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SoundJam MP

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SoundJam MP
Original author(s)Bill Kincaid,Jeff RobbinandDave Heller
Developer(s)Casady & Greene
Initial releaseJuly 14, 1999;25 years ago(1999-07-14)
Final release
2.5.3 / April 11, 2001;23 years ago(2001-04-11)
Operating systemMac OS 8,Mac OS 9
TypeMedia player, handheld device synchronizer
LicenseProprietarycommercial software
Websitewww.soundjam.com(archived)

SoundJam MPis a discontinuedMP3player forclassic Mac OS-compatible computers andRio-compatible hardware synchronization manager that was released in July 1999 and was available until June 2001.Jeff RobbinandBill Kincaiddeveloped SoundJam MP with assistance from Dave Heller. Robbin and Kincaid choseCasady & Greeneto publish SoundJam MP.Apple, Inc.purchased SoundJam MP in 2000 and further developed the code to createiTunesversion 1.0. Casady and Greene ceased publication of SoundJam MP in June 2001 at the request of the developers.

History

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SoundJam MP Free audio player interface and master playlist window

Prior to working together on SoundJam MP, Jeff Robbin and Bill Kincaid had worked for Apple in the 1990s as system software engineers assigned to theCoplandoperating system,a project that was abandoned before completion. After the Copland project's cancellation, Robbin and Kincaid left Apple. Robbin went on to createConflict Catcher,a Mac OS utility, and Kincaid worked at a startup.[1]

Kincaid created Mac-compatible hardware anddevice driversupport for theDiamondRioline of digital audio players. He then enlisted Robbin to develop the front-end for theMP3-player software they named SoundJam MP. Dave Heller later joined them, completing the core team. The development team chose Casady & Greene to publish SoundJam MP because the company had previously published Robbin's Conflict Catcher.[1][2][3]David Pogue,who later became aNew York Timescolumnist, wrote SoundJam MP's documentation.[4]

SoundJam was released a few weeks before a competing Mac MP3 player,Audion,made byPanic Inc.According to Cabel Sasser, Panic's co-founder, the competition between SoundJam and Audion was friendly and "inspiring."[5]

Reception

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SoundJam received positive reviews,[6]and won the Best of Macworld award in 1999;[7]it eventually secured 90% of the Mac MP3 software market.[8]SoundJam competed with theAudionapp, made byPanic.Apple hired Robbin, Kincaid and Heller, and used SoundJam's code as the foundation for iTunes.[9][10]

Both companies were vying to be acquired by Apple, but since Panic was already discussing a buyout with AOL, and since Robbin and Kincaid were ex-Apple employees, Apple chose to buy SoundJam in 2000.[11][12]

Acquisition

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In early 2000, Apple wanted to purchase MP3 player software for use with Apple's desktop computers. Apple sought meetings with both Panic and Casady & Greene. Caught up in negotiations withAOL,Panic was not able to set up a meeting with Apple.[13][11]Turning instead to Casady & Greene, Apple purchased the rights to the SoundJam MP software in a deal covered by a two-year secrecy clause.[14]

Working as employees of Apple, Robbin, Kincaid and Heller continued to develop the software which would become iTunes.[14][15][16]All three continue to work at Apple; Robbin is the lead developer of iTunes.[17][18]

On January 9, 2001, Apple debutediTunes1.0 to the public.[19]Curious Macintosh users immediately began poking through iTunes'resource fork,where they discovered numerousstringsand other resources that indicated iTunes was a re-engineered SoundJam MP.

After a request from Robbin and Kincaid, Casady & Greene ceased distribution of SoundJam MP on June 1, 2001.[20]

References

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  1. ^abLevy 2006,pp. 48–49.
  2. ^Isaacson 2011,p. 383.
  3. ^Kincaid, Bill."The True Story of SoundJam".Panic Inc.
  4. ^Pogue, David (2002-09-19)."Survival of Software's Fittest".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2022-10-29.
  5. ^Sasser, Cabel."The True Story of Audion".Panic Inc.Retrieved2022-10-29.
  6. ^Heid, Jim (October 31, 1999)."SoundJam MP".Macworld.Retrieved2022-10-29.
  7. ^"Best of Show".Macworld.September 30, 1999.Retrieved2022-10-29.
  8. ^Dormehl 2012,p. 423.
  9. ^Seff, Jonathan (April 30, 2001)."The Song Is Over for SoundJam".Macworld.Retrieved2022-10-29.
  10. ^"Casady & Greene Closes, Heralding End of an Era".Wall Street Journal.2003-07-03.ISSN0099-9660.Retrieved2022-10-29.
  11. ^abLevy 2006,pp. 51–52.
  12. ^Sasser, Cabel."The True Story of Audion".Panic.Retrieved2022-10-29.
  13. ^Sasser, Cabel (2007)."The True Story of Audion".panic.com.Panic Inc.
  14. ^abdePlume, Nick (2003-07-03)."WSJ: Casady & Greene" forbidden "from discussing iTunes deal".Think Secret.The dePlume Organization LLC. Archived fromthe originalon 2008-01-16.
  15. ^Seff, Jonathan (April 30, 2001)."The Song Is Over for SoundJam".Macworld.Retrieved2022-10-29.
  16. ^"Casady & Greene Closes, Heralding End of an Era".Wall Street Journal.2003-07-03.ISSN0099-9660.Retrieved2022-10-29.
  17. ^Kahney, Leander (2006-10-17)."Straight Dope on the IPod's Birth".wired.com.Condé Nast.
  18. ^Schlender, Brent (2005-02-21)."How Big Can Apple Get?".Fortune Magazine.Cable News Network.
  19. ^Kahney 2013,chapter 8.
  20. ^ Chaffin, Bryan (2001-05-06)."Casady & Greene Discontinues SoundJam MP At Developer's Request".The Mac Observer.The Mac Observer, Inc.

Bibliography

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