Microsoft to Launch Online Music Store

yonnage writes "Microsoft is expected to enter the online song store market this week, which should put the software giant head-to-head with Apple Computer in the music business at last. The launch of Microsoft's iTunes rival will be timed along with the beta release of Microsoft's new Windows Media Player 10, expected on Thursday, sources say. The store will also be in beta mode, lacking some of the features that will be added later, sources said."

Comments

WMP10 Beta is already available!

[prisen]

The launch of Microsoft's iTunes rival will be timed along with the beta release of Microsoft's new Windows Media Player 10

http://www.micro soft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/default.aspx

WMP10 Beta has been out for a while, so that's kind of confusing..

Re:WMP10 Beta is already available!

[Patik]

To make a clickable URL, just enter it like this:

<URL:http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia /mp10/default.aspx>

Click here for that link.

Re:Has Bill Gates ever had an original idea?

[mccalli]

Oracle and PostgreSQL are SQL servers, so Bill grabs the name "SQL Server" and acts like the market for databases is supposed to belong to him.

Err...no. The name "SQL Server" comes from Sybase, the company who they originally licensed from. It's also why both Sybase and MS SQL Server have quite a bit in common with Transact SQL, though they vary significantly in dialect.

Cheers,
Ian

Re:Monopoly hadware versus monopoly software

[afish40]

iTunes only authenticates a song purchased by a user that hasn't been played on the computer before. Once you enter the proper password, it no longer goes through the authentication process, and you can play offline to your heart's content.

Coincidentally, this can also be used to circumvent the five comp limit on protected AACs; authorize five computers to play your tunes, then use Apple's web form to de-authenticate those machines. The nifty thing is, this process is only done on Apple's end, so the five computers still think they're authorized. You can now allow five more machines to play your songs. As long as the first five never go online ever again, you're set. ^_^