“The European Union’s consumer chief soft-pedalled her views on Apple Inc. on Tuesday, backing off the line that its iTunes online music store must become more compatible with other formats,” Reuters reports.
Reuters reports, “Meglena Kuneva told a news conference there was no reason to talk about legal action against the U.S. computer and technology company and that she merely wanted to raise questions. ‘I would like, really, to start this debate. What is best to develop this market and to have more consumers enjoying this really very important, very modern way of downloading and enjoying the music?’ she said of Apple’s iTunes.”
Reuters reports, “In this week’s edition of the German magazine Focus, Kuneva had been quoted as saying: ‘Do you think it’s fine that a CD plays in all CD players but that an iTunes song only plays in an iPod? I don’t. Something has to change.'”
“Kuneva said she worked closely with Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes, whose department has found no reason to pursue Apple. Kroes’ department has said there were no problems with Apple’s use of digital rights technology,” Reuters reports.
Full article here.
Well now, it looks like something changed alright. Kuneva seems to have quickly learned the valuable lesson to think before you crack your yap lest the U.S. Undersecretary of Commerce for Technology and others excoriate you for your ignorant ramblings.
Related articles:
U.S. Undersecretary of Commerce for Technology says EU ‘rhetoric’ against Apple is confusing – March 13, 2007
EU Commish on Apple’s iTunes + FairPlay DRM: ‘Something has to change’ – March 12, 2007
Anti-DRM activists rap Steve Jobs; Group petitions Apple CEO to remove FairPlay DRM software – March 10, 2007
Is DRM doomed? – March 09, 2007
How Apple’s FairPlay DRM works – February 26, 2007
Windows Vista’s DRM is bad news – February 14, 2007
Monster Cable announces full support of Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ call for DRM-free music – February 13, 2007
Recording Industry Association of America wants their DRM, calls for Apple to license FairPlay – February 08, 2007
Warner’s Middlebronfman: Jobs’ DRM-free music call ‘without logic and merit, we’ll not abandon DRM’ – February 08, 2007
Dvorak: Apple CEO Steve Jobs is dead right about DRM – February 07, 2007
Apple’s Jobs jolts music industry; Zune exec calls Jobs’ call for DRM-free music ‘irresponsible’ – February 07, 2007
Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ posts rare open letter: ‘Thoughts on Music’ – calls for DRM-free music – February 06, 2007
Norwegian Ombudsman: Apple’s FairPlay DRM is illegal in Norway – January 24, 2007
Major music labels ponder DRM-free future – January 23, 2007
Wow, now we are white trash. Is that worse than black, Asian or Hispanic trash? If you want to be ashamed, be ashamed of being you.
Sydney… ok. I see your point, but I still think you might be wrong. His comment was about the first post from “s”…. lol. Fergit it bro, it’s all water under the bridge now, and I guess it’s all in how you take it.
As for TT being sensitive to questioning his posts… I haven’t experienced that. Passionate, yes… as we all are. But I’ve only experienced him to be sincerly committed to his beliefs, as you are.
Certainly, the both of you are less emo than I am sometimes!
@Jim
Haha – well wading into a debate 3/4 of the way through is always difficult. And Mr Towertone and I have been debating similar issues around various posts for some time.
There is another debate raging between us on another topic about the separation of church and state, which Mr Towertone believes, passionately, but incorrectly, does not exist in the US constitution. Once again he resorts to insults and diversions to avoid facing the facts of his ignorance.
I am passionate about the truth. It is easy, in forums such as these, to propogate falsehood. Many people will read his silly posts (sometimes they are funny and inoffensive, don’t get me wrong) and just ignore them. But I choose not to do so. His choice to post. My choice to challenge. A falsehood left unchallenged leads to the propogation of a lie. Such lies become the stuff of urban legend. I like to do my bit to prevent such errant nonsense from gaining currency. Mr Towertone has google – he could check his facts before hs posts, only he chooses not to do so. More the fool he.
You need have no sympathy for mr Towertone. I have been much more gentle with him in the past – but his ego is much larger than his mind. You would think by now he would have more care, but he throws caution to the wind and inevitably fails to resist the temptation to voice his political (republican), religious (WASP) views when they are least appropriate.
But it is his shouting down of other posters which usually prompts my response. Nothing annoys me more than when someone like Mr Towertone rubbishes (admittedly in a childish way) someone else’s views without any attempt to support his stance with any factual, or even logical, argument.
Nope. He deserves it. He could always post using his email address, as I do. If he did so I could email him privately to save him the embarrassment of a public challenge.