Code Genealogy of the New Napster

The New Napster launches tomorrow, and — apart from the crippling WMA/DRM barbwire — it's really a rather nice app. With more than a little resemblance to Pressplay and MyMP3.com, from which it is descended. I asked MP3.com founder Michael Robertson (also founder of Lindows.com, SIPphone.com) to trace the digital DNA for BoingBoing readers; here is his take on who begat whom:

(1) VU buys MP3.com.

(2) VU owns half of pressplay (Sony owns other half)

(3) Pressplay uses MP3.com to build pressplay service.

(4) MP3.com had my.mp3 which made it fairly easy to do pressplay since framework was already built

(5) Roxio buys pressplay and got along with it 150 engineers in San Diego and the my.mp3 technology which is used for pressplay

(6) Roxio buys Napster

(7) Roxio takes pressplay, adds to it with tech all built by my ex-guys in San Diego

(8) Relaunches as Napster

So Roxio currently has a building in San Diego, one of the old MP3.com buildings full of engineers that do the work on Napster. It's like a soap opera.

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