European officials cautious on iTunes antitrust

They'll observe "further market developments" before forcing iTunes to accommodate other music players.

The story "European officials cautious on iTunes antitrust" published June 16, 2006 at 8:10 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

Content from Reuters expires after 30 days.

[MRMOAV]

Bring in the Clowns

I want to use Quicktime Player to view content on Cnet's site but
can't, I want to use my friends Imac to watch videos on
MSNBC.COM but can't, lets open those up first Bjorn Erik Thon.
Itunes is a private club, I pay for it so that's how it is. I can listen to
any free preview free and on any computer, even my linux machine.
But when you pay for something, of course you have to have to
meet certain requirements. If Volvo made a car that only worked
with BP raisin gas and not with Shell raisin that's to bad.

[Peter Bonte]

We have no rights

"We believe that it could be questioned (as) an infringement of
rights. I have the right to use whatever I bought to what I want
to use it for," he said."

There are practical limitations but copyright holders can and will
dictate what, when en if we may use, read or view there work.
They can say it may only be sold in 1 store, viewed only once,
published in 1 country, etc. As a creator of the art you can
decide when and where others can view or listen to it.

The officials finally said some wise words, hear hear.

[sternla]

Ridiculous

"If Apple can require an iPod for songs via iTunes, then music, book and film companies might restrict their products to specific players too, he said."

This is complete nonsense. Apple offers a service that has become successful for its ease of use, design, and scope of content offerings. Music and video content isn't restricted to the Apple store. You can buy the same CD at your local retail or from a slew of other music sites.

And to say that content providers will lock themselves into a single format is inane. Content providers will strive to sell their content in any format possible. That's how capitalism works.

Apple has provided what many consider the easiest interface with groundbreaking design feature. For the EU to try and punish a company for providing a better consumer experience ? for getting it right ? is unsettling. One has to question their real intent.

[Joe Blow]

The Europeans Are Still Clueless Why Everyone Went to the New World ...

at least at the bureaucracy level. Oh, they can't have innovation, or new ways of doing things, especially if it upsets their indigenous millenia-old apple carts (so to speak) and the lifestyle to which they've become accustomed. If Norway can compete worldwide and be successful in cell phone sales, then why can't I use any Nokia phone with any cell phone provider I want? Hmmm? Oh, well, that's very different, isn't it? If Champagne is made from a particular species of grapes, then why do the French maintain that anything made from the same grapes grown anywhere else can't be called Champagne, and has to be called "sparkling wine" or some other such codeword? Oh, I see, sour grapes, huh?

Just keep on thinking that everyone owes you everything, and you'll eventually wind up with less than nothing, Mr. and Ms. Bureaucrat. The days of everyone having a right to anything they want (or, more precisely, those in charge having a right to anything they wanted) died with the last gasps of the Soviet Union, and it's about time you woke up and smelled the coffee - preferably Columbian, Arabian, or anything other than your own putrid brew.

I love visiting my European friends, and hosting them here, but they really need to send their bureaucrats up the river without a paddle (but maybe with a stiff paddling :) ).

All the Best,
Joe Blow