Another Microsoft victim?

[Dave Sieber <dsieber@terminal-impact.com>]

  Say good-bye to RealNetworks (RealAudio, RealVideo) -- they partnered
  with Microsoft.
  
  http://www.techweb.com/wire/news/1997/11/1112netshow.html
  
  >From the report:
  
  "In most cases, users should be able to access content from a NetShow
  server with the RealPlayer client and vice-versa. However, the companies
  will continue to compete."
  
  Quoting Microsoft:
  
  "Streaming media sells more NT," said Michael Ahern, lead product
  manager for NetShow. "It's about getting more operating systems out
  there."
  
  ---
  
  Can you read between the lines? Already, 3 months after the deal, it's
  down to "in most cases". How long until they're two incompatible
  formats?
  
  My guess is that MS will first lock-in the big content providers with
  NetShow-only content (as the report indicates is already happening),
  then "enhance" the format so that it is incompatible with
  RealAudio/Video... just like they're trying to do with HTML, Java, and
  JavaScript. And they'll claim their contract allows them to do so.
  
  
  --
  Dave Sieber
  dsieber@terminal-impact.com
  http://www.terminal-impact.com