[Web4lib] RE: Overdrive

Tue May 23 14:20:53 EDT 2006

Apple is reacting in a "once bitten, twice shy" way.  They DID actually
open up their Operating System to clone manufacturers at one point in
the 90's, and it almost killed the company.  From that, they realized
that they are a hardware company first, (read: first priority is selling
iPods) and the impetus for purchasing their hardware comes from making
good software (read: the whole iTunes system). 

Unfortunately, we're in between two giants fighting it out.  Don't think
for a minute that, were the tables turned, Microsoft would be any more
benevolent.  Their current campaign of promoting "Plays-for-sure"
devices and WM DRM as more "open" than Apple's Fairplay is born from
realizing they are late to the game and need something to leverage
against the giant media economy the iPod/iTunes Music Store has
generated.  If the Napster or Urge services are to be taken as a model
for how Microsoft would play the game, we would actually see more
restriction in use - no burning audio cd's, subscriptions where, if you
forget to pay, you lose your music, etc. etc.  I am not promoting one
system or the other - I wish there were an open system where I could get
any media I wanted on my iPod - but I can understand the mindshare
battles that are going on between Cupertino and Redmond.

As it stands now, yes, it is highly unfortunate that Apple does not
allow 3rd-Parties to use their DRM system, but I think that is more a
reaction of a threat to their core hardware business rather than
anything malicious.  If they did open up Fairplay, someone would come
along and make a cheaper "iPod", use up Apple resources in the software
(iTunes / iTMS), and Apple would be facing the same situation they faced
in the 90's with the Clone makers - everyone uses their software, but
their system depends on them making money on the hardware.

The new reality of the popularity of the iPod as a ubiquitous media
player was something that nobody (not even Apple!) really saw coming.
(They've even integrated them with running shoes!!! -
http://www.apple.com/ipod/nike/) I'm therefore not surprised that they
seem to be taking the process of opening up to 3rd parties very slowly.

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of HAZEL Margaret E
Sent: May 23, 2006 1:43 PM
To: Karen Coyle; Tracey.Reed at myClearwater.com
Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: RE: [Web4lib] RE: Overdrive

Yes, this is what they told us - Apple won't release the license to use
on non-iPods, nor will they let users do .wmf files on iPods.

-Margaret
 Eugene PL, OR

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Karen Coyle
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 10:26 AM
To: Tracey.Reed at myClearwater.com
Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] RE: Overdrive

The lack of support for iPods is something I'm curious about, and will
ask about at the Overdrive booth at ALA. I suspect that Apple is
unwilling to license its DRM ("Fairplay") for use on non-Apple players,
and is not able or willing to add the Windows Media File capability to
the iPod. This seems to be somewhat typical of Apple, this bundling of
their hardware and software -- after all, they always refused to create
a license-able version of their operating system, even though there was
some evidence that there was a market for it. So my guess is that
Overdrive would be happy to be delivering files in iTunes format, since
it would probably increase their business, but that Apple won't let a
third party use their software.

I'll ask, and will report back. But if anyone already knows for sure,
please post.
kc

Tracey.Reed at myClearwater.com wrote:
> Thanks to all who responded about Overdrive.  I have some of the same
concerns and questions, so there's no definitive answer to what we're
doing yet.  
>
> We seem to have a high theft rate of our CDs, so the audio seems more
interesting to us at the moment.  One of my major concerns is the hoops
that must be jumped through (conversion of files, etc.) to get them to
play on iPods.  Granted, we have the same problems now with Overdrive's
audiobooks (we seem to have more patrons with iPods than with regular
mp3 players), and I'm not sure adding to it by adding an additional
format would be beneficial at the moment.  Especially when our public
PCs don't have iTunes installed so that people can put them on iPods.
>
> I really appreciate your insight.
>
> -t
> -----
> Tracey Reed
> Clearwater Public Library System
> tracey.reed at myclearwater.com
> 727.562.4970 x5188
> www.myclearwater.com/cpl
> "If the eyes are the windows of the soul, then words are the doorbells

> of the mind." -Josh Wilson, Australian journalist, The Weekend 
> Australian, 2002
>
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4lib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>
>
>   

--
-----------------------------------
Karen Coyle / Digital Library Consultant kcoyle at kcoyle.net
http://www.kcoyle.net
ph.: 510-540-7596
fx.: 510-848-3913
mo.: 510-435-8234
------------------------------------

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