Note: This column represents the opinions
of the writer and as such, is not purported as fact
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A long time ago, when the Net was new and most folks still used dial-up
modems, a company called Real
came up with some cool technology that allowed us to listen to streaming audio
and watch postage-stamp-sized streaming video.
For a little while, Real was flavour of the month and everyone was talking about
how this would shape the future of a medium that had previously been limited
to text and simple graphics.
At that stage, Real was a smart marketer and encouraged every man and his
cyberdog to download a free copy of the Real Player, a program needed to
access this streaming content.
Real made its money by selling server licenses to content providers and
all was well with the world.
Then (as they do), Microsoft noticed the potential of this streaming media
and decided to bundle their own media player with Windows
The Aardvark PC-Based Digital
Entertainment Centre Project
Yes, at last, this feature
has been updated again! (31 Mar 2003)
Even more importantly, Microsoft didn't require content publishers to sign-over
their firstborn in order to set up a Windows Media streaming server.
What's more, eventually Microsoft's streaming media technology became better
than Real's and the battle was on.
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It was about this time that the management over at Real lost an oar and began
spinning in ever-decreasing circles.
Firstly, they decided that it would be cool to monitor exactly what the users
of their media player were watching -- and more. So they added some powerful
spyware to the RealPlayer and hoped nobody would notice; but they did.
RealPlayer had become a very powerful piece of spyware which narc'd
on everyone who was using it.
The software also became nagware -- constantly annoying those who had downloaded
the free version with suggestions that they upgrade to the commercial ($$)
edition. Users also noticed with surprise that RealPlayer was now a part of their task-bar
and would often take-over certain file associations without permission.
But then they did something even crazier...
They made it almost impossible to find and download the free edition of RealPlayer.
I suspect the objective was to trick as many people as possible into giving
up and just plonking down their hard-earned cash for the commercial version
in sheer frustration.
If however, you were tenacious or lucky enough to find the free version and
download it, you'd find that the email address you were required to give
as part of the download/registration process was then bombarded with spam
from Real. The endless stream of emails invited you to upgrade to the
commercial product -- and opt-out requests were consistently ignored.
But now, apart from a few valuable content deals that Real clings to with
a desperation that betrays their fear, Microsoft owns the streaming
media marketplace and Real is clearly starting to hurt, and hurt bad.
After a string of bad experiences (spyware, nagware, hide&seekware, spam),
the vast majority of Net users can't be bothered with Real's products or
antics.
Proof of this can be seen in the way that the company has been furiously
backpeddling on all these old tactics, and has even given up trying to
dupe people into buying the commercial version of RealPlayer.
Sorry Real, too little too late.
Why would anyone download or use a product from a company with such an
atrocious track record in abusing Net users?
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