IP: Media Unspun: RealNetworks Helps Microsoft Go Open Source

[David Farber <dfarber () earthlink net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: "Robert J. Berger" <rberger () ultradevices com>
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 10:14:34 
To: Dave Farber IP <dave () farber net>,
   Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
Subject: Media Unspun: RealNetworks Helps Microsoft Go Open Source

RealNetworks Helps Microsoft Go Open Source
http://www.imakenews.com/mediaunspun/index000018064.cfm#a83348

Everyone loves an underdog. The press this morning was full of the story of
RealNetworks's attempt to swipe food out of the mouth of Microsoft. Real is
doing this in two ways. First, it is introducing server software, dubbed
Helix, that can produce streaming media in a number of formats, including
Apple's and Microsoft's, and it runs on platforms other than Windows.
Second, Real has laid out a timetable for making some of Helix's source code
available for free to developers in the open-source community.

ComputerWire (in a story carried in the Register) called Real's open-source
initiative the company's "boldest and riskiest move to date." CNET's
News.com characterized it as "the latest in a series of strategic twists and
turns that has made RealNetworks one of the only companies to survive direct
Microsoft competition for years." InternetNews said Real had "(thrown) down
a digital media gauntlet," and the Boston Globe called Helix a "head-on
challenge to Microsoft Corp." Can't you just smell the glee?

The New York Times's John Markoff broke the story of Real's plans for Helix
on Sunday (as credited by CNET). Having scooped it, the Times covered the
actual announcement with perfunctory Reuters copy. The Wall Street Journal
gave the story short shrift, assigning it to an unnamed staff reporter who
manifestly doesn't get the concept of open-source software. (Here's a clue:
Microsoft's decision to give away the Windows Media Player client has
nothing whatsoever to do with open source.) The Globe evidenced a larger
clue quotient on the disruptive power of the open source meme. Reporter
Hiawatha Bray quoted a Forrester analyst thus: "Once you put your media into
the open-source community, any feature that you need can be built. It's very
difficult to compete with that."

Slashdot carried the definitive statement of what Real's moves actually mean
to the open-source community. Bruce Perens, one of the gods of that
movement, attended the Real press conference, reported from there live via
wireless laptop, and sent an analysis to Slashdot. The Register provided a
fair summary of Perens's piece for a more general, but still techie,
audience. - Keith Dawson

Real's WMP, Open Source moves risk Redmond ire (ComputerWire)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/26320.html

Real takes the open-source route
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-945406.html

RealNetworks Throws Down Digital Media Gauntlet
http://www.internetnews.com/infra/article.php/1430311

Real Networks takes on Microsoft server software (Boston Globe)
http://tinyurl.com/s34

RealNetworks Poses Challenge to Microsoft
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/22/technology/22REAL.html

RealNetworks Launches Versatile Streaming Server (Reuters)
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/tech-tech-realnetwokrks-system.htm
l

RealNetworks Will Offer Code For Its Helix Software for Free
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1027381694285227720,00.html
(Paid subscription required)

Part Open Source, Part Not (Bruce Perens)
http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=36511&cid=3931316

Bruce Perens on Real's Open Source gambit
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/26314.html

-- 
Robert J. Berger - Internet Bandwidth Development, LLC.
15550 Wildcat Ridge Saratoga, CA 95070
408-882-4755 Fax: 408-490-2868 rberger () ibd com http://www.ibd.com

For archives see:
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/