On Friday RealNetworks Inc broadened its dispute with Microsoft Corp by condemning the way Windows disables its and other company’s products as deliberate (CI No 3,459). RealNetworks Inc CEO Rob Glaser brushed aside Microsoft’s claims that his company’s software crashed during a demonstration to Thursday’s Senate Judiciary Committee because of a fault in RealPlayer or the way it is implemented. He reiterated his claim that Microsoft’s Windows Media Player is designed to disable it. These are no bugs, they are policy decisions which affect customer choice, he said, characterizing his company’s dispute with Microsoft as a broader industry concern. He said that Windows Media Player breaks RealPlayer is the result of Microsoft’s policy about how its software interacts with computers. Glaser wheeled out the Software Publishers Association to condemn Redmond’s behavior, plus other video streaming specialists which claim their products too are disabled by Windows and the Windows Media Player. SPA president Ken Wasch said point number six of SPA’s charter – to which Microsoft is a signatory – states specifically that one company’s products, should not interfere with or cripple others. The problem, he said, is that the entire software industry depends on working with Microsoft and for those who compete with Microsoft that is problematic. Salem, Massachusetts-based Digital Bitcasting Corp said it has an on-going problem with Microsoft’s new Windows Media Player as well as its older Active Movie player because they ride roughshod over datatypes. It says problems caused by Microsoft breaking his company’s products tie up resources and support, affecting its ability to conduct business. We have to fix problems we’ve not caused, he said. Glaser said video streaming company Xing Technology Inc experiences similar problems. Glaser also defended the demonstration he made to senator Orrin Hatch’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing and said that in 10 of 16 configuration scenarios the Windows Media Player disables the RealNetworks RealPlayer – either gold, beta or free download versions – when running on Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape. Glaser said Microsoft’s claim that RealNetworks had implemented its work improperly was wrong and had Netscape’s client product VP on hand to agree.
