“Apple Computer Inc. could negotiate new deals with record labels and artists to sidestep French government plans to open the copy-protection technology of its iTunes music service to rivals, under a draft Senate amendment to be voted on this week,” Laurence Frost reports for The Associated Press. “The amendment, proposed by the Senate Cultural Affairs Committee, softens the terms of a government-backed copyright bill Apple criticized as “state-sponsored piracy” after its first reading in March by lawmakers in France’s lower house.”
Frost reports, “The Senate committee’s changes could allow Apple to maintain the exclusive link between iTunes and the iPod, lawyers and officials told The Associated Press. Under the key amendment, compatibility disputes would be taken to a new regulatory authority that would have the power to order exclusive file formats be shared – but only if the obstacles they pose are ‘additional to, or independent of, those explicitly decided by the copyright holders.’ In other words, Apple and Sony could continue to refuse to share their FairPlay and ATRAC3 file formats, provided they obtain the authorization of artists and other copyright holders whose music they sell online, said Valerie Aumage, an online copyright specialist with Paris law firm Dubarry Le Douarin Veil. ‘As long as Apple can show that the restrictions conform to the wishes of copyright holders, there would be no case to answer,’ she said.”
“The draft amendment follows intensive lobbying by the Cupertino, Calif.-based computer company, which sent representatives including iTunes designer Bud Tribble to Paris last month for a series of meetings with senior lawmakers. The Brussels-based Business Software Alliance, which campaigns on behalf of major software and hardware makers including Apple, Microsoft Corp. and Hewlett Packard Co., has also warned that the draft legislation would harm the fight against piracy and undermine new technologies like high-definition DVDs,” Frost reports. “The Senate is expected to complete its reading of the copyright bill in coming days, after which the legislation passes to a joint committee of Senators and lower-house deputies, charged with hammering out a compromise text.”
More in the full article here.
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Related articles:
Vive l’iTunes! French ‘state-sponsored piracy’ DRM law gutted in committee – May 01, 2006
Force open Apple’s FairPlay? What has possessed the French this time? – April 27, 2006
French Trade Minister: Apple’s iTunes must play fair in French music market – April 14, 2006
JP Morgan: French DRM law will have limited impact on Apple Computer – March 28, 2006
Dvorak: What the French got right with proposed DRM law – March 28, 2006
Will Apple’s Steve Jobs bid France adieu? – March 22, 2006
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Apple calls proposed French DRM law ‘state-sponsored piracy,’ predicts iPod sales increase – March 21, 2006
French National Assembly approves digital copyright bill; could affect Apple’s FairPlay DRM – March 21, 2006
Please…. no childish, xenophobic anti-French comments. Stick to the story.
“we surrender” is now the official motto of the france.
“”we surrender” is now the official motto of the france.”
should have read..
“we surrender” is now the official motto of france.
not childish… just the facts. The french always back down. Always have, always will.
Dear Charlie
Countdown now: 5, 3, 3, 2, 1…
Charlie. That might have been too much to ask.
charlie,
Merci, mais aucun merci. Laissez les flammes commencer !
Jim – the dickhead.
Right..if the French are a collection of douchebags– and it’s WE who are xenophobic?!? Please..
Why are they douchbags?
They’re pro-consumer. You’re all siding for a company which has a monopoly.
monopoly = bad.
In England during the WW2 we had beans called runner beans (they climbed up stakes). We changed ther vname to French beans.
duper – the unoriginal
Just telling it like it is… flame away all you want. The french surrender, always have, always will.
gorufo,
Non, illegal monopoly = bad
There’s a difference, just ask Microsoft.
I can’t see that Apple would find the proposed amendment at all satisfactory. It’s a *response* to the lobbying of Apple, HP, et.al. but it does not answer Apple’s desire for the French bureaucracy to keep their hands off their business or intellectual property.
According to the synopsis, “compatibility disputes would be taken to a new regulatory authority that would have the power to order exclusive file formats be shared”. So Apple would *still* need to get the blessing of the bureaucrats, who might just rule against Apple. Apple or Sony could refuse to open up their file format “provided they obtain the authorization of artists and other copyright holders whose music they sell online”. More work, more delays, more legal expense. Who’s going to pay for this?
So the amendment might not be as bad as the original legislation, but it’s still an unwarranted burden. Were Apple to pull iTunes from France, perhaps the locals would finally understand there is a cost to such economic meddling.
Jim,
The French under Napoleon were formidable dudes. They had almost all of Europe at one point. If it wasn’t for that bitch Josephine they would still have it.
Wouldn’t this give the record labels the upper hand when dealing with Apple?
“If you want our permission to keep FairPlay propriatary, give us our price increases.”
Long live Jeanne d’Arc!!!!!!!!
France’s greatest military leader . . . a woman.
Baiser le français!
Oh please. Apple is not going to put up with the French. The market is WAY too small. They’ll just pull out of France, and take the 100,000 user lose on the chin. No big deal.
I counted to ten, but it did no good. Assholes abound on this site, it’s such a shame.
Ron:
Runner Beans and “French Beans” are completely unconnected. Runner Beans are native to the high elevation mountains of Central America. They have been domesticated for more than 2000 years by natives of the region… and are nothing to do with the French.
Runner Beans were brought to Europe probably by the Spanish.
Don’t make shit up…
Jim – the independent voter:
Don’t be such a provocateur. If you know so much about the French militarily please enlighten us. Do tell us all the wars you’re claiming they surrendered in?
I’m dying to learn from such a learned historian as yourself…
Cheese-eating surrender monkeys !
“The french surrender, always have, always will.” said Jim, the independent voter.
And the only reason he says so is because the French didn’t surrender to the will of the mighty USA. Funny, isn’t it ?
Lol…. you’re right…. Napoleon was undone by Josephine, and a little thing called Waterloo.
Charlie…
wow… sarcasim…. ok.. here’s some famous quotes for you…
“As far as I’m concerned, war always means failure.” — Jacques Chirac, President of France.
“As far as France is concerned, you’re right.” — Rush Limbaugh
“I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me.” — General George S. Patton
The history of surrender, …
“It’s no surprise the French won’t help us get Saddam Hussein out of Iraq. They didn’t help us get Germany out of France, either. Still, it’s essential for them to join us in the war against Iraq. They can teach the Iraqis how to surrender.” — Jay Leno
…, great French Generals, ….
“Did you see the new bomb the government came up with? It weights 21,000 pounds. The Air Force tested this bomb in Florida and the bomb blast was so strong at Disneyworld 25 French tourists surrendered.” — Jay Leno
…, great French Admirals, …
“French troops arrived in Afghanistan last week, and not a minute too soon. The French are acting as advisers to the Taliban, to teach them how to surrender properly.” — Jay Leno
…, great French fighter aces, ….
“Finally, this week the French soldiers have showed up in Afghanistan. Figures – just like the French to show up after the hard work has been done.” — Jay Leno
…, great French war hero’s, ….
“Army personnel in Kuwait unloaded a dozen faulty tanks that only go in reverse. Tanks that only go in reverse – they’ve been repackaged and sold to France.” — Craig Kilborn
.., French medal of honor, …
“What do you expect from a culture and a nation that exerted more of its national will fighting against Disney World and Big Macs than the Nazis?” — Dennis Miller
.., French medal of honour, …
“They’ve taken their own precautions against al-Qa’ida. To prepare for an attack, each Frenchman is urged to keep duct tape, a white flag, and a three-day supply of mistresses in the house.” — Argus Hamilton
… great French military successes, …
“Do you know it only took Germany three days to conquer France in WWII? And that’s because it was raining.”
— John Xereas, Manager, DC Improv.
.. the road to victory, …
“The French are always reticent to surrender to the wishes of their friends and always more than willing to surrender to the wishes of their enemies.” — unattributed
charlie, if you could see past the end of your nose, you would have deduced that they were re-named french beans because the French were such good runners (away from the Germans) in WW2.
I’m w/ Jim on the French..
Check it out for yourselves…..
http://www.pavefrance.com
I love their tagline; “Pave France, the British Need More Parking”
Remember, Lord Nelson and Lord Wellington took down Napoleon both on land and at sea!
Asses whipped in the 100 years’ war
Kicked out of USA by the Brits
Napoleon destroyed by Russians (ok it was winter)
WW1 – no major contribution and lots of defeats
WW2 – rolled over big-time by Hitler
SE Asia – ran out with tails between their legs (Laos, Vietnam anybody)
That enough of a track record ?