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Leo Laporte proposes we call Podcasts, "Netcasts" from now on, since Apple is claiming ownership of the word Podcast, and are threatening to take legal action.

I think this is a fantastic idea. Netcast sounds much more neutral and clear as to what it is. People associate Podcasts with Apple, much like they associate PCs exclusively with Windows, which is wrong.

http://www.twit.tv/2006/09/22/a_cast_by_any_other_name

i've always, from the first time i heard the term, hated hearing "podcast". Not becasue i dislike apple(which i do), but because i dont even own a portable music player, much less an iPod. I think netcast is a very fitting term. So much props to Leo on this. With the weight he carries in the netcasting(haha) world, maybe it'll stick. Now he just needs to get on the ball about making the FLOSS Weekly name relevant lol.

Yes, yes, the frop is working. Smoke Leo, smoke....

Wally Balljacker wrote:Leo Laporte proposes we call Podcasts, "Netcasts" from now on, since Apple is claiming ownership of the word Podcast, and are threatening to take legal action.

Why should I listen to Leo Laporte or Apple on this? If Apple tries to sue me for using the term I'll think about it. The term has been in common use for a long time. I don't think they have a case.

I still have this old tattered binder from my days in grade school (1980 or 81) that has a computer keyboard printed on the front cover. One day, as I was sitting on the bus, I had the binder on my lap and started to prented to type away on the keyboard. I then came up with the name "laptop" and on the inside cover I wrote "My laptop computer".

I think I should now take ownership of the term "laptop computer", because it is the first time I have seen those words in print anywhere.

Gomer_X wrote:

Wally Balljacker wrote:Leo Laporte proposes we call Podcasts, "Netcasts" from now on, since Apple is claiming ownership of the word Podcast, and are threatening to take legal action.

Why should I listen to Leo Laporte or Apple on this? If Apple tries to sue me for using the term I'll think about it. The term has been in common use for a long time. I don't think they have a case.

Podcasting has only been around for 22 months or so. I'd like to try and make the change now before it's too late. Maybe there's a better term than Netcast, but I think Podcasting is associated too much with Apple, and we need a more neutral name. When I suggest a podcast to someone, many times they will say "I don't have an iPod". Yes, it's sad, but true.

Wally Balljacker wrote:Podcasting has only been around for 22 months or so. When I suggest a podcast to someone, many times they will say "I don't have an iPod".

[sarcasm]Not it hasn't. Podcasting was first invented when it became available in Itunes. You NEED an Ipod to listen to podcasts. Get with the program! [/sarcasm]

From the horses mouth....the letter Podcast Ready received:

http://www.mobilepodcast.org/podcastrea ... letter.pdf

The dispute is NOT with the Podcast name, but is with the name MyPodder. Now how that confuses people about iPod, well I dunno. Apple's still dumb for pursuing it, but I have no issues with the rest of Apple....just their Legal Department which appears to have a bunch of bumbling idiots working for them.

Though I think it's a total asshat move by Apple, I still like leo's idea.

gorkon wrote:The dispute is NOT with the Podcast name, but is with the name MyPodder. Now how that confuses people about iPod, well I dunno. Apple's still dumb for pursuing it, but I have no issues with the rest of Apple....just their Legal Department which appears to have a bunch of bumbling idiots working for them.

Here is an interesting look into the whole issue:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/ip-telephony/?p=1252

It appears Apple is trying to nail down the trademark for iPodcast and iPod to extend the line of products. They do not appear to be going after podcasts but podcatcher/podbrowsers and similar applications that incorporate pod or podcast in their name.

I'm willing to bet that apple has no problem with, and probably is quite happy that people are calling their shows podcasts. It has been mentioned quite frequently that many people mistakenly believe you need an iPod to listen to a podcast. So why would apple want to mess with that brand recognition?

No, they want to get rid of their competition in the client department. While they accept the confusion on podcasts, they don't want the same confusion when it comes to the client software to get podcasts and interact with the iPod. Podcast ready is in direct competition with iTunes and Apple does not like this nor does it want anyone out there to mistakenly think Podcast ready is any way affiliated with Apple.

Looks like Leo has already jumped the Podcast ship. If you visit TWiT.tv, it now says "The TWiT Netcast Network with Leo Laporte".

dann wrote: No, they want to get rid of their competition in the client department. While they accept the confusion on podcasts, they don't want the same confusion when it comes to the client software to get podcasts and interact with the iPod.

I'm sorry, but I'm not going to rename my bashpodder script to 'bashnetter.shell.' It's not happening. Apple needs to back off.