jchenx - Slashdot User

MS to drop (some) DRM for the Zune

Submitted by

wedgiesaurus

on Saturday April 07 2007, @03:54PM

wedgiesaurus writes " From Computerworld (via BoingBoing):

Microsoft's apparent change of heart on selling DRM-free music came in response to Apple's deal earlier in the week to sell unprotected content from recording company EMI Group PLC. The company previously claimed that DRM was necessary for current and emerging digital media business models. "The EMI announcement on Monday was not exclusive to Apple," said Katy Asher, a Microsoft spokeswoman on the Zune team, in an e-mail to the IDG News Service today. She said Microsoft has been talking with EMI and other record labels "for some time now" about offering unprotected music on its Zune players in an effort to meet the needs of its customers."
So, has the end of DRM for music files finally come, or is this simply a little gamesmanship from Microsoft?"

Bill Gates' Thoughts on Microsoft in 1989

Submitted by

Andareed

on Wednesday February 28 2007, @06:08PM

Andareed writes "A talk given by Bill Gates in 1989 to the Computer Science Club has recently been discovered and digitized. In this talk, Bill discusses his role as a developer in the early days of Microsoft, and his views on the future of Microsoft. He also alludes to the fact that he thought that in 1981, 640k would be good enough for everyone!"

Casual Play on 360 Live Arcade 48

Posted by Zonk on Wednesday February 28 2007, @05:58PM
from the uno-and-fish-and-geometry-oh-my dept.

twoallbeefpatties writes "Columnist Chris Suellentrop writes an article for Slate describing how his desire for casual gaming is fulfilled more by the 360 than the Wii due to the presence of simpler games available over Live Arcade. The availability of oldschool Nintendo games on the Wii network fulfills his nostalgic hardcore gaming side, but when he really wants to just relax, he'd rather be trying to top his Live high score on Root Beer Tapper. Says Suellentrop: 'The Nintendo Wii will transform the way we play games at home. But the Xbox 360, through its Xbox Live service, is building something equally compelling: a celestial arcade, where casual and hard-core gamers alike can connect over the Internet and find like-minded souls. For an old-timer like me, the celestial arcade also lets me feel like I still have some of my old gaming mojo.'"