Forum Archive Index - August 2000

["Matthew Darby" <mdarby@estaronline.com>]

Without giving away any secrets there is a way to protect any file from
repeated copy and distribution. As for the technology side of things, these
will not have to change. Any device that downloads music from the Internet
has to firstly have a connection. If they have that then the rest is
software based. Again I am sorry for not being more enlightening but we are
getting into a sensitive area, which I am unable to comment further on at
this stage.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-sharechat@sharechat.co.nz
[mailto:owner-sharechat@sharechat.co.nz]On Behalf Of Jeremy
Sent: Friday, August 11, 2000 12:29 PM
To: sharechat@sharechat.co.nz
Subject: Re: [sharechat] EstarOnline


----- Original Message -----
From: Matthew Darby
...
> I agree with you John about adding a transactional component to the
software. This software must
> travel with the file so it can register each time a new user wants to
access the file. I am not in a position to comment on EstarOnline's plans at
this stage,
> but we hope to be able to make some announcements about this in the near
future.
...

Matthew,

Three points :

1. From what I can see, any system that plays sound through standard audio
devices is vulnerable to copying, either at the digital stage by hijacking
the sound card driver or analogue output stage.  This makes transactional
software untenable as a strategy for PC usage.

2. Playing sound on portable devices with a transactional system requires a
connection to an authorising service - presumably via WAP or somesuch.  Is
it reasonable to expect that manufacturer's technology will achieve this in
a reasonable time frame?

3. Platform diversity means that any succesful transaction system must work
on many different platforms, including all the traditional PC platforms,
plus the new player devices.  Developing a transactional system for all of
these so as to achieve a significant market share seems like a very
expensive exercise.

Jeremy



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