“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.
Advertisements:
• Get the new iMac with Intel Core Duo for as low as $31 A MONTH with Free shipping!
• Get the MacBook Pro with Intel Core Duo for as low as $47 A MONTH with Free Shipping!
• Apple’s new Mac mini. Intel Core, up to 4 times faster. Starting at just $599. Free shipping.
• Apple’s brand new iPod Hi-Fi speaker system. Home stereo. Reinvented. Available now for $349 with free shipping.
• iPod. 15,000 songs. 25,000 photos. 150 hours of video. The new iPod. 30GB and 60GB models start at just $299. Free shipping.
• Connect iPod to your television set with the iPod AV Cable. Just $19.
• iPod Radio Remote. Listen to FM radio on your iPod and control everything with a convenient wired remote. Just $49.
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
Wired’s Kahney: Proposed French copyright protection law a good thing for consumers in the long run – March 22, 2006
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
They had it ! Normandy. The duke of Normandy was a vassal of the king of France anyway. And today, English is an idiom that is full of French words.
By the way, if, more than 150 years after the treaty that gave Normandy to Rollon, William was still a Norseman, even if all his people had adopted the French language, the religion of the French, and was subject to the king of France, how many Americans are really Americans ?
Universal Declaration of Human Rights :
Article 26.
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
After reading the comments on this site, it is evident that the right to education is the least abused of the Human Rights.
To Jim who says he is an independant thinker but gets drivel.
From the net but can you find out where?
“I think it was Patton who said “I’d rather have a German Division in front of me than a French Division behind me.”
Which is very funny, and is commonly attributed to Patton.
But it isn’t true. At least it isn’t true that Patton said that. Patton always had great respect for the French military (I might say inordinate respect, but we’re talking Patton’s opinion here). Indeed, it’s more likely that he would have made that quip about British troops than about French troops. Patton was always greatly suspicious of the British and British forces. But Patton had nothing but high regard for the French forces and it was a French Armored Division, commanded by LeClerc, attached to Patton’s 3rd Army, that took Paris.”
Just another yank trying to bite the hand that freed you.
The French Senate can vote what he wants. Only the Parliament will rules!
Road Warrior
Lol.. first.. get it right. It’s Jim the independent voter…. I am an independent thinker, but the handle is something else. So let’s get the facts straight first little one ok?
Second… if you go back and read Charlies posts, you can see that he started using sarcasm to belittle my argument that the french will always surrender. So… I used humor and sarcasm back. The supposed quote may or may not come from General Patton, doesn’t matter, it speaks to the argument in a humorous way. IE… the french are no longer dependable allies.
I disagree with you about Patton’s feelings toward british troops… it was Montgomery he couldn’t stand. The troops he had high regard for.
Le Clercs forces being allowed to enter paris is standard issue for the american army. Look at Kuwait in the first gulf war, who entered first? The kuwaitis. No one actually thinks that the kuwaiti’s actually were responsible for the retaking of Kuwait City, and no real historian actually thinks that le clercs forces were actually responsible for the retaking of Paris. To suggest that the french armored division actually took Paris back from the Nazi’s is laughable.
Just another frog living on a 200 year old accomplishment, that has long since been paid back in spades.