Harmony vs Apple

WSJ.com - Apple Blasts RealNetworks As Music War Heats Up:

Apple Computer Inc. blasted rival RealNetworks Inc. and said it is investigating the legal implications of Real's recent move to begin selling songs in a special format Apple uses for its popular iPod player.


In a brief press release Thursday morning, Apple said: "We are stunned that RealNetworks has adopted the tactics and ethics of a hacker to break into the iPod." Apple also cautioned RealNetworks and its customers that "when we update our iPod software from time to time it is highly likely that Real's Harmony technology will cease to work with current and future iPods. "

What did Real think Apple's response would be? Oh, fine, reverse engineer us, we don't mind that you are stealing sales from our store. Come on. I smell a lawsuit brewing here.

However, Real's swipe at Apple was seen as possibly running into legal problems, even ahead of Apple's statement Thursday. A 1998 federal law, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, prohibits the "circumvention" of copy-protection technologies, the digital locks used to prevent piracy of everything from DVDs to electronic books to songs purchased over the Internet. Legal experts say RealNetworks may run afoul of the law if it had to crack Apple's copy-protection software to figure out how it works.

Wouldn't that be a trip? And the ex-executive of Real is now a Senator, Maria Cantwell. I wonder if she voted for or against the Digital Millennium Copyright bullshit?

Now playing in iTunes: Woodgrain, from the album Enhanced EP by Wilco (released 2003)