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Napster lives, PCs reincarnated, call centres demystified
A handy round-up...

By editorial@silicon.com

Published: Thursday 28 November 2002

At last, somebody has bought Napster - ending another one of the IT sector's long-running sagas.

We've seen German media giant Bertelsmann have a look, like what it saw and make a bid only to be turned down. Then some Spanish pornographers tabled a speculative offer and, amid a mass of other rumoured suitors, up stepped Roxio, which today sealed a deal for the peer-to-peer outcast (see http://www.silicon.com/a56588 for more).

But why? You may well ask. Roxio clearly believes Napster will provide the backbone of its own online music distribution offering. But what has this company really got for its $5m? Patents, technology and the vague catch all of intellectual property - that's what.

Obviously elements of the technology will be of use to Roxio. After all, the delivery and capability of Napster's systems were never in question. If anything they were too good. But the interesting issue is what the company will do with the name.

Certainly 'Napster' is synonymous with online music distribution but it's not the kind of association which is likely to bring record execs running with armfuls of CDs shouting 'here, have these'.

Napster is also a brand which consumers will instantly recognise - giving Roxio a kind of retroactive 'first mover' advantage - if you catch our drift. But it's also a name which high-powered execs at major labels - not to mention performers such as Alanis Morissette and Metallica - probably still hear in their nightmares. Though that could just be the tinnitus.

We wait to see whether Roxio can return Napster to the position of dominance it enjoyed in its delinquent youth.

And Roxio isn't the only company getting involved in recycling today (seamless link). Fujitsu (see http://www.silicon.com/a56592 for more) is to be applauded for a new scheme to turn old computers into new.

The Japanese computing giant is recycling the plastic casing of PCs and turning them into brand-spanking new laptops in news that will delight environmentalists worldwide. The wastage inherent in the production of white goods and computer hardware has long been a cause of concern. Hopefully now even more companies will follow suit.

Somewhere where applause is definitely not called for is in the call centre sector. Everybody at one time or another falls foul of incessant hold music, endless options on the automated answering system or some clueless youth with an 'I hate my job' attitude.

We may growl at the companies or the individuals on the other end of the phone but news today tells us that it's the software they use which is to blame. If these individuals just had a decent user interface then they would be able to deliver perfect service (read http://www.silicon.com/a56585 for more). It's certainly fair to say most call centre workers appear to have problems with their application.