Bill Gates pada tahun 1982.

Karya Terbaik

Internet Explorer (IE) (1995)

Tidak sulit bagi masyarakat untuk mengingat "Internet Explorer" sebagai stAndar yang sekaligus membentuk imej Gates sebagai raja perusahaan teknologi. IE juga merupakan aplikasi yang memimpin pembuatan aplikasi berbasis Ajax melalui spesifikasi XMLHttpRequest dan mempopulerkan CSS, walaupun instalasi CSS di IE cenderung kalah dari kebanyakan browser modern lainnya hari ini.

Media Center (2002)

DVR milik Tivo mendominasi dan kompetitor yang terus datang - dan pergi lagi selama bertahun-tahun, Media Center selalu menjadi produk berkualitas tinggi yang kurang dihargai. Bahkan Bill sekalipun mengakui bahwa perusahaan terus berjuang untuk mempermudah pemakaian produknya, akan tetapi Windows Media Center benar-benar membuktikan bahwa Microsoft masih mampu membuat produk canggih yang mudah pakai.

MS-DOS (1981 - 2000)

Yang satu ini adalah legenda dan tidak dapat dipakai oleh manusia biasa - namun mendatangkan uang bak air bagi Bill, dan menolong Microsoft membuat konsep lisensi software.

Office (1989 di Mac, 1990 di PC)

Word, Excel dan PowerPoint secara terpisah dapat menjalankan tugasnya dengan baik, namun saat Microsoft mengkombinasikan mereka menjadi satu paket yang dinamakan Office - ia memiliki nilai jual yang telah terbukti dapat meningkatkan produktivitas - dibutuhkan oleh hampir semua perusahaan hingga saat ini.

Peripherals (1982)

Microsoft telah menjadi perusahaan software sejak awal berdiri, tidak mencegah mereka dari membuat perlengkapan berkualitas tinggi. Sebelum Xbox dan Zune, mereka bahkan telah mempopulerkan mouse wheel, force-feedback joysticks, controller, tetikus optik modern dan keyboard ergonomis.

Windows 3.1 (1992) / NT 3.5 (1994)

Butuh beberapa versi sebelum sukses, namun saat akhirnya Windows mengeluarkan versi 3.1. Microsoft akhirnya memiliki produk yang dapat menarik pengguna PC dari command line. Windows NT mungkin tidak dapat memuaskan dahaga semua pengguna, namun setidaknya ia membawa OS ke dunia 32-bit sekaligus membuka jalan bagi desktop komputer yang kita kenal hari ini.

Windows 2000 dan XP (2000)

Saat berpikir tentang Microsoft dan millennium baru, untunglah Windows ME bukan satu-satunya produk yang datang menyusul Y2K, karena Windows 2000 segera datang untuk menyelamatkan dunia. Windows 2000 sangat sukses sehingga Gates memutuskan untuk menggunakan Windows 2000 sebagai pondasi untuk OS desktop selanjutnya, yaitu XP yang di pAndangan banyak orang masih merupakan OS berkualitas tinggi yang terakhir kali dikeluarkan Microsoft.

Windows CE / Mobile (1996)

Dua proyek Windows CE dan Windows Mobile langsung dijalankan berdasarkan perintah Bill. Apa yang semula hanyalah sebuah komponen kecil, kini telah berkembang menjadi mobile OS yang dapat dipakai di hampir semua alat portabel yang ada.

Xbox (2001) dan Xbox 360 (2005)

Pada tahun 1999, Bill percaya dengan bahwa semua multimedia pada akhirnya akan berkumpul di satu tempat dan mengatakan bahwa bahwa game baru / alat multimedia akan menjadi kuda trojan bagi Microsoft untuk memasuki ruang keluarga di seluruh dunia. Pada tahun 2001, Xbox memasuki teritori baru yang sebelumnya didominasi oleh Sony Playstation dan Nintendo N64.

Visual Basic (1991 - 1998 )

Visual Basic membawa dampak yang sangat besar bagi dunia komputer. Walaupun pemakai komputer biasa mungkin belum pernah mendengar tentang VB pertama yang dirilis Microsoft 17 tahun yang lalu, kemudahan pakai dan tampilan grafis yang dimiliki VB memungkinkan banyak antusias untuk menjadi pengembang aplikasi yang berakibat ke banyaknya aplikasi pihak ketiga yang dibuat untuk Windows di tahun 1990-an.

Runners-up: DirectX, Flight Sim, Portable Media Center, Solitaire dan Minesweeper

10 Karya Terburuk Bill Gates

Auto PC (1998 - 2001)

Melanjutkan kesuksesan dari segmen PC portabel, Microsoft membuat Auto PC yang awalnya berjanji untuk merevolusikan hiburan dalam mobil. Namun masalahnya saat Auto PC diluncurkan, mobil-mobil sudah dilengkapi dengan berbagai macam CD-player. Alat navigasi dalam mobil, pengenalan suara dan pemutar MP3 saat itu masih dianggap fiksi ilmiah (terutama mengingat harganya yang masih lebih dari empat digit saat itu).

Microsoft Bob (1995 - 1996)

Sayang sekali, tidak ada yang memberikan Bob kesempatan karena ia sangat mengganggu. Bill saat itu kencan dengan Melinda French, menejer program dari Bob. Namun sayangnya Bob membutuhkan kinerja lebih banyak dari yang dimiliki kebanyakan komputer yang ada saat itu dan pasar yang ada cukup besar. Untungnya, hubungan asmara antara Bill dan Melinda tidak mengalami nasib yang sama.

Cairo (1991, tetapi tidak pernah dirilis)

Tanyakan kepada orang-orang apa yang mendefinisikan peta teknologi Microsoft pada era 90-an dan Anda akan mendapatkan "Cairo" sebagai jawaban. Diumumkan sebelum Windows NT 3.1 dirilis, Cairo terkadang dideskripsikan sebagai sebuah sistem operasi, terkadang sebagai sebuah koleksi beberapa teknologi baru yang dimaksudkan untuk membimbing Microsoft mencapai arsitektur yang lebih baik dari NT. Setelah menghabiskan uang dan waktu pengembangan yang tidak terhitung, akhirnya Cairo dibatalkan.

MSN Music (2004) dan URGE (2006)

Saat MSN Music, usaha Microsoft untuk membuat sebuah toko musik online yang menggunakan sistem subkripsi gagal, Bill yang keras kepala melakukan apa yang biasanya ia lakukan, membuat merk baru dan meluncurkannya kembali. Saat ia muncul pada CES 2006 sebagai URGE yang merupakan proyek kerja sama dengan MTV, banyak orang yang skeptis, dan layanan ini pun kembali gagal.

Origami / UMPC (2006)

Barang yang satu ini terlalu mahal, tidak terlalu bermanfaat, menggunakan OS untuk desktop dan memiliki umur batterai yang pendek menunjukkan bahwa UMPC masih belum benar-benar siap pakai.

OS/2 (1987 - 2006)

Dimulai sebagai proyek kolaborasi antara Microsoft dengan IBM dan pada awalnya dianggap sebagai penerus kerajaan DOS/Windows. Pada awalnya OS ini menunjukkan potensinya dengan menggunakan file system HPFS, kapabilitas jaringan yang lebih baik dan tampilan yang rumit. Akan tetapi memburuknya hubungan antara kedua perusahaan kemudian membunuh OS/2.

Dengan Windows 3 yang mendadak sukses, IBM yang tidak mau membuat OS yang kompatibel dengan semua perangkat keras, dan Microsoft yang tidak menyukai coding OS/2 yang "berkinerja lambat," Gates akhirnya memutuskan untuk tidak meneruskan pengembangan OS tersebut.

SPOT watches dan MSN Direct (2004 - 2008 )

Saat konsep jam tangan yang secara otomatis dapat menerima konten melalui frekuensi FM diperkenalkan oleh Microsoft, tampaknya hal itu merupakan sebuah ide brilian. Bill bahkan secara pribadi menangani proyek tersebut. Namun saat produk ini diluncurkan, ia sudah dilanda berbagai masalah: penampilan yang luar buruk dan ukuran yang terlalu besar ditambah kampanye iklan yang buruk. Plus, mobile web sudah mulai menghangat, semua orang yang tertarik dengan konsep ini sudah bisa mendapatkan semua informasi yang mereka butuhkan melalui ponsel.

Windows Genuine Advantage (2001)

Tergantung siapa yang Anda tanya, WGA merupakan pelanggaran privasi yang sangat serius, penyebab sakit kepala, hanya perlindungan minimal terhadap pembajakan atau semuanya.

Windows ME (2000)

Tidak ada seorangpun yang cukup mengerti alasan keberadaan Windows Millenium Edition. Tidak seperti Windows 2000 yang berbasis NT, Windows ME tetap mempertahankan MS-DOS sebagai pondasinya, dan bahkan berkinerja lebih lambat dan tidak stabil lagi dibandingkan pendahulunya Windows 95 dan 98.

Windows Vista (2007)

Saya rasa yang ini sudah tidak perlu penjelasan lagi. Membutuhkan waktu pengembangan yang luar biasa, tetapi saat peluncurannya mengalami banyak sekali masalah dengan kompatibilitas browser, perangkat keras dan banyak lagi. Vista juga banyak dianggap oleh banyak perusahaan besar untuk tidak membawa banyak keuntungan selain tampilan dibandingkan Windows XP. Runner-up: Actimates, Pocket IE, Games for Windows - Live, Xenix

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In short, these two episodes can be looked at it in two ways: on the positive side, Microsoft does seem to listen to its customer base when presented with an overwhelming response, though on the downside, it does seem to indicate a certain lack of foresight or customer intimacy, which can't be good for customer goodwill. This remains a problem with Microsoft as they face a competitor in certain areas that seems to be doing a superb job with anticipating consumer needs in Apple, and one that seems to give away a lot of great Internet software in Google. Addressing this discrepancy would in my view be an important first step in making Microsoft more competitive as technology moves to be increasingly Internet-oriented over the coming years.

A mix bag of results, links and stuff..

• Crowdsource Your Decisions with SocialThumbs - ReadWriteWeb
  This is just here because I think you need to see that sometimes, there things on the internet that make me go..."WTF? WHY PEOPLE? WHY? GET LIVES DAMNNIT!!!!". This is one of those times. WTFMATE? (And yes, I'm aware that some of you have this reaction to most of the stuff I talk about in class. I'm saying we all have our thresholds)

• Handwriting: A Skill For A Digital Age - Stepcase Lifehack
  You do remember that I'm going to make you sit in a cold room and write by hand for two hours? You didn't? Oh. Sorry.

• Sunday LOL cats « Feminist Philosophers
  Sometimes, we just need more LOLCats in life. Feminist Philosopher's selected highlights package appeals to my geek-cat-academic nexus. Besides, what's not to love about the first gag?

• Team Fortress 2 Stats
  Stats paradise for the gaming geek

• Back Up Files To Email With Just One Click | MakeUseOf.com
  Don't trust it for mission critical confidential stuff. That said, keeping a copy of the assignment in the e-mail and on google docs is a decent safety system
• DRM sucks redux: Microsoft to nuke MSN Music DRM keys
  Customers who have purchased music from the now-defunct MSN Music store are now facing a decision they never anticipated making: commit to which computers (and OS) they want to authorize forever, or give up access to the music they paid for. Why?

Remember how I said not every link has to be relevant? It's true.

Soulja Boy created his hit song out of his basement home studio and put it all over the Internet. He was averaging well over 10,000 plays a day on his MySpace music player. He also used SoundClick, FaceBook and Friendster. Between the four online networks Soulja Boy was averaging well over 40,000 plays a day before landing a record deal. The Internet makes it a lot easier!

Ludacris made is own album/demo by himself an sold it out of his car. He sold over 30,000 copies in three months. The labels came to him and the rest is history. The amazing thing about Luacris' story is that he did it before the Internet. There was no MySpace or YouTube when Ludacris first came out. You all have a huge advantage over Ludacris, you have the Internet.

How Do I Do It?
My first recommendation is to open CDBaby account so you can sell your music online. I recommend CDbaby above others because they partner with all the major online stores, like itunes, as well as smaller ones. To date they have over 50 online music retailers. That is the most of any independent online distributor (willing to work with unestablished recording artists).

When you visit CDBaby click on Sell Your Music , then click Digital Distribution. It only costs around $30 to register, they give you your own web page, and they register you with over 50 on line stores like Apple itunes, MSN Music and other big names. See list of CDbaby's on line distribution stores here (click).

CDbaby is just a recommendation. You do not have to use them. You can go to all the on line music distributors and register yourself. However, that can be a bit time consuming. The advantage of CDbaby is that they register you with over 50 online stores and they cover all the big ones like itunes.

The disadvantage of CDbaby is that sometimes it can take as long as month for them to register your music with the online distributors. However, they do have excellent customer service and you can call and check on the status of your account anytime. Once they've registered you it's smooth sailing.

Make sure you know what songs you want to sell. It takes a while to delete and upload songs to all those distributors. It's not MySpace People. The next step to attract a label is marketing. Marketing is the hardest part. I'll cover that in the next post Attract Record Labels To You Part II Marketing.

By Jamille Luney
Music Analyst

1. DRM prevents fair use back-ups.

2. Every form of copy protection and/or DRM I have ever seen (and that is LOTS) has been quickly broken.

3. DRM is a Major turn-off for any customer.

4. DRM is almost always tied to current technologies or formats and thus will have "end of life" issues.

5. IMHO DRM is just plain wrong.

6. The only people making money through the use of DRM is the Companies pushing it, not the artists, and not companies that get sold on it and use it.

7. Things can be, and historically have been,  an economic success without Copy Protection.

Now For a bit more detail (for those interested):

DRM interferes with Fair use backups:

DRM/Copy Protection either limits or out right prevents the legitimate owner of the protected media or software from making backups. Even when backups are allowed their number and format is usually limited which is not in keeping with the modern computer user. Lets say I want to back my media up to a CF drive that I use just for backup. Some DRM would prevent me from doing so. If the DRM insists I burn to CD/DVD it would be nice for the number of burns to be unlimited, because life of CD/DVD's no definitely not unlimited. All in all a frustrating and potentially costly problem for the person that paid for the right to use the content.

Every form of copy protection and/or DRM I have ever seen has been quickly broken:

The fundamental concept of DRM on Content be it music, Video, or software is an unworkable one. Lets take music or video. if I can hear it or see it I can copy it, period. Short of implanting a chip in my head, and then making this chip the only device the media will play on, there is going to be the "analog hole". Once content is made analog it loses it's DRM. Some people hold that advanced watermarking techniques can survive the transformations that take place when going from digital to analog back to a different form of digital but that is another topic. In short, if I can hear it I can put a mic near the speaker and record it. If I can see it I can use a video camera to record it. Doesn't matter how elaborate and complicated the DRM is once it is in a form that will travel from the computer to my human senses it's vulnerable.

The other huge hole in the whole DRM scheme is the fact that digital media be it video, software, or music is all just data acted upon by the computer or software in the computer. This means that not only is the data susceptible to outside manipulation that it wasn't intended for so is the software acting upon it. It is not difficult for a skilled reverser to disassemble the DRM code and see how it works. For a software developer to make a virtual sound card for the DRM software to un-DRM the music into. If we want to get really fancy a hardware tech could easily put together a device that pretended to be a CD burner but was in fact flash ram. The creativity and resourcefulness of people wanting to undo DRM be it for profit, for techie Cred or simple for personal use can never be overestimated.

Add to all of the above that, by using DRM, they are basically throwing down a gauntlet in front of a large group of people that derive much of their sense of self from undoing technical puzzles and also proving that they are just as clever as the other guy. The computer Techie crowd is replete with people that would reverse DRM just to see if they can.

DRM is a Major turn-off for any customer:

Nothing is going to turn  consumers off of a product faster then telling them  a) they don't own what they just bought. b) They can only use what they bought when and where you say. even given a more advanced consumer that understands the current IP protectionist climate and understands that buying a CD isn't buying the music it's like leasing a car..  (yeah, o.k.). This obviously intelligent and responsible consumer is not going to be happy when you tell him or her that they can only drive the "car" on certain roads and on certain days. oh, and if he or she should misplace the lease, the car instantly converts to stolen property that he or she is guilty of stealing. None of this makes for a happy consumer. Especially when he looks across the road and see his friend in a stolen "car" who can drive it when and where they want and doesn't have to keep some lease in a hermetically sealed vault.

DRM is almost always tied to current technologies or formats and thus will have "end of life" issues:

Thus the current MSN Music mess. I have seen DRM/Copy protection move from media to media and scheme to scheme. Any copy protection (which is what DRM is) that forces the consumer to hang on to something will have the problem of that something becoming lost, or the consumer copying the something and as soon as he does that then the copy protection is null and void. If, in the case of MSN Music, the retailer holds on to the something then the retailer has to assume the cost of the infrastructure to hold on to the something until the consumer is done with the copy protected item and with music of video that could be a VERY long time. Just what every IT guy wants to hear.. "We are going to keep a backwards compatible licensing infrastructure server around for 40 years and we want it to be profitable" that'd be like saying my ISP had to still let me access the Internet with the 300 baud modem I started with.

DRM that works on a .wma container isn't going to work on a .ogg container and chances are high it won't work on the container we are using in 2020.

IMHO DRM is just plain wrong:

Does that really need explaining given all the proceeded it. I'm not saying people should be allowed to steal music (of course there are some strong arguments that copying can not count as stealing as it does not reduce but rather increases the supply of the item, again that is another discussion), or software or whatever. I'm saying the content industry has got to stop treating it paying customers like they are convicted criminals. The content providers also have to let go of this foolish idea of "Leasing". No one likes paying for something they don't own.

The content industry should reward people for buying. They should Let them own their copy and do with it what they will short, of selling it to make a profit for themselves or giving it away en mass.

The only people making money through the use of DRM is the Companies pushing it, not the artists, and not companies that get sold on it and use it:

Considering how truly ineffective DRM is was and always will be, it seems to me that the only folks making money off of this whole mess is the people producing the DRM schemes. Content providers are loosing customers hand over fist. Partly because they are literally driving them away with all this DRM crap. All the While  the DRM creators and pushers that are getting a nice cut of every DRM'd bit of content that does get bought.. They are making out o.k. and they always have the  next, new, better, friendlier, scheme that WILL work and that the customers WILL like. Even if none have for the past 40 years. I am surprised that The major companies keep throwing money at this stuff.

Things can be, and historically have been,  an economic success without Copy Protection:

There was a world before DRM/Copy Protection. and it was a profitable world. It can be again. Content providers could follow the success of Open initiatives. They could re-focus on Live Shows. They could make meaningful, thought provoking, stimulation content that people really wanted to own instead of just consume. I think the young crowd is going to beat them too it. I think the day of the Megalithic content provider is ended and they are just taking a while to die. I think there will be a not too distant future where DRM is used to secure sensitive documents instead of trying to lock people out of the content they paid for.

but thats enough for today.

O show conta, inclusive, com a participação de Justin Timberlake, que contribuiu para o novo trabalho de Madonna em várias canções (como no single "4 minutes).

O concerto foi transmitido para os EUA, ao vivo, via MSN Music. Dia 15 desse mês, pessoas de outros países poderão ver o show. Veja, abaixo, um pouco da apresentação.

A partire da settembre 2008 gli utenti che vorranno continuare ad ascoltare la musica acquistata su MSN Music dovranno fermare la lancetta del tempo dei loro PC: un aggiornamento del sistema operativo o una formattazione causerebbero infatti l’impossibilità di ottenere nuove chiavi, trasformando in semplice spazzatura i file audio protetti dal DRM.

E’ un peccato che certe tecnologie non supportino i sistemi operativi liberi / aperti, davvero un peccato.

[via: slashdot.org || ossblog.it]

Consider what Microsoft has done with MSN Music.

The news will likely upset a number of Microsoft's customers, who bought music from MSN Music before the company launched the Zune Marketplace and decided to ditch the old store. Microsoft's decision to turn off the MSN Music authorization servers serves as a painful reminder that DRM ultimately severely limits your rights. Companies that control various DRM schemes, as well as the content providers themselves, can yank your ability to play the content which you lawfully purchased (and now, videos) at any moment—no matter what your expectation was when you bought it. Some Major League Baseball fans learned this the hard way last fall.

THIS is one of the reasons who DRM is near-universally hated by consumers - you effectively get locked out of something you paid for if the company decides to shut shop or doesn't want to continue supporting the 'product'. Then there is the problem of having reinstalled the OS forgetting that you had a few applications the licenses for which you had not 'surrendered' before hand.

Thankfully things are not that bad in India and music cds still come drm-free. Don't know how long that will last though. If the cd does disappear and 'digital' becomes the only viable source for music, I would prefer a watermarked file compared to a drm-ed one - Microsoft has recently come up with the 'perfect' watermarking solution it calls El Dorado. But watermarking has its dangers, particularly on the privacy front (related WIRED article).

To understand the lengths to which the music industry can go to make that extra dollar of revenue, read this. What the post basically talks about is - if you live in the UK (and buy audio cds, I must add), you might be permitted to legally rip a cd, if you pay a format shifting (that's what they call it) fee by shelling out a few extra bucks for your iPod (this is more of a piracy tax than anything else). Brilliant idea. Any takers?

Whatever the future holds, there is one thing most people probably agree on. DRM is a bad idea. Think of something non-intrusive.

Microsoft is ceasing support for its MSN Music service. After August 31, 2008, people who have bought music from the service will no longer be able to move that music to different computers, or even change the operating system on their current computers.

DefectiveByDesign.org reports what happens if one trusts companies selling proprietary software and non free codecs.

With restricted music, every time you move it to a new system, you have to get new approval. Microsoft is shutting down the servers that currently grant that approval, which leaves everyone who bought music from them holding locks with no keys, and no recourse.

...

This isn't the first time people have had access to their music and movies revoked (we're looking at you, MLB and Google Video), and it won't be the last unfortunately. But thankfully, this mode of selling media is dying. It was one thing when the threat of revocation was just some fine print, but now that it's become a demonstrated reality, people are voting with their dollars for DRM-free living.

La iniciativa de Microsoft de rivalizar con la Apple Store, Amazon, y otras tiendas de música online, ha resultado ser (como se preveía) un fracaso rotundo, hasta el punto de anunciarse por fin el cierre definitivo de la tienda. Con ello también cierra los servidores que manejan las licencias MSN Music PlaysForSure por lo que le ha dado en toda la cabeza a sus incautos usuarios, que no podrán autorizar los temas para la reproducción en diferentes ordenadores, o incluso cambiar la versión de Windows que usan. Ya que la tecnología de protección de copia del DRM en pistas compradas de MSN Music también requiere que los usuarios autoricen de nuevo si actualizan a una nueva versión de Windows, esencialmente tienen que aguantar el ordenador y el sistema operativo que tengan en ese momento.

El 31 de agosto es la fecha señalada para este cierre total.

Fuentes: Faq-Mac e Ipod Observer

*More on the Take-Away Shows tip: They Shoot Music, Don't They?: tiny concerts, for the people. Not a lot of huge names, but check out Shout Out Louds. [psfk]

*Read Cracked's Top 10 Unintentionally Gay Rap Lyrics: Tupac's "Ever since you was a pee-wee, down by my knee with a wee-wee." [the rap up]

*I'm predicting only niche acceptance: The Ouija board guitar. [bb gadgets]

*A robot, in the form of a Honda Asimo, is going to conduct the Detroit Symphony. [listening post]

*Recommended: Finally, the video for "Smell Yo Dick" is available. NSFW. [lots and lots of places]

*Slightly off-topic: Interview with Craigslist's CEO. Lots of transcript here: Love it.

*If you bought music from MSN Music back in the day, you will probably be screwed as of August 31, 2008. Due to DRM. You were warned. Many, many times. [ars technica]

*If you enjoy data visualization: Read this list. [kottke]

*Happy 60th, Pops!

MSN Music morirà definitivamente dal prossimo 30 agosto e i brani acquistati sul servizio musicale online di MSN non saranno più riproducibili sui dispositivi in uscita dopo il prossimo 30 agosto. 

Brutte notizie per chi ha in passato utilizzato il servizio MSN Music di Microsoft: la società di Redmond ha oggi annunciato che i brani acquistati sul servizio musicale di MSN non funzioneranno più sui dispositivi in uscita oltre il prossimo 30 agosto. Questo significa che chi ha comprato musica da MSN dovrà per forza tenersi il suo vecchio lettore mp3 per poter riprodurre i file audio.

Chi invece avesse la volontà (o necessità) di aggiornare il proprio dispositivo musicale, sarà costretto ad abbandonare i propri acquisti, ormai pagati. Valutando i tempi di obsolescenza della tecnologia odierna, Microsoft ha praticamente assegnato una data di scadenza alla sua musica distribuita via MSN, che va più o meno dai 3 ai 5 anni.

Sicuramente un motivo di risentimento da parte di tutti coloro che hanno approfittato del servizio, lanciato nel 2004 per contrastare l'iTunes Store di Apple, ma abbandonato nel 2006 dopo l'uscita di Zune e del suo Zune Store.
La ragione dietro all'annuncio di Microsoft non è nota, ma è molto probabile che i consumatori decidano di farsi le loro di ragioni. 

Microsoft-based music services are huge fans of subscription plans. In these, you pay a flat fee and are able to download all the songs you can possibly get and listen to them on the computer and, if you're lucky, MP3 players that aren't iPods. The catch is that, if you stop paying, the songs stop playing. Why? Because about every month, the file checks in with home base and makes sure you paid your bill. It then gets the information it needs to play for another month. This back and forth is completely invisible to you if you're paying your bills and following all the rules.

But what if the server it calls to check in with... isn't there anymore? It can't get the information it needs to keep playing and you lose your music. Why? Because you don't own any of it. You've been buying a monthly renewable license to play the songs and nothing more. The terms of use you agreed to before you set up an account (you did read them before you clicked on "agree", right?) remind you that this could happen at any time. And now it's about to for fools who bought songs on the MSN Music Service.

The way this service was setup, the songs are only phoning home when you move them to a different computer or upgrade your operating system, similar to when iTunes checks in. So the songs will play so long as you 1. Never upgrade your operating system 2. Never buy a new computer. You can burn the music to a CD and then rip the songs back onto the computer, as you can do with any service set up this way, but you lose quality that way and it's a pain to do. Basically, your music is stuck on the computer you have it on right now, and that's that. Thanks for playing. Have a nice life.

What's the moral of the story? Support DRM-Free music services like iTunes Plus, Amazon's digital music store, eMusic.com, and anywhere else DRM-Free tracks are sold. That way, you have a music file that will play as long as you like it to, with no strings attached, and no restrictions on your fair use of the files. Send a message to the RIAA that users can be trusted with digital content and won't settle with archaic and stupid restrictions on fair use.

MSN Music will be showing the November 11 Jay-Z concert from the Hammerstein Ballroom on its website on November 20 at 2 pm.

lik dot

Rolling Stone cover from my dude Des over at On221.  He also has the full VH1 "Storytellers" performance in MP3s too.  Check him out.