[Info-vax] OT: About Digital and divisions

[Richard B. Gilbert]

On 11/20/2011 9:57 AM, Neil Rieck wrote:
> On Nov 19, 1:42 pm, John Wallace<johnwalla... at gmail.com>  wrote:
>> On Nov 19, 4:51 pm, JF Mezei<jfmezei.spam... at vaxination.ca>  wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> Neil Rieck wrote:
>>
>>>> Here's my two cents about comparing Apple to Sony. Sony was only
>>>> selling players. Apple was selling players and content.
>>
>>> Wrong. At the time Apple launched iTunes Store (a year or two after
>>> launching iPods), Sony already had all of what was needed to do the
>>> same, yet they failed royally. They did have a "store" for games etc but
>>> their own music division wouldn't allow that store to sell music to
>>> Sony's new MP3 players.

Sony, in many ways, was not too bright!  Their home video tape system
was technically superior.  They had it locked up with patents and were
unable or unwilling to license those patents.  They wanted the WHOLE pie!

VHS came along.  It also was patented but the holders of those patents 
were willing to license to just about anyone who was willing and able to
to meet their *very reasonable terms*.

Can you buy a "BetaMax" new, today?  Would you buy a BetaMax????????
Guess who got rich!!  Hint; it wasn't Sony's stock holders!

<huge snip>