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Technology Stocks : InterTrust Technologies (ITRU) -- Digital Rights -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Clappy who wrote (148)	1/26/2001 3:57:30 PM
From: Adam Nash	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 201

I really don't know if you could say there is any real leader in DRM. Right now, the market is heavily fragmented, and the market that currently exists is such a small sliver of the projected market it is hard to extrapolate winners. Here is a very very basic rundown, all just MHO: * InterTrust: King of PR, Big on DRM for Devices * Digital River: One-stop-shop distributor of digital goods, now somehow doing more general e-commerce deals (Coors?) * Preview Systems: Digital Goods Supply Chain. Software to enable multi-tier networks for the distribution of digital goods (software, music, video, documents). * Liquid Audio: Raced ahead in market for DRM for music, but relatively silent in 2000. * Cybersource: Defined the e-commerce clearinghouse, offspring of split with Software.net (Beyond.com). * RSA Security: They are not DRM per se, but they are firmly anchored in all security software involving public/private key. Patent has expired, but they license to everyone. * Verisign: Another internet security heaviweight. * Real Networks: Started as streaming media, now extending into digital distribution. The big bomb that seems to have hit the industry is Napster, which is still private. The issue is that with Napster, the market for selling music online froze solid, so all the projected revenue streams from this just got shifted off indefinitely. So, in terms of leadership, it really depends what you mean. Who is the biggest name in digital content right now? Frankly, I'd say Napster. Who is delivering on revenue? Digital River just had a positive report, but I am not up on all of the others. Also, Microsoft will be a major force here, as it develops its strategy. Disclosure: I am a previous employee of Preview Systems, and I am currently long PRVW. If someone wants to explain InterTrust in 2001+ to me, I'd love to hear the current business pitch.