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Web Based Rhapsody Targets Linux
Asklepius M.D. writes "According to Marketwatch, RealNetworks is releasing a web based version of Rhapsody called.....Rhapsody.com that will function on other-than-IE browsers including Firefox and Safari. The article quotes Jupimedia analyst Joe Wilcox as saying "...it brings the first real subscription music service to Mac and Linux-based products.""
This is a subscription service, iTunes is not.
-everphilski-
Using konqueror, it says:
"Incompatible Browser
We're sorry. We currently only support the following browsers: Internet Explorer 6 and higher, Firefox 1.0.1 and higher, Safari 1.3 and higher and Netscape 8 and higher.
Firefox 1.0 users, click here to upgrade"
Ok, let's try using Firefox 1.5:
"To play music, you'll need to do a quick install
Just follow these two easy steps.
1.
Install Rhapsody Music Engine
Click the button below and follow our direction on the next screen.
2.
Register Free
Get a free Rhapsody Account.
No Credit Card required.
We're sorry but the combination of your operating system and Firefox 1.5 is not currently supported."
Will Linux users use Real's product?
If you use Xandros the RealPlayer comes as the default media player. This is not a bad deal either, because the Linux player is not crammed full of ads- it does what a media player should: play media. I give the Xandros guys a lot of credit, too, because ever since they started bundling the RealPlayer with their distro, they've been the ones to actually make the install work. Prior to that, Real had (still does I think) it listed as an alpha.
I would think more Linux folks would be attracted to Real, actually, because they have the open source version of the player and server, Helix and last I checked neither Apple nor MS have made their player OSS.
R(k)
I've used Rhapsody for a year or two now. It's a decent service. Ignore their "programming". Listen to what you want to listen to. As far as it being in a browser, their windows based program pretty much implements a browser in the app itself...which is kinda slow and kludgy...i think trying one that is actually stand alone browser-based might improve things.
;)
...helps me decide what music i wanna track down to stick on my ipod.
NOTE: I don't buy music through rhapsody. I use it to sample new releases, catch up on things I might have missed before, track down the odd song from my youth, and listen to stuff that is available on usenet before I download it.
For the $9/month (or around there, i haven't checked in a while) its the easiest way to listen to music that i don't already own (the only exception is the old days of audiogalaxy. Best. Site. Ever.)
-p