MP3 Mini-Primer
The MP3 audio format has quite simply taken the Web??”and the world??”by storm. Whereas other downloadable
music formats come with caveats such as ownership by one company or built-in limitations on
how users can use the files they purchase, MP3 just did the work and got the job done. MP3 software players
are common. A number of manufacturers offer MP3 hardware for a variety of uses, including home, car,
and personal stereos.
Generally, the MP3 ???scene??? shows interest in new and/or unusual artists, offers a selection of dynamic, fullfeatured
players (see Figure 27-3), and maintains an attitude of music appreciation. Conversely, non-MP3
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Including Multimedia Elements Part V
downloadable music has generally featured bland players, corporate music, proprietary technologies, and
an unhealthy fascination with watermarking and controlling content. It??™s not hard to see why the market
chose MP3.
FIGURE 27-3
Many standalone MP3 players, such as Winamp and Audion, feature sexy looks that can be changed by applying
new skins.
Player support
Table 27-2 lists common MP3 player software??”including old friends such as RealPlayer that now handle
MP3??”and the URLs where they can be found.
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