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Red Hat Teams with Real Networks

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the video-on-demand dept.

GregGardner writes, "According to this press release, RedHat and Real Networks are teaming together to bring Real products to Linux. RealServer 7.0 and RealPlayer 7.0 will be physically bundled with RedHat and that RealPlayer 7 will be released for Linux within 30 days on Real's Web site. "

8 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. The joys of feeling marginalized... by Chops-Frozen-Water · · Score: 4

    *sigh* Yet another reinforcement that "Linux" == "x86 only". PPC, Alpha, Sparc, and all the other platforms are really wasted efforts; you should just suck it up and buy crappy Intel hardware. [end sarcasm]
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    The Future: Some assembly required; batteries not included.
  2. Re:I'm doubtful that this is a good thing by philg · · Score: 4

    Your response is fair and pragmatic. But the original poster didn't bring up (and you don't address) the most disconcerting aspect of Real's recent business practice: their appropriation of personal information without individual permission.

    Is Red Hat going to take steps to prevent this? How can we be assured that similar shenanigans won't occur in the future, assuming the product is going to remain closed-source?

    I will be sorely disappointed in RH if these concerns simply go unanswered, and I certainly don't feel safe putting Real's binary on my system until the point has at least been addressed.

    phil

  3. Press Release found on Real Networks Web Site by dave_aiello · · Score: 4
    I realize that the original press release disappeared from the original location at Yahoo!. I found a press release about the deal on Real Networks Web Site at http://www.realn etworks.com/company/pressroom/pr/2000/rhlinux.html .

    BTW, I think it's great that Real is planning to put more effort behind Linux support. I'd love to see Apple step up with QuickTime support for Linux as well.
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    Dave Aiello

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    -- Dave Aiello
  4. I'm doubtful that this is a good thing by jetson123 · · Score: 4
    Yes, there is a lot of streaming content in Real Networks format out there. However, the company has hardly behaved particularly well: they never released specifications for their format as they had originally promised, and their closed source player has transmitted private information back to their servers.

    Using RealPlayer will only help their proprietary format get entrenched further. That means that we may have to live for a long time with their disregard for privacy and their haphazard clients. (I removed RealPlayer from my Linux machines a while ago.)

    I think it would be better to look towards open alternatives and to contact web sites to use such alternatives. Streaming MP3 is a good choice for some applications. And there has been some work on other streaming media for Linux (e.g., here).

    Furthermore, I think customers of RedHat should let them know that they prefer that RedHat support an open source streaming audio/media project, rather than bundling Real Networks software.

  5. New URL by twdorris · · Score: 4
    It looks like they have a new URL for this article...

    http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/00 0222/realnetwor_4.html

  6. This is important news... by teraflop+user · · Score: 4

    Because MS have just been tub-thumping about how Win2000 includes streaming servers built in with no further licenses. MS could make Linux a second-class web browsing platform if they could capture the streaming server market with a proprietary format for which no Linux player exists. This move is a step towards preventing that.

    Hopefully RedHat will get the source code and ensure that the new RealPlayer is actually stable and useable under Linux.

  7. will they collect our RealUserinfo? by hemos. · · Score: 4

    This is exactly what we have been needing for Linux, a program that will collect our userinfo, and without our knowledge, send over the Internet.
    No longer will people declare than Win98 is more user friendly. Linux users will be targeted by marketing analysts just as easy as Windows users.

    Truly, this is a great day for all mankind!

    -hemos.

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    I'm hemos., aka Jeff. Bates.. I help run this site, along with Rob. Malda.. I handle books, and generally posting storie
  8. Is Real being sincere? by G27+Radio · · Score: 5

    (I realize that the following sounds very opinionated. That's because it's an opinion. duh.)

    Real's support for Linux products has always sucked. I remember reading a couple years ago about how Glaser originally liked to talk trash about Microsoft, but in the end Gates slapped him around a little and got him to work a little more 'in sync' with Microsoft. Afterwards M$ went ahead and bundled Windows Media Player with Windows. I would have thought at that point Real would start focusing more on it's non-Windows products.

    When Realaudio first came out I thought it was just about the coolest thing in the world. Since then I've watched it become less and less relevant as other competition shows up. In the meantime I've just developed a distaste for Real's products, their annoying reminder messages, lack of regard for privacy, etc. Glaser just seems like an opportunist, and not a very good one at that. If there's one thing that impresses my about Real, it's that they're still around at all. I guess this has more to do with being the first to market than anything.

    I think all this press release means is that Real found another free way to get their software distributed. I'll believe that they are truly making an effort to support their *nix users when I see it.

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