Mindawn, an open platform for digital content
For many years, the Linux operating system has been virtually ignored by all the digital content distribution services available to date. In contrast, Mindawn has now been supporting Linux for over a year. The Mindawn platform makes it easy and convenient for Linux users to access a growing library of diverse music. Mindawn is open to all artists as well as all consumers, so the many amateur, home and professional musicians using Rosegarden, Ardour or any of the other music sequencing and recording systems available for Linux have a ready-made channel to distribute their music.
Most online music services tie the user to one or at best two computer platforms: iTunes is only for Mac OS X and Windows; Napster is Windows-only. Mindawn, on the other hand, works with all three major platforms including Linux. With Mindawn's cross-platform client software, users can hear a full preview of the entire song, unlike competing services which only offer brief excerpts.
Customers can perform any function of the system on the Mindawn website aside from previewing songs, which requires the Mindawn player. This software allows customers to preview a song up to three times in full length, without having to pay for it. When users are ready to buy, the player will provide several download and file format options. Mindawn's player is a full featured audio client with robust library capability and integrated Internet radio client.
The best quality for the best sound
Mindawn's competitors typically offer music files that are reduced in quality through what's called "lossy compression". The more compressed a file is, the greater the loss in sound quality. By contrast, Mindawn offers its files in both Ogg Vorbis and FLAC formats. Ogg Vorbis employs lossy compression, but unlike MP3, is a totally free and open sound format. It offers superior sound quality compared to MP3 and other lossy compression techniques. Meanwhile, FLAC employs lossless compression, allowing it to offer full CD quality in a file 50% smaller than a WAV file. FLAC can easily be converted to AIFF or WAV files and burned to disc for use in standard CD players. It can also be converted to virtually any other lossy format for use on any portable media player.
Mindawn is among the few online music services to provide FLAC and Ogg Vorbis as standard music file formats, as well as offering music in both "lossy" and "lossless" formats.
Download pricing starts at $0.99 per 10 minutes of Ogg Vorbis format audio.
« Online music is a popular Internet service, but Linux users had been left out until now. With Mindawn's player integrated into Mandriva 2006, we're correcting this exclusion. Our users can now take advantage of an online music and video service that rocks! » said François Bancilhon, Mandriva CEO.
Shawn Gordon, President of Mindawn, concluded: « Mandriva has been seen as the premier Linux operating system for consumers for years now and we are very pleased to be able to work with them on bringing a music service to their customers. »
About Mandriva Linux 2006
Mandriva Linux 2006 is the result of the convergence of three leading Linux technologies. Widely recognized as one of the easiest to use operating systems, it blends desktop and server features from Conectiva and Lycoris, two Linux publishers acquired by Mandriva. Mandriva 2006 offers the ultimate in Linux for a wide array of computing requirements such as office, multimedia, Internet and servers. It is the only Linux system to be officially compliant with Intel® Centrino® mobile technology and to offer complete integration of the Skype free voice calling over Internet software. Other key features include desktop search, interactive firewall and auto-install server functionality.
Mandriva Linux is available in three editions: Discovery/Lx (for the Linux beginner), PowerPack (for the advanced computer user) and PowerPack+ (for SOHO users).
About Mandriva
Mandriva, formerly known as Mandrakesoft, is the publisher of the popular Mandriva Linux operating system, one of the most full-featured and easy to use Linux systems. The company offers its enterprise, government educational customers a complete range of GNU/Linux and Open Source software and related services. Mandriva products are available in more than 120 countries through dedicated channels and also from Mandrivastore.com, the company's online store. "Born on the Internet" in late 1998, has offices in the United States, France and Brazil. Mandriva is traded on Paris Euronext Marché Libre (ISIN Code: FR0004159382/MLMAN; Reuters code: MAKE.PA) and the US OTC market (stock symbol MDKFF).
Press Contact: Kadjo N'Doua press at mandriva.com / + 33 1 40 41 67 67 https://mandriva.com
About Mindawn
Mindawn (www.mindawn.com) is a division of theKompany.com (www.thekompany.com), a California-based software company with developer teams in North America and Europe, and a sister company of ProgRock.com (www.progrock.com), the first name in progressive rock on the Internet.
theKompany.com's products are marketed both online and through B&M channels such as Microcenter and Fry's Electronics.