Comments on: Subscribing to confusion: The Register on eMusic, Zune, and the iPod http://frankhecker.com/2006/09/16/subscribing-to-confusion-the-register-on-emusic-zune-and-the-ipod/ Trying to unite civility and truth in a few long blog posts Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:03:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: ex libris » libraries, music, tech » Blog Archive » zune? http://frankhecker.com/2006/09/16/subscribing-to-confusion-the-register-on-emusic-zune-and-the-ipod/#comment-1091 Fri, 22 Sep 2006 18:13:43 +0000 http://swindleeeee.wordpress.com/2006/09/16/subscribing-to-confusion-the-register-on-emusic-zune-and-the-ipod/#comment-1091 [...] Interesting article in the Register on Friday ostensibly about Microsoft’s Zune DAP and Itunes’ market weaknesses. A significant amount of space on page 2 is devoted to Emusic’s subscription model. The writer even echoes thoughts I expressed previously regarding Emusic, Itunes and the Long Tail:In his desire to make the “Long Tail” a one-shape-fits-all buzzword/religious cult, author Chris Anderson wrongly lumps iTunes and eMusic together as examples of “Long Tail”, although one is, and one emphatically isn’t.For such a short article, it flies all over the place like a child that lost its ritalin. Still, well worth a read. Hecker has also posted an excellent commentary on the article over on Swindleeeee. [...]

]]> By: Frank Hecker http://frankhecker.com/2006/09/16/subscribing-to-confusion-the-register-on-emusic-zune-and-the-ipod/#comment-1090 Sun, 17 Sep 2006 15:46:06 +0000 http://swindleeeee.wordpress.com/2006/09/16/subscribing-to-confusion-the-register-on-emusic-zune-and-the-ipod/#comment-1090 You’re right, I forgot to mention the indie focus in this answer. (I did address it in my previous post “Off with its head: eMusic and the Long Tail”.) Your point reinforces my point, namely that music consumers are selecting online music services based on other attributes than whether they’re subscription-based or not.

]]> By: Evan http://frankhecker.com/2006/09/16/subscribing-to-confusion-the-register-on-emusic-zune-and-the-ipod/#comment-1089 Sun, 17 Sep 2006 14:34:00 +0000 http://swindleeeee.wordpress.com/2006/09/16/subscribing-to-confusion-the-register-on-emusic-zune-and-the-ipod/#comment-1089 You forgot to mention the niche aspect of eMusic. People subscribe because its their only reliable source of indie music. Its not the other way around. Brittany Spears fans aren’t using eMusic because they like the subscription based model better then outright ownership of iTunes. You’re getting people who don’t have much of an option AND the 4 reasons posted above. American ethic, law and culture is all about property ownership. Are more cars leased per year or bought? The answer to that question will always be the same answer to the mp3 question.

]]> By: Frank Hecker http://frankhecker.com/2006/09/16/subscribing-to-confusion-the-register-on-emusic-zune-and-the-ipod/#comment-1088 Sun, 17 Sep 2006 05:09:32 +0000 http://swindleeeee.wordpress.com/2006/09/16/subscribing-to-confusion-the-register-on-emusic-zune-and-the-ipod/#comment-1088 I agree with your comments as well, especially about the major labels losing touch with reality. I’ve seen other comments suggesting that Microsoft, Apple, and other DRM providers are the labels’ dream come true: a new way to force people to continually re-purchase their music libraries as newer and cooler devices come to market, each with its own unique and proprietary DRM scheme — basically replicating past format changes from vinyl to cassette to CD, etc.

Frankly I think this is idiocy. People, especially, of the iPod generation, know perfectly well that a) DRM adds no value in terms of increased fidelity, convenience, etc. (as for example CDs did relative to vinyl), and b) they can get perfectly good MP3 files from a variety of source, legal or otherwise. All the labels are doing is giving more momentum to P2P networks and DRM-cracking software.

]]> By: musicmoggy http://frankhecker.com/2006/09/16/subscribing-to-confusion-the-register-on-emusic-zune-and-the-ipod/#comment-1087 Sun, 17 Sep 2006 04:10:20 +0000 http://swindleeeee.wordpress.com/2006/09/16/subscribing-to-confusion-the-register-on-emusic-zune-and-the-ipod/#comment-1087 Entirely agree with everything you wrote above.

Another perspective to add is the iTunes customer is younger than eMusics. Given that the older generation are [generally] a little slower on the take up of technology adoption (you and I are leaders but sadly most of our peers are laggers) then a bow wave user adoption is close behind us (5 to 10 years). Thus eMusic will enjoy this significant growth.

Looking around the at comments on the web it is suggested that mircosoft new DRM solution for zune will even apply if you were to share unprotected music with a friend. So Microsoft becomes the criminal by virtue of breaking Creative Commons licenses. A class action looks certain or a last minute change of design.

Also of interest..
“Microsoft’s Zune will not play protected Windows Media Audio and Video purchased or “rented” from Napster 2.0, Rhapsody, Yahoo! Unlimited, Movielink, Cinemanow, or any other online media service.” This will really put the Commercial user’s of PlayforSure in a spin. If new generations of DRM are incompatible chaos ensues.

But don’t blame Microsoft.
Microsoft wants DRM. It’s a great revenue opportunity to licence out DRM software in all shapes and forms. Micrsoft is simply reacting to the music industry demands and for the large wads of dollars. It is the mainstream music industry that is pushing this ‘innovation’. The overpaid guys at the top have lost touch with reality and have no foresight. The next couple of years will be very interesting. Sit back and watch the entertainment and the massive consumer backlog. And the winnder out of all of this will be… eMusic for one.

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