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Napster Blames Microsoft for Lack of Sales

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the quick-distract-them-and-i'll-grab-the-cash dept.

An anonymous reader writes "AustralianIT is reporting that Napster has blamed their inability to compete with Apple's iTunes on technical glitches from Microsoft. From the article: '"There is no question that their execution has been less than brilliant over the last 12 months," Napster chairman and chief executive Chris Gorog said at a New York conference. "Our business does rely on Microsoft's digital rights management software and our business model also relies on Microsoft's ecosystem of device manufacturers."'"

3 of 319 comments (clear)

  1. Re:They're right, in a way. by Jesapoo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "Really, the only hope for Napster, Rhapsody, and Real is to create a new DRM standard and try to convince the music companies and the hardware makers to adopt it. Microsoft's attempt to do so has already failed."

    I love this comment, along with all the pro-apple comments that are going on in this thread. But consider this: If Microsoft was the monopoly in this field and other companies (like the beloved Napster brand) were having trouble competing because they were having to "get by" without the Microsoft system, everyone would be up in arms and demanding MS used open standards, bashing DRM, preaching the name of the small, independent companies fighting against MS tyrany..

    Apple is using a proprietary DRM system - both bad words on slashdot - and the small companies are having trouble competing because of it. Why aren't we complaining? Oh yes... because no matter what the situation, Apple is always right and MS is always wrong. I forgot.

  2. Nonsense by bloobloo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Napster is synonymous with free downloads. Not paid for ones.

  3. Re:Apple by The+Ultimate+Fartkno · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Because iTunes allows people to do what they've always wanted to do, which is buy music. Napster's business model consists of "pay us each month and you can listen to any of the music we own, but stop paying us and you lose it all." The only people on earth who thought that was a good idea were Napster's accountants. It's not even rent-to-own, it's just pay-to-listen. They're trying to market it like it's iTunes, but it's really more like XM Radio without the nifty receiver.