Microsoft to charge for MP3 ripping

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Author: JT Smith

Microsoft has changed its tune on MP3 ripping, but only because there’s a profit to be made. The company announced today that it would work with third-party companies to add MP3/CD ripping and DVD playback features to its Windows Media player, and charge somewhere between $15 and $30 for those extra features. One analyst (from Gartner, who recently published a Microsoft-funded survey on Linux server market share) says the company was in a damned-if-they-do-or-don’t scenario: “If Microsoft had put one of these capabilities in, they would have been criticized for bundling more stuff into the OS and trying to cut some of the other players. This way, only those that want the DVD and MP3 will have to pay for it.” From CNET News.com.