RUMOR MILL
Friday, December 7, 2001
TECH NEWS: TECHNICALLY,
NOT REAL INTERESTING
Live365 Days Numbered? Liquid Audio Dons a New Suit. UN Ratifies Net Copyright Treaty
NOT QUITE LIVE365
Internet radio site Live365 may have to change its name to Live360359358. The online radio network shut down this week because of a problem with its broadband provider. A message at the website reads "Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Live365 network is still down. The problem is with our bandwidth provider—not our servers—so all data is safe." The notice also said that the company is looking for an alternate provider. The current provider, or rather non-provider, was shut down last Monday by telecom carrier Cogent Communications for violating its use policy against spamming.
LIQUID AUDIO WEARING NEW SUIT
Tech company Network Commerce is suing Liquid Audio for patent infringement. Network Commerce claims that the web music distributor is using its patented e-commerce technology by providing software that allows website to sell downloadable music. Network Commerce holds a patent for technology that links separate servers and a download component to coordinate the download information for selling files online. While some consider the transactional service particularly generic, Network Commerce is seeking unspecified damages and an injunction to stop Liquid Audio from distributing any software remotely related to its patent claim.
Internet radio site Live365 may have to change its name to Live360359358. The online radio network shut down this week because of a problem with its broadband provider. A message at the website reads "Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Live365 network is still down. The problem is with our bandwidth provider—not our servers—so all data is safe." The notice also said that the company is looking for an alternate provider. The current provider, or rather non-provider, was shut down last Monday by telecom carrier Cogent Communications for violating its use policy against spamming.
LIQUID AUDIO WEARING NEW SUIT
Tech company Network Commerce is suing Liquid Audio for patent infringement. Network Commerce claims that the web music distributor is using its patented e-commerce technology by providing software that allows website to sell downloadable music. Network Commerce holds a patent for technology that links separate servers and a download component to coordinate the download information for selling files online. While some consider the transactional service particularly generic, Network Commerce is seeking unspecified damages and an injunction to stop Liquid Audio from distributing any software remotely related to its patent claim.
AND NOW BACK TO WORKING ON WORLD PEACE
The United Nations approved a treaty to protect copyrights on the Internet. The law will go into effect March 6. The treaty is one of two designed to protect against piracy on the Internet concerning literary and artistic works. The second treaty, which is much like the first but focuses on sound recordings, is expected to be ratified soon by all 30 UN countries. The United States and Japan are among the countries that have already signed it. The treaties require ratifying countries to grant minimum rights to authors form other countries as well as their own.
