PyMusique, the alternative iTunes client, has been succeeded by Musik. What’s different? Musik not only accesses iTunes, but also the Napster music store.
In mid-March, three programmers named Cody Brocious, Travis Watkins and Jon Lech Johansen collaborated on a project that would allow Linux users to access iTunes, while providing and alternative interface for Windows users. The project was named PyMusique.
Misunderstood by the mainstream media, attention was immediately diverted to the fact that PyMusique defeated iTunes’ DRM (Digital Rights Management). Although it did not wrap Apple’s AAC music file with DRM, PyMusique is and was not a piracy tool – it simply allowed the Linux community to join iTunes. Supporting this, the user must have an iTunes account and purchase each song in order to obtain any file. While reverse engineering iTunes was considered an impressive feat, their work was far from done.
Adding Alex Goodwin to the group, they continued their desire to access legal music on alternative operating systems - and brought Napster to the Linux community.
The result of this work is a program named Musik. According to Cody Brocious’ blog, it is the successor to PyMusique. Like PyMusique, Musik is not a piracy tool. In order to take advantage of the program, one needs an account with Napster. In addition, Napster’s DRM will stay intact.
Musik will be compatible with all three major operating system; Linux, Windows, and Mac. Although designed primarily for Linux users, this version is not quite completed yet.
“We can download songs,†Cody Brocious told Slyck.com, “but the songs currently can not be played on Linux...we're finishing up the DRM now.â€
However, the program is working well on the Windows platform.
Musik is a robust program as it combines iTunes and Napster searchability into one program (a rough comparison would be a multi-network file-sharing program.)
In order to make Musik possible, a great deal of reverse engineering was accomplished. The logins, registration, purchasing, and “requesting a DRM license/key†all had to be duplicated for Musik.
Also, in order to play Napster’s DRM WMA files on the Linux operating system, the DRM employed had to be reverse engineered. Interestingly, in order to protect Napaster’s DRM for Linux it had to be reverse engineered, leaving the door open for exploitation. Indeed one of life's strange quirks.
Cody Brocious tells Slyck the Linux version should “hopefully†be available within the next few days. Until then, the command line Windows version is fully operational and available for download.
[RANK="www.slyck.com/news.php?story=747"]Source[/RANK]
In mid-March, three programmers named Cody Brocious, Travis Watkins and Jon Lech Johansen collaborated on a project that would allow Linux users to access iTunes, while providing and alternative interface for Windows users. The project was named PyMusique.
Misunderstood by the mainstream media, attention was immediately diverted to the fact that PyMusique defeated iTunes’ DRM (Digital Rights Management). Although it did not wrap Apple’s AAC music file with DRM, PyMusique is and was not a piracy tool – it simply allowed the Linux community to join iTunes. Supporting this, the user must have an iTunes account and purchase each song in order to obtain any file. While reverse engineering iTunes was considered an impressive feat, their work was far from done.
Adding Alex Goodwin to the group, they continued their desire to access legal music on alternative operating systems - and brought Napster to the Linux community.
The result of this work is a program named Musik. According to Cody Brocious’ blog, it is the successor to PyMusique. Like PyMusique, Musik is not a piracy tool. In order to take advantage of the program, one needs an account with Napster. In addition, Napster’s DRM will stay intact.
Musik will be compatible with all three major operating system; Linux, Windows, and Mac. Although designed primarily for Linux users, this version is not quite completed yet.
“We can download songs,†Cody Brocious told Slyck.com, “but the songs currently can not be played on Linux...we're finishing up the DRM now.â€
However, the program is working well on the Windows platform.
Musik is a robust program as it combines iTunes and Napster searchability into one program (a rough comparison would be a multi-network file-sharing program.)
In order to make Musik possible, a great deal of reverse engineering was accomplished. The logins, registration, purchasing, and “requesting a DRM license/key†all had to be duplicated for Musik.
Also, in order to play Napster’s DRM WMA files on the Linux operating system, the DRM employed had to be reverse engineered. Interestingly, in order to protect Napaster’s DRM for Linux it had to be reverse engineered, leaving the door open for exploitation. Indeed one of life's strange quirks.
Cody Brocious tells Slyck the Linux version should “hopefully†be available within the next few days. Until then, the command line Windows version is fully operational and available for download.
[RANK="www.slyck.com/news.php?story=747"]Source[/RANK]