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Real Pays For Legal MP3 Playback On Linux

Posted by timothy on from the stepping-up-to-the-plate dept.

kforeman (aka Kevin Foreman, GM of Helix RealNetworks, Inc.) writes "As part of the free RealPlayer 10 for Linux, Real has paid Thomson for a legal MP3 playback license and then includes it at no cost as part of the newly released RealPlayer 10. As I speak to people, many are under the false impression that MP3 playback patent and royalty rights are free, since there are open source implementations of MP3 playback available. Not true. Nonetheless, we are glad to do our part of making the Linux desktop a first class citizen by legally providing MP3 playback to users via our new RealPlayer."

4 of 618 comments (clear)

  1. Spyware on Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Will this introduce spyware into Linux?

    I notice the page signature reads "Shit Happens"

    hmm...

  2. Strange... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "making the Linux desktop a first class citizen"

    Shouldn't that last bit read "corporate whore?"

  3. Stay away from Linux by Dancin_Santa · · Score: 5, Funny

    Real, all these operating systems are yours, except Linux. Do not attempt any loadings onto Linux.

  4. But, but... [lip shaking] by ceeam · · Score: 4, Funny

    Real are supposed to be evil! And it turns out they read slashdot! [eyes crossing. blackout]