RealNetworks和微软在DRM问题上对峙

周三, RealNetworks Chief Executive Officer Rob Glaser unveiled a digital rights management solution called RealSystem Media Commerce Suite to empower the "next phase of digital media delivery." The long-awaited DRM system will be used to power the security of MusicNet, 是RealNetworks最近成立的数字音乐公司, BMG, 百代和华纳音乐.

在他的主题演讲流媒体西部2001, 格拉泽首次公开展示了MusicNet的现场演示, a browser-based subscription service that lets users search and store their music online. 在演示中, 戴夫。哈普林, MusicNet的产品营销总监, illustrated how a user can stream and download music after acquiring a license from the RealSystem Media Commerce Suite.

据格拉泽说, 数字版权管理制度, 计划了大约两年, 是这种服务的“缺失部分”之一吗. 一些防篡改技术是由Aegisoft提供的, 是RealNetworks在2001年1月收购的. 格拉泽说 that RealNetworks wanted to take an integrated approach. "We wanted to unveil a very comprehensive solution to the marketplace," he said.

Glaser stressed that the company wants to securely deliver "all media, 对所有设备,“任何格式，包括下载, streaming, 点对点, 甚至是物理形式.

强调新技术的重要性, 本Rotholtz, RealNetworks的系统和工具总经理, 据说这是该公司有史以来最重要的三个公告之一.

姗姗来迟?

然而，微软似乎对这一消息并不感冒. 据迈克尔·奥尔德里奇说, 微软数字媒体部门的首席产品经理, “我们从1999年就开始使用(DRM)." He said that Microsoft has powered over 8 million secure transactions already, with audio, 视频甚至电子书.

Microsoft’s DRM technology is also in its second version — the company released DRM 7.2000年7月0日. "[RealNetworks’] DRM is coming late to the game," said Aldridge. "They have a lot of catching up to do and will have a huge learning curve.他提到了CenterSpan的Scour等服务, a file-sharing system that operates exclusively with Windows Media and that uses digital rights management to control access to files, 因此，如果用户与其他人共享文件, 用户必须注册并使用Scour来播放文件.

Aldridge pointed to announcements this week that showed Windows Media being adopted by digital asset management companies to control and protect content. Mediasite等合作伙伴, Bulldog and Jaguar have built on top of Windows Media to help manage digital media for news organizations and pay-per-view systems. "We’ve developed great core technology that allows customers to build on top of that," said Aldridge.

苹果的缺席

Phil Schiller, vice president of worldwide marketing for Apple, said DRM is "very, very important.“但随着RealNetworks的宣布, 苹果是唯一没有自己的DRM解决方案的大公司. This may make QuickTime less attractive to content providers that want to make money with audio and video. “QuickTime可以使用数字版权系统,席勒说, 指出SealedMedia就是这样的供应商之一.

Schiller wasn’t convinced, however, that RealNetworks’ solution is the best way to go. "It’s important for the industry to have solutions that work with all," he said. "It’s still a wild, wild west for DRM and we need to have standards."

DRM价格是多少?

When Real’s Rotholtz sees Microsoft’s claims of 8 million secure transactions, he scoffs. “我强烈质疑这个数字," he said, wondering what percentage of transactions actually generated some revenue. 当被问及RealNetworks会满足于什么程度的成功时, Rotholtz说, “10个月成交800万美元? 这很可悲." He said that Microsoft, in the end, just wants to sell more copies of Windows. “我们没有议程，”他说.

But RealNetworks has yet to release 信息 about how it intends to price the new RealSystem Media Commerce Suite. Rotholtz表示，预计30至60天内会有价格方面的消息. 但一些线索已经浮出水面. Rotholtz说 that although RealNetworks won’t act as a clearinghouse for transactions, 公司将与RealNetworks建立“关系”. “我们一起在水里，”他说.

准备付款?

DRM解决方案显然已经开始成熟, 但消费者准备好为音频和视频内容付费了吗? 尽管RealNetworks发布了重大新闻, consumers have shown they prefer to get their content for free — what’s often referred to as the "Napsterization" of society. 格拉泽说 that RealNetworks’ GoldPass subscription service — which now has over 200,000 subscribers paying about $10 a month — is proof that users are willing to pay. GoldPass features premium content from the NBA, Major League Baseball, exclusive music and more.

格拉泽说 that a lack of DRM standards is what’s holding back a lot of content providers from going online. "A lot of content owners say, ‘Heck, I’ll just wait until next year or next month’," he said. 据格拉泽说, XMCL – the technology behind the Media Commerce Suite — will "fuel the availability of digital media and lower the cost of deployment because there’s no custom work to build a solution."

XMCL, 格拉泽说, will eventually be submitted to standards bodies like the W3C or the IETF for ratification. Glaser hopes to push XMCL as a standard "much like HTML was unleashed on the Web." He pointed out that RealNetworks has done similar things with SMIL and RTSP, 现在是流媒体行业的标准. "It’s great for the industry and the spirit of collaboration," he said.

With a list of backers that includes technology companies and content owners (including IBM, Adobe, Sony, 米高梅的照片, Intertrust, Sun和Starz Encore), RealNetworks is in direct competition with Xerox spin-off ContentGuard. ContentGuard is pushing for the XrML (eXtensible rights Markup Language) standard, 在微软DRM技术的帮助下. Partners backing XrML are Adobe, Xerox, Hewlett-Packard, Portal and others. It seems the competition between XrML and XMCL—and RealNetworks and Microsoft in the DRM space — is just beginning.