RealNetworks responds to Apple

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Richard Pauli <rpauli () speakeasy net>
Date: July 30, 2004 7:39:12 AM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: RealNetworks responds to Apple

Dave,

For IP - I like Real's response:  
http://www.realnetworks.com/company/press/releases/2004/ 
harmony_statement.html


REALNETWORKS STATEMENT ABOUT HARMONY TECHNOLOGY AND CREATING CONSUMER  
CHOICE

SEATTLE, July 29, 2004 — RealNetworks®, Inc. (Nasdaq: RNWK) is  
delighted by initial consumer and music industry support for Harmony.  
Compatibility, choice and quality are critically important to consumers  
and Harmony provides all of these to users of the iPod and over 70  
other music devices including those from Creative, Rio, iRiver, and  
others. RealPlayer Music Store provides the highest sound quality of  
any download music service. That's why so many consumers have welcomed  
news of Harmony. Consumers, and not Apple, should be the ones choosing  
what music goes on their iPod.

Harmony follows in a well-established tradition of fully legal,  
independently developed paths to achieve compatibility. There is ample  
and clear precedent for this activity, for instance the first IBM  
compatible PCs from Compaq. Harmony creates a way to lock content from  
Real's music store in a way that is compatible with the iPod, Windows  
Media DRM devices, and Helix DRM devices. Harmony technology does not  
remove or disable any digital rights management system. Apple has  
suggested that new laws such as the DMCA are relevant to this dispute.  
In fact, the DMCA is not designed to prevent the creation of new  
methods of locking content and explicitly allows the creation of  
interoperable software.

We remain fully committed to Harmony and to giving millions of  
consumers who own portable music devices, including the Apple iPod,  
choice and compatibility.
        
                

RealNetworks, RealPlayer, Harmony, and Helix are trademarks or  
registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc. All other companies or  
products listed herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their  
respective owners.
        
                                                
        

-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com
To manage your subscription, go to
 http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/