPod yet have some control over its distribution (i.e. a not free-for-all MP3). That's good news and competition.

Unfortunately, we have mostly childish zealots here who cannot have independent thought that deviates of Apple's own press releases.

Oh, OsakaBill, lawsuit does not mean jack. I can sue Apple for infringing on my idea of bouncing icon; it does not mean anything until I win. As for all those lawsuits you mentioned, if I buy a DVD, I should be able to watch it anywhere I want to - on a standalone DVD player or in a softplayer on any OS.

Did the film industry win?

No.

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

08/17, 03:01pm | report spam | close Reply |
Klinux

Hollywood put the company that made the main Windows DVD copying software out of business. Connetix ended up settling with Sony out of court (Sony bought the Virtual Game Station and all rights to it and Connectix promised not to reverse engineer any more Sony products).

So...

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

08/18, 09:16am | report spam | close Reply |
Don't Hack My iPod

http://www.petitiononline.com/dhmip2/petition.html

OsakaBill
Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

0

08/18, 09:17am | report spam | close Reply |
REAL Freedom

http://www.petitiononline.com/focmrf/petition.html

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