[Web4lib] Downloadable audiobooks - Windows Media Player forthe Macintosh?

[Benjamin Daeuber]

Benjamin Daeuber
Technology and Electronic Resources Librarian
Fargo Public Library
Office- 701-241-1490
Cell- 701-541-3287
 


-----Original Message-----
From: Benjamin Daeuber 
Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2007 10:40 AM
To: 'Edward Spodick'
Cc: Benjamin Daeuber
Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Downloadable audiobooks - Windows Media Player
forthe Macintosh?


-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Edward Spodick
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 8:05 PM
To: Carol Bean; Web4Lib
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Downloadable audiobooks - Windows Media Player
forthe Macintosh?


At 7:32 PM -0400 8/6/07, Carol Bean wrote:
>On Aug 6, 2007, at 7:08 PM, Bret Parker wrote:
>
>>We get complaints from time to time about Mac users not being able to
>>use downloadable audiobooks on their Macs or iPods.
>>
>>I realize the issue is Digital Rights Management and that NetLibrary
>>and Audible.com use a format that works with Windows Media Player and 
>>is not part of the Mac or iPod world. But...
>>
>>What if the Mac users ran leveraged the new technology that allows
>>them to run Windows programs?
>>
>>Would anyone download  audiobooks from NetLibrary using Windows Media
>>Player on the Windows side of the Mac? Seems like that would be 
>>adequate to at least listen. Maybe they could even transfer the file 
>>to a compatible MP3 player (not an iPod). Has anyone got an insider's 
>>view of this operation?
>
>Yeah, they could set up an intel Mac to run Windows as well as OSX, and
>download audiobooks there.  But they'd have to have an MP3 player that 
>met the audiobook requirements in order to make it portable.  I don't 
>know many (well, none, actually) Mac users who will choose an MP3 in 
>addition to an iPod (or instead of an iPod).  But yeah, it could be 
>done...
>
>Carol Bean
>beanworks.wordpress.com


>As a systems person, I would do it for testing.  As a Mac *user*, I 
>would certainly not >>bother, nor would I be willing to spend so much
money to do so - Virtualization software >>license (possibly no cost),
Windows OS license, MP3 player which is currently compatible,
>>new MP3 player next year or the year after to maintain compatibility, 
>>etc.  Of course, a >>similar problem arises with some iTunes store 
>>files - or at least it would if the iTunes >>store was even available 
>>here.  :)

>Basically, I have given up on using digitally restricted media for my 
>personal needs.

I have an mp3 player from prior to my owning a mac that I like quite a
bit. I run Parrallels on my Intel Mac, which gives me pretty much
everything I need from Windows, including the ability to sync my player.

Of course... DRM is still bad, but *I* can work around it. Most
customers, however... Well, lets hope Apple opens their DRM soon.