Bill Gates and DRM

Bill Gates told me to just rip it

Posted by Mathew Ingram @ 11:54 am on Thursday 14 December 2006

Next time someone gives you grief for ripping music from CDs to put on your iPod (or Zune, or whatever your player of choice might be), just tell them that the world’s richest man told you to do it. According to Mike Arrington of TechCrunch, that’s what Microsoft co-founder and chairman Bill Gates said when he was asked about DRM (digital rights management).

Gates said that no one is satisfied with the current state of DRM, which “causes too much pain for legitmate buyers” while trying to distinguish between legal and illegal uses. He says no one has done it right, yet.

There are “huge problems” with DRM, he says, and “we need more flexible models, such as the ability to “buy an artist out for life” (not sure what he means). He also criticized DRM schemes that try to install intelligence in each copy so that it is device specific.

And now the money quote: “His short term advice: ‘People should just buy a cd and rip it. You are legal then.’” Of course, you aren’t really — at least not in every jurisdiction. Canada has a private copying levy that allows you to make copies for personal use (and Britain is considering one) but other countries don’t. In any case, Bill’s point about DRM being too complicated and not easy enough to use is a good one.

In many cases, of course, it is also an attempt to turn back the clock and prevent you from using music you have purchased in ways you could before digital music existed, and that is probably my biggest beef with it. (Incidentally, the theme music for this post, if I had such a thing, would be a modified version of the famous Devo song Whip It called — of course — Rip It)

Apple Tablet Rumor

 

December 4 Matt Hickey

Let’s double up on the Apple rumor mongering, shall we? Just a few days ago, our own Vince brought you the rumor that Apple was in serious manufacturing talks with Taiwanese factories for a new tablet-style portable device with docking station.

Sure, that’s fine, it’s a rumor we see more frequently than a new episode of Lost. But then another rumor comes along stating that Apple is putting the finishing touches on its thinnest portable yet, ostensibly a 12-inch widescreen MacBook even more svelte than the current lineup. That would put it in the roughly .75-inch-range or smaller. Even more, the rumors state that the device would keep its optical drive and sport a dual-core proc.

What, dear reader, if these two portable Macs were actually one in the same? A docking station would make perfect sense as a way to allow the portable to keep its optical drive while remaining thin. Apple tried the same scheme before with the popular Duo line, there’s no reason to think it’s given up on the idea.

Both rumors also indicate a Q1-07 launch, and are both in about the same stage of development. Could this simply be two sides of the same Apple branded coin?

Palm Pays Access for rights to Garnet

For better or for worse, we're about full-circle with Garnet now: Palm just forked over $44 million to ACCESS for a perpetual, non-exclusive license to the Garnet source code, granting Palm "the right to use Palm OS Garnet in whole or in part in any product from Palm and together with any other system technologies," along with the welcome ability to modify underlying Garnet source code. The good news is that in the short term we should be seeing some stability and feature enhancements on the Treo and other Palm handhelds, the bad news is that this appears to be a further procrastination for the introduction of ALP to Palm devices, possibly even spelling a cancellation of that roadmap altogether. What we do know is that ACCESS and Palm have set up a "test/compatibility harness" to ensure "forward-compatibility" of Garnet apps on ALP's Garnet Host layer. For the time being we'll just be glad to see Palm shore up its ever-buggier OS, but one of these days we're going to want a modern OS from these guys to fiddle around with.

Is Now the Time to Move to Linux?

 

By Jack M. Germain
LinuxInsider
12/06/06 4:00 AM PT

The biggest reason for migrating to Linux is freedom, said Patrick Davila, co-host of an online Linux talk show. Linux is not owned by anyone and is the ultimate community project. "In many ways, the community reminds me of the early days of computers," he said. "People are willing to share information and help others. All one needs to do is ask."

 

Your next operating system move could be to one of the half-dozen most popular free Linux desktop versions instead of to Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows Vista. With these versions, you would not have to perform a risky software upgrade, nor would you have to settle for a watered-down Vista option if your new computer were underpowered.

The Linux operating system (OS) -- already well known in the workplace for its virus-proof ironclad security -- is garnering approval from consumers as the computer system of choice in the home- and small-business office.

Instead of glitzy media advertising , distributors of the various Linux versions rely on satisfied users and word-of-mouth support on the Internet to spread the news about using Linux.

 

Desktop Challenge

"Linux dominates the server market and is making big inroads into the embedded market where it is used in TiVo (Nasdaq: TIVO) , cell phones, PDAs (personal digital assistants) and routers," said Patrick Davila, co-host of the Internet's "The Linux Link Tech Show."

"The last area for it to conquer is on the desktop," he added.

From Davila's point-of-view as a die-hard Linux user, the OS is ripe to become the desktop replacement for the majority of home and business desktop users. He also asserts that Linux is more stable and cheaper to run than Windows.

Davila is not alone in making that assessment. Nate Melby, an instructor at Kaplan University's School of Information Systems and Technology, is also a big cheerleader for the open source OS.

"Linux can be a very powerful alternative to other operating systems in enterprise, small business, home and educational environment use," Melby said.

Little Risk

For someone just starting out with computers, learning to operate Linux is not much different from learning to use Windows or the Mac OS. For more-experienced users, migrating to Linux does not mean that you must leave behind your prized Windows applications. Many Linux software programs are very similar to popular Windows applications.

In addition, "you can run Windows applications via virtualization software such as VMware or Parallels and through API (application programming interface) compatibility tools, including Wine and CrossOver Office," Davila suggested.

Even if favorite Windows programs cannot follow the migration path, the data they created can. Most open source programs -- OpenOffice is one example -- read and write in the same file formats as Microsoft Office documents, including Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint files.

A Downside Exists

Sometimes, however, program incompatibility can be an annoying issue. In fact, it is the most common problem when new users migrate to Linux, cautioned Melby.

"Sometimes they are challenged by the time that it takes them to refamiliarize themselves with the nuances of the graphical user interface. Similar applications, features or utilities may have names or operations that are not familiar to the user," he said, adding that it might take some time to adjust.

The need for support may be another pain point in a move to Linux, said Melby. Home and small business users must be more self-supporting and able to use resources such as newsgroups and forums to resolve problems.

Of all the Linux choices available, the Ubuntu distribution by European developer Canonical is rapidly shortening the learning curve for new users. Ubuntu has quickly built a reputation as "Linux for the rest of us," Melby said, because of its usability and ease of configuration.

Ubuntu can be downloaded for free. Users can test it from a live CD session without installing it or making any changes to their Windows computer.

Case Study

The experience of Kaayla T. Daniel, a nutritionist and author of The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food, provides a perfect example of what a typical consumer might face when adopting Linux as a replacement for Windows. Daniel had an outdated computer and was also having major virus problems with Windows.

"I needed PowerPoint and other software but didn't have the money to buy all the software I needed from Microsoft," she explained. "I had just completed a Ph.D. program and had massive student debt and maxed out credit cards. My Webmaster recommended I get a Linux tower and Linux software as I could get a lot more for my money."

She started with the Xandros distribution but switched to Ubuntu Linux. "Xandros was a nightmare," Daniel remarked, "with one problem after another. So far, Ubuntu is doing fine after two months."

Daniel's biggest problem was finding a computer technician who could work with Linux. Another headache was getting ISP (Internet service provider) support.

"I had to get a Linux computer repair person to come to my house and set me up with EarthLink (Nasdaq: ELNK) DSL (digital subscriber line), as EarthLink technicians refused to help," she explained.

Support Issues

Davila is the first to admit that hardware support with Linux is not perfect -- "but it's pretty damn good," he maintained.

When he installs Windows and Linux for others, he often finds that the Linux installation goes smoother and faster and is not plagued with numerous reboots, as is Windows.

"Most Windows users never do an install of an OS. They simply get a new computer," he observed.

Gamers Loose

One potential disappointment is that hard-core gamers may find few top-notch offerings for Linux, but developers are expected to address that weakness in new Linux releases.

"Many developers have worked diligently to port popular games and devices such as PDAs and GPSs (global positioning systems) to Linux, but often the most current devices and games are not immediately supported," said Melby. "The community of Linux developers is quick to react to new devices and products, but it does take time for reliable ports to be written and functional."

Meanwhile, Linux users looking to stretch beyond the common fare of bundled games can rely on playing their favorite Windows games through emulator programs in Linux.

"The one big weakness for Linux is gaming. That's not to say there aren't any cool games available for Linux. There are some native ports of big games and other less known titles," noted Davila. "A lot of hardcore gamers who've switched to Linux either keep a Windows partition around or have migrated to a console gaming system."

Freedom Counts

For Davila, the biggest reason for migrating to Linux is freedom. Linux is not owned by anyone and is the ultimate community project.

"In many ways, the community reminds me of the early days of computers. People are willing to share information and help others. All one needs to do is ask," he said.

For consumers contemplating the Linux plunge, Melby sees ease of use as the biggest hurdle to overcome. The solution for them may well be Ubuntu, which targets those who want things to "just work," he said.

"Those users are on the fringe of happy Linux users today, and as the Linux distributions continue to become more friendly in terms of installation and usability, we will see more and more users migrate," he predicted.

Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PCs To Get Support for Office 2007

 

Microsoft has begun the process of rolling out Office 2007. This will be one of the most significant upgrades in this suite of applications in close to a decade, and the file formats used will change greatly.

One of the unfortunate side effects of this is that no current Windows Mobile device will work with files that have been saved in the new Office 2007 formats. However, Microsoft is not abandoning users of these handhelds and smartphones.

A company spokesperson promised today that an update for Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PCs will be released that will bring Office 2007 support to these devices.

In addition, this new version of Office Mobile will include some additional functionality, though the spokesperson declined to give any details on what this will be. He did say, though, that it will essentially be the version of Office Mobile that will ship with the next version of Windows Mobile, code-named Crossbow.

A semi-closed beta of this software will be out during the first three months of next year, and a public beta will be available during the second quarter of 2007.

Office 2007 itself is expected to be available to the general public in the first month or so of next year.

No Love for Windows Mobile 2003

Although today's announcement is good news for Windows Mobile 5.0 users, the situation is less pleasant for those with older models. Microsoft says there will be no upgrade for the Pocket Office suite on Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition devices, nor for any earlier version of this operating system.

Still, that still leaves open the possibility that developers of third-party software will step into the gap, and bring support for the Office 2007 file formats to older models.

A Short-term Solution

 

Until the Office upgrade for Windows Mobile 5.0 is available, users of Office 2007 who want to access their files on a mobile device will have little option besides saving their files in formats supported by Office 2003.

However, the the months just after the release of this updated suite of application, people who want to share their documents would be wise to do this anyway, as it will be quite some time before it can be assumed to a majority of users have Office 2007.

PC users, though, will have an option that handheld and smartphone users won't: Microsoft is going to distribute a free reader that will allow anyone to open files in Office 2007. However, that doesn't mean that Office 2003 will be able to open these documents; they'll have to be opened in the separate viewer.

The Treo 650 is being retired.

Two years after its debut, the Palm Treo 650 is clearly on the way out. The most obvious sign of this appeared today on Palm's official web store in the U.S.: a simple note saying this device is "no longer available".

The Treo 650 has been Palm's most visible smartphone since it was introduced in 2004, and in the intervening years has been offered by carriers all around the world.

This product, though, is starting to look a bit long in the tooth, and over the course of this year Palm has come out with a number of newer models.

In January, this company's first Windows Mobile-based smartphone debuted, the Treo 700w. This was followed later in the year with the Treo 750v, another device running that same operating system.

This spring, Palm came out with a new Palm OS-based model, the Treo 700p. And, of course, another Palm OS model, the Treo 680, debuted just a week or so ago.

Treo 650 Still Around

Just because the Palm Store in the United States has stopped offering the Treo 650 doesn't mean it's suddenly disappeared from store shelves worldwide, or even in the U.S. This smartphone is still available from Cingular Wireless, for example.

And Palm web sites in other countries are still offering it, including Australia and the United Kingdom.

Nevertheless, it's virtually certain at this point that the Treo 650 will gradually be replaced with new models, especially the Treo 680.

firefox

Kevin Rose confirms iPhone?

 

Posted Dec 3rd 2006 2:12PM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Cellphones

So apparently last night Kevin Rose, of Digg and Diggnation fame, apparently confirmed information he knew about the iPhone on his eponymous vidcast. According to Kevin, who, to his credit, accurately predicted one of Apple's most secretive and hyped launches of 2005, the iPod nano, the iPhone will feature the following:

• January launch on "all" providers, both CDMA and GSM
• Extremely small form factor
• Two battery design (with single charger) -- one for playing music, the other for phone functions
• Flash memory: 4GB for $249, 8GB for $449
• "Slide-out keyboard"
• Possibly touchscreen

There's obviously a lot there to process -- some new rumor, some old rumor, and some which does and does not jibe with what we've heard. According to a trusted source of Engadget's, whose iPhone information has gone heretofore unpublished, it's pretty safe to say it won't have a QWERTY keyboard (although it may be a slider), touchscreen is out, and it's only going to be GSM with 3G at launch, going with a singular carrier in the US (guess which). So that covers basically all of the rumors we've already heard anyway. We can confirm we've also heard about this dual battery design which powers the flash music player and phone portions separately, but that's about all we've got that crosses over with Rose's information. Either way, we don't want to bark up the wrong tree with this one because insider and rumored information is so often totally inaccurate, even if only because radical design changes are known to be made, especially by Steve "loose cannon" Jobs. Guess we'll have to settle in for our usual wait until January.