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Apple In-Store Software Burning

Posted by timothy on from the copy-kiosks-of-a-different-breed dept.

jarrettwold2002 writes "This seems to have escaped notice, however it's fairly significant. Apple has partnered up with CompUSA to offer in store electronic software distribution. According to the site it takes about four minutes from purchase to burn. It's bundled inside a dvd case, with color packaging."

10 of 40 comments (clear)

  1. First dupe complaint? by Otter · · Score: 3, Interesting
    This seems to have escaped notice...

    Except here. Still, it's worth mentioning that it's up and there's a site to check out.

    --
    What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
  2. Three words: by awtbfb · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Music from Universal

    1. Re:Three words: by Raskolnk · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Being able to get music legally burned directly from the source would be great. I hope this is a preparation step for getting this type of on demand publishing working. If the Universal deal works out (not that I'm betting it will), this would make a lot of sense for Apple. However, the real benefit would be in making available rare and out of print material. I doubt such material is available digitally at all. Probably tens of thousands of masters on various types of media filed away in various basements across the company. If that's the case, it would be a huge effort to get it all prepared, but I think it'd be a great investment. I'm guessing though that for the first while it would be a selection of a small number of albums that are most popular on the charts. In that case, there is no reason to have an on demand publishing mechanism.

      --
      Don't blame me, I get all my opinions from my Ouija board.
  3. Re:great idea, except.. by torinth · · Score: 3, Interesting

    As compared to? Have you looked into getting placed on a shelf instead? I guess you'll make a lesser percentage than if you took direct orders on your website - but people don't go to your website like they do CompUSA.

    -Andrew

  4. Cassettes... by rasteri · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I remember they used to do this kind of thing with Data Cassettes back when the C64 et al were popular. Ah.... memories....

    1. Re:Cassettes... by byolinux · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I too remember this...

      A popular system here in the UK was EDOS (Electronic Distribution of Software) - I remember the tapes having a skull/crossbones on them, and a handwritten label...

      Mmmm.

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      Join the Free Software Foundation
  5. Apple partners with an abusive company? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's unfortunate that Apple picked a company with whom to partner that is so aggressive toward its customers. For example, CompUSA often doesn't answer the telephone. It's usually necessary to fight to get rebates. CompUSA often advertises a sale when they have a very limited quantity available at the sale price. Does Apple want a bad reputation?

  6. with all the hullabaloo by BortQ · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Hmmm, on the off chance that Apple actually bought Universal music, this would be a ready-made distribution channel for letting users make their own mix CDs.

    --

    A Multiplayer Strategy Game for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux
  7. Re:great idea, except.. by Randolpho · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Think about it? This eliminates the overhead involved in *publishing* the software. You know.. burning onto CD, packaging, manuals (everyone loves manuals), shipping. Add to that the fact that in order to sell packaged software you have to make sure it gets *everywhere* which means that you loose publishing costs on software that doesn't get bought. I think in the end, it'll wash out to less expense for everyone involved. Publishing costs are minimized, and indeed eaten by the distributor, who gets to save on internal shipping costs and shelfspace, and there is no loss for unsold product because you make the product to order.

    It's a damn good system, and I'm just sorry I didn't think it up and patent it before Apple/CompUSA did. :)

    --
    "Times have not become more violent. They have just become more televised."
    -Marilyn Manson
  8. Re:Inferior!!! by Alex+Thorpe · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Hopefully, they don't stick extra commercial software on their demo machines anymore, which they shouldn't have done in the first place. Who the heck put $500 copies of MS-Office on the Macs to steal?

    Back in '98 or so, when I was working at OfficeMax and they still sold Performas, I put the shareware screen saver Eclipse on the main Performa, and had it display screen captures of Maelstrom, Aperion, Escape Velocity, Warcraft II, and established a password. This showed off some of the fun games you could play, while keeping the customers off the machine so they wouldn't mess anything up. I think more retail stores should try something like that.

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    "Common Sense Ain't" -Unknown