There seems to be this pervasive attitude of those in the so called "Music Industry" that they are besieged and on the verge of collapse. My question is what's wrong with the Music Industry actually going under and disppearing? I've heard long time "slaves" such as Roger McGuinn (of the Byrds, etc. kiddies) that he gets a fraction of one penny on the sales of his older Columbia recordings. When people like Bronfman talk about the music industry getting squeezed, it's not the artists. The bulk of the artists rarely got much. It's all the middleman in the "Music Industry" that are screaming bloody murder. The industry is top heavy in hanger's on that siphon off the bulk of the profits.
So what if the music industry folds? Does that mean no one will ever sing a song again? Will the world be silenced forever? Will Beethoven, Mozart, et al roll over in their graves because there is no more music industry? I would like for people like Bronfman to explain in very detailed terms what value they bring in the 21st century to the music making process? My guess it is a very marginal addition.
I have over 5,000 cds and a couple thousand Lps. If there was never another CD produced, I still have enough music to last me a lifetime. Additionally, because of advances in computer tech, I can now produce my own music which I do for my own amusement. It may not appeal to anyone else but I get enormous satisfaction from doing it myself. Again, what do I need the music industry for?
I say let the music industry perish. Out of its ashes, a new phoenix will rise that will be a lot more interesting and compelling. Dollars will flow to those that embrace a modern paradigm.
Very interesting tidbits. BTW, what the heck ever happened to Kai Krause? I followed his products and career pretty closely and was sad when Metacreations, etc all imploded and were scattered in the wind.
Jobs keeps all technology under lock and key and does not license. When he rejoined Apple, he ended all third party licensees of Apple Hardware/ROM.
Apple could have licensed the Apple OS at anytime during its history to build an industry supporting Apple clones. It did so only halfheartedly once while Jobs was out of the picture. Instead of the Wintel duopoly, it could have been the AppMoto (Apple/Motorola) duopoly.
This may be Steve Jobs perennial blind spot. I see the difference on how Microsoft promiscuously licenses technology a perennial contrast to Apple's tight fisted control over its technology.
The parallels of iPod/AAC vs WMP/WMA/WMV are eerily similar to the past.
It really comes down to the Gate's view that Software is where the power/money/control resides. Hardware is in the end a commodity. Jobs is obsessed with hardware and form/style.
After that, he introduced a very nice OS, which never got anywhere near two digit design, but was extremely advanced, ask anyone familiar with NeXT.
I used to work in the industry and visited various super secret intelligence government agencies that bought into the NeXT scam hook line and sinker (your tax dollars at work!). I bet they now make the most gorgeous boat anchors ever created.
Apple is an elitest brand like Porsche. Everybody envies but relatively few can afford to own or is impractical for everyday living. Despite all of Apple's recent success with the iPod it still has not budged the installed base of Apple computers beyond its low single digit market share. One can wave one's arms all you want about why Apple is so superior in every way but in the end it has no impact on its market share in the industry.
I've been thinking lately about the iPod phenomenon. In many ways, it seems to repeating past patterns similar to the competition of Microsoft versus Apple.
Steve Jobs is loath to share Apple technology and partnerships with anyone else. Despite embracing Open Source in the form of the BSD kernel for OS X and adopting other GPL projects such as KDE for the Safari browser, Apple does not seem interested in reciprocating.
Currently, the iPod and the Mini iPod are the darlings of digital cognoscenti. With good reason, it is a slick product with good fundamental design. I would wager even its elevated price even makes it appealing in some perverse way as well. However, lifting the lid, just a little bit, may reveal some trouble down the road.
The recent news about Real making an overture to Apple to open up its proprietary cloaked DRM AAC format has revealed some of Apple's thinking. While Real's overture was in some ways rather pathetic, it did point out a growing problem that will be interesting to see Apple navigate.
The problem as I see it is that Apple by retaining sole control and manufacture of the iPod and the DRM AAC format it is ultimately in danger or winning the battle but losing the war in almost exactly the same way they lost the OS war with Microsoft.
Of course, I am referring to the difference in how Microsoft is pursuing the same market. In contrast to Apple, Microsoft has licenced the WMA/WMV codec far and wide to third party hardware and software manufacturers. The current WMA codec has fared very well in codec shootouts and has several unique capabilities. For example, while Apple has just in the past few days introduced a lossless compression option to their codec, WMA has had this option for nearly two years. In addition, WMA also supports multi-channel which as had limited application in such releases as Peter Gabriel's recent UP release. More obscurely, Microsoft gobbled up Pacific Microsonics and their HDCD technology in an acquisition several years ago.
What really has momentum is the rapidly expanding universe of diverse hardware products supporting WMA. From DVD players to hundreds of portable players there is support for WMA. This includes such applications as the PhatNoise car audio system that uses a removable hard drive for audio storage. The recent adoption by the DVD Forum of the WMV format in the next DVD standard is a real watershed event. This guarantees that WMA/WMV files will be supported in all future DVD players! On top of this, I have heard that future direct to digital movie theaters will employ WMV technology. Finally, I recently read that the new VOOM HD Satellite service will be using WMV for broadcasting their standard definition channels. See announcements.
A recent editorial by Paul Thurrott at Wininfo.com talks about the upcoming new version of the Windows Media Players will incorporate the ability for leasing music rather than outright ownership. This would allow an individual to access as much music as he wants for a fixed fee and be able to play it on portable players, etc. Paul has taken heat for some of his pronouncements but I think he may be right in describing this as a paradigm shift.
So, Microsoft, by widely disseminating the WMA/WMV technology and setting licensing costs very cheaply it has once again positioned itself to possibly own the standard of audio/video distribution just as it currently owns the desktop computing standard.
Apple, by contrast, could find that while it owned the early lead in music distribution ultimately is relegated to single digit market share once again. It is fascinating to observe that this is inherently a Steve Jobs blind spot which repeats itself over and over again.
A repeated theme I see is that you need a separate DTV receiver for each TV. This is not necessarily true if you use a multi-room distribution system that typically runs less than $200. You take the output of up to two video sources an plug them into the multi-room box and then you can send up to 5 feeds via ordinary coax antenna cable (rg-59 works okay) to points around the home. The system includes ir targets and an ir blaster that allows you to control the single DTV receiver from any location. It is very clean and works very well. Of course, the video is the same on all the TVs but if you are single this not a problem. You could always add a second receiver with this system for added flexibility. Channel-Plus makes these devices.
HDCD is an audio format not data. It was invented by Pacific Microsonics which made a chip for inclusion in CD Players. Interestingly Microsoft bough PM a while back and buried the technlogy. It might be lurking somewhere in WMA version 9?
There's quite a buzz about the inexpensive Sony 505 clone called the Sotec 3120x. Avaiable at major office supply discounters for around $800. Comes with WinXP but can boot Linux.
Google it and you will find many comments. Rumor has it that an update in the Spring will include built in 802.11b and USB 2.
Isn't the solution fairly simple? I was under the impression that Dell will custom build your PC for you? Why not just ask them to remove the hard disk? I may be missing something here since the last pre-built pc I bought was in the mid-eighties.
What's next, you won't be able to buy a hard disk without an OS? Between this and Hollywood/RIAA, it might be a good time to stock pile hard disks and burners and other parts for the coming PC nuclear winter!
-CB
Slashdot Mirror
So what if the music industry folds? Does that mean no one will ever sing a song again? Will the world be silenced forever? Will Beethoven, Mozart, et al roll over in their graves because there is no more music industry? I would like for people like Bronfman to explain in very detailed terms what value they bring in the 21st century to the music making process? My guess it is a very marginal addition.
I have over 5,000 cds and a couple thousand Lps. If there was never another CD produced, I still have enough music to last me a lifetime. Additionally, because of advances in computer tech, I can now produce my own music which I do for my own amusement. It may not appeal to anyone else but I get enormous satisfaction from doing it myself. Again, what do I need the music industry for?
I say let the music industry perish. Out of its ashes, a new phoenix will rise that will be a lot more interesting and compelling. Dollars will flow to those that embrace a modern paradigm.
Very interesting tidbits. BTW, what the heck ever happened to Kai Krause? I followed his products and career pretty closely and was sad when Metacreations, etc all imploded and were scattered in the wind.
Apple could have licensed the Apple OS at anytime during its history to build an industry supporting Apple clones. It did so only halfheartedly once while Jobs was out of the picture. Instead of the Wintel duopoly, it could have been the AppMoto (Apple/Motorola) duopoly.
This may be Steve Jobs perennial blind spot. I see the difference on how Microsoft promiscuously licenses technology a perennial contrast to Apple's tight fisted control over its technology.
The parallels of iPod/AAC vs WMP/WMA/WMV are eerily similar to the past.
It really comes down to the Gate's view that Software is where the power/money/control resides. Hardware is in the end a commodity. Jobs is obsessed with hardware and form/style. I used to work in the industry and visited various super secret intelligence government agencies that bought into the NeXT scam hook line and sinker (your tax dollars at work!). I bet they now make the most gorgeous boat anchors ever created.
Apple is an elitest brand like Porsche. Everybody envies but relatively few can afford to own or is impractical for everyday living. Despite all of Apple's recent success with the iPod it still has not budged the installed base of Apple computers beyond its low single digit market share. One can wave one's arms all you want about why Apple is so superior in every way but in the end it has no impact on its market share in the industry.
Time will tell who's right.
I wrote the following recently in my blog:
I've been thinking lately about the iPod phenomenon. In many ways, it seems to repeating past patterns similar to the competition of Microsoft versus Apple.
Steve Jobs is loath to share Apple technology and partnerships with anyone else. Despite embracing Open Source in the form of the BSD kernel for OS X and adopting other GPL projects such as KDE for the Safari browser, Apple does not seem interested in reciprocating.
Currently, the iPod and the Mini iPod are the darlings of digital cognoscenti. With good reason, it is a slick product with good fundamental design. I would wager even its elevated price even makes it appealing in some perverse way as well. However, lifting the lid, just a little bit, may reveal some trouble down the road.
The recent news about Real making an overture to Apple to open up its proprietary cloaked DRM AAC format has revealed some of Apple's thinking. While Real's overture was in some ways rather pathetic, it did point out a growing problem that will be interesting to see Apple navigate.
The problem as I see it is that Apple by retaining sole control and manufacture of the iPod and the DRM AAC format it is ultimately in danger or winning the battle but losing the war in almost exactly the same way they lost the OS war with Microsoft.
Of course, I am referring to the difference in how Microsoft is pursuing the same market. In contrast to Apple, Microsoft has licenced the WMA/WMV codec far and wide to third party hardware and software manufacturers. The current WMA codec has fared very well in codec shootouts and has several unique capabilities. For example, while Apple has just in the past few days introduced a lossless compression option to their codec, WMA has had this option for nearly two years. In addition, WMA also supports multi-channel which as had limited application in such releases as Peter Gabriel's recent UP release. More obscurely, Microsoft gobbled up Pacific Microsonics and their HDCD technology in an acquisition several years ago.
What really has momentum is the rapidly expanding universe of diverse hardware products supporting WMA. From DVD players to hundreds of portable players there is support for WMA. This includes such applications as the PhatNoise car audio system that uses a removable hard drive for audio storage. The recent adoption by the DVD Forum of the WMV format in the next DVD standard is a real watershed event. This guarantees that WMA/WMV files will be supported in all future DVD players! On top of this, I have heard that future direct to digital movie theaters will employ WMV technology. Finally, I recently read that the new VOOM HD Satellite service will be using WMV for broadcasting their standard definition channels. See announcements. A recent editorial by Paul Thurrott at Wininfo.com talks about the upcoming new version of the Windows Media Players will incorporate the ability for leasing music rather than outright ownership. This would allow an individual to access as much music as he wants for a fixed fee and be able to play it on portable players, etc. Paul has taken heat for some of his pronouncements but I think he may be right in describing this as a paradigm shift.
So, Microsoft, by widely disseminating the WMA/WMV technology and setting licensing costs very cheaply it has once again positioned itself to possibly own the standard of audio/video distribution just as it currently owns the desktop computing standard.
Apple, by contrast, could find that while it owned the early lead in music distribution ultimately is relegated to single digit market share once again. It is fascinating to observe that this is inherently a Steve Jobs blind spot which repeats itself over and over again.
The future will indeed be televised.
A repeated theme I see is that you need a separate DTV receiver for each TV. This is not necessarily true if you use a multi-room distribution system that typically runs less than $200. You take the output of up to two video sources an plug them into the multi-room box and then you can send up to 5 feeds via ordinary coax antenna cable (rg-59 works okay) to points around the home. The system includes ir targets and an ir blaster that allows you to control the single DTV receiver from any location. It is very clean and works very well. Of course, the video is the same on all the TVs but if you are single this not a problem. You could always add a second receiver with this system for added flexibility. Channel-Plus makes these devices.
TechTV did a story on building your own access point:
Build a Wireless Access Point
-CB
HDCD is an audio format not data. It was invented by Pacific Microsonics which made a chip for inclusion in CD Players. Interestingly Microsoft bough PM a while back and buried the technlogy. It might be lurking somewhere in WMA version 9?
There's quite a buzz about the inexpensive Sony 505 clone called the Sotec 3120x. Avaiable at major office supply discounters for around $800. Comes with WinXP but can boot Linux. Google it and you will find many comments. Rumor has it that an update in the Spring will include built in 802.11b and USB 2.
Isn't the solution fairly simple? I was under the impression that Dell will custom build your PC for you? Why not just ask them to remove the hard disk? I may be missing something here since the last pre-built pc I bought was in the mid-eighties. What's next, you won't be able to buy a hard disk without an OS? Between this and Hollywood/RIAA, it might be a good time to stock pile hard disks and burners and other parts for the coming PC nuclear winter! -CB