Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[burnett AT pobox.com]

On Wed, 29 Nov 2006, Michael Czeiszperger wrote:

> http://blogs.siliconvalley.com/gmsv/2006/11/when_zune_micro.html
>
> Apparently Microsoft is thinking of putting in financial incentives
> for Zune owners to get their friends to listen to new music.  Instead
> of the normal radio-station payola, music labels could pay Microsoft
> to have an army of Zune owners to pedal the songs to their friends...


"...the Zune's sole wireless feature is "squirting" -- I know, I know, 
it's Microsoft's term, not mine -- music and pictures to any other Zune 
device within direct Wi-Fi range. Even if the track is inherently free 
(like a podcast) the Zune wraps it in a DRM scheme that causes the track 
to self-destruct after three days or three plays, whichever comes first.

After that, it's nothing more than a bookmark for purchasing the track in 
the Zune Marketplace. It amounts to nothing more than free advertising. "

Truly a "the first taste is free" model.

Source: 
http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko/147048,CST-FIN-Andy23.article