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Sheesh! Talk about biting the hand that feeds him.

That's a bit arrogant to be trying to do this.

I vote for LedZepplincasting.

Let me be the first to sign his cast.

You can call it anything you want, but they are all still BROADCASTS no matter what device you watch them on. I think the best thing to do would be to startover, and remove pod and cast from podcast. Now I know that sounds like nothingm but it's a start.

I listen to several of his podcasts. He makes a good point, but also admits that it may be too late to change the name. He's a mac fan, and a good guy, don't give him so much grief. MDN is way off on this one...

Seems to me a netcast is something more like a stream where podcast is when you take recorded content with you via your mp3 player (iPod)

He's really doing the only thing he can. For whatever reason, Apple feels it's in their interest to sue anybody using the word podcast. What are the thousands of podcasters supposed to call their broadcasts? As one who is always accused of being a Mac Fanboy, this is one move I don't understand. Why wouldn't Apple want everyone on the planet calling them podcasts?

Luftballoons?

podcasting and podcasts were around way before Apple ever integrated it into iTunes. Apple didn't name them, the internet community did.

thelt, yes it is. but it was not 'pod'cast.

Apple's not suing anyone. They sent a C&D;letter to a podcast company regarding a product called "MyPodder". They make it very clear that they have no interest in the word "podcast". It's unfortunate that so many in the podcasting community, including Leo Laporte, have decided to run with this and blow it way waaay out of proportion. Apple's done nothing but promote the fledgeling industry. I dare say that Apple single-handedly jump-started it but bringing it to the mainstream. Now one news story gets misconstrued by several pro-PC sites and suddenly everyone is vilifying Apple as monopolists and court-mongers. We all know that Apple is a company out to make a profit like any other company and they're far from perfect but you'd be hard pressed to find in Apple the same vicious spirit of ruthless greed that has transformed Microsoft from a company full of promise into the bloated, hated beast that it is today. To think that anyone would go to Microsoft for help with launching an industry makes me shudder.

"Leo Laporte, founder of the TWIT network"

Makes sense. It takes a "twit" to create a TWIT network.

You can say whatever you want, but Laporte is dead wrong on this one. It's really funny how these guys seem to forget who opened up this market for them in the first place. It sure as hell wasn't Microsoft, I do know that.

Apple isn't "asserting" that it owns the word "pod" in connection with their service - they actually DO own the trademark. They are merely defending their property and brand. And why shouldn't they?

I'm with the others here who have said he should be careful what he says about the company that was instrumental in TWiT's ascendance. He'd better be sure he has another way to distribute his program online, should he suddenly find himself with an invitation to find another outlet, having now attempted to extract "pod" from his 'cast...

this guy is a little princess. maybe he needs his ass wiped too

More like Leo Iscariot. He does have a point, however. The association with Apple and iPods limits growth for podcasting. Most people I know think it's just another iTunes gimmick and it's only right that the industry try to detach itself from Cupertino.

I say fine. Let them move onto netcasting, windowscasting, what have you. It would also allow Apple to isolate the term podcasting all to themselves.

Leo is awesome, he gives technology a human face. I understand his concern with the term 'podcast', it's a double edged sword, it makes things easier to access via iTunes, but it feels restrictive (only iPods can play them??. of course not) . I like the term 'netcast', much more generic, anything can play it... any computer, or MP3 player, regardless of Apple's paranoia(legal issues).

I was listening to the TWIT PODCAST earlier today and heard Leo and his panel debating and discussing the Podcast term. It seems to be Leo's belief that Apple is trying to claim ownership of the term "podcast". I have not seen evidence of this. It appears to me that Apple is protecting the "i" Pod usage or commercial uses of the term "pod" as it relates to MP3 players, but not to the term podcasting.

Leo, as a producer of content, is concerned that the term "Podcast" implies that his (and other's) audio/video content is available only on Apple's iPod. He thinks that there is a broad universe of people with MP3 players that somehow think podcasts are incompatible with their players. Is there any evidence of this?

I like Leo, but I think he is reacting a bit whacky on this one. Tilting at windmills. Barking at the moon. Whatever, it's disappointing.

APPLE IS SUING EVERYBODY, CLAIMING THEY OWN THE RIGHTS TO EVERYTHING "POD", CAN YOU REALLY BLAME THESE GUYS????

NETCAST IT IS.

No need to shout, we'll see how this plays out, the "i" thing is another issue. Apple is a company, an excellent one, I don't believe they are lawsuit happy, but they may have to protect their (i)nterests.

sorry my liberal bias had to share this.. MW:along

Can't we just get... MW.

Yup, they're suing EVERYBODY;
I just received my lawuit notice and
subpoena by courier this afternoon.
How 'bout you?

Give me a break...Podcast is part of the culture. When I hear the term "podcast" I don't think Apple, or iPod. I think "radio show".

Geez...talk about making a mountain out of a podhill.

I also suggest changing the name "mouse" to "John C. Dvorak".

As in, "My John C. Dvorak has too much crud encrusted on it's ball, I need to get a new one, this one is useless".

Also wine should be renamed "Jesus Juice".

Leo's pretty good, he helps the poor Windoze schlubs sort out their countless hideous PC quagmire problems. It's painful to listen to sometimes - imagine being a Windahs newby- FSCK! -DLL, scabware, "Erm , I tried to rewrite the Rejistry, musta done somethin wrong and now mah computer's smokin!!"

Microsoft should be called TinyFlaccid.

Well, that's how I always HAVE read it.

... But he's blowing it on this issue. It's frickin podcast, has been for a long time.
"Dammit, it's not a Band-aid, it's a sterile adhesive bandage!"

MDNMW-effects = The effects of Leo's rant will be inconsequential.

My understanding is that the iPod had nothing to do with the name Podcast originally. POD stands for "Personal" (as in, anyone can do it), "ON DEMAND" (as in, get it when you want it, there are no scheduled dates or times for airing it). It just so happened that Podcasting became popular (largely thanks to Apple, who had nothing to do with the name) during the iPod Age.

I kind of see his point about confusing people, but it does seem like he's being ungrateful to Apple in his presentation.I never liked him much. He's always come across as very pompous. This doesn't help.

Apple SINGLE-HANDEDLY blew up the podcasting phenomenon. Yeah, it was around before it came to iTunes, but Laporte and his other whiny cronies ought to recognize that the reason they still have jobs is because Apple made their content accessible to the masses. Frankly, if Apple litigates over term usage, they deserve to.

Consider this: Google searches increased from 28 (that's right, twenty-eight) in September 2004 to over 100 Million just over one year later, AFTER Apple introduced Podcasting integration into iTunes.

Laporte: get over yourself... and if you're waiting for M$ to get on board, be prepared to wait for a long, long time.

i personally prefer "leocasts", or when john is around "dvorakcasts", or when created by theater ensembles "castcasts" or with matt groenig "bartcasts" or with legumes "fartcasts" or with astronomers " copernicasts" or with anthropologists "australopithecasts" or with my own post "redundicasts".

unk .;.;.;.

ah, the French.

They are Podcasts.

That is all.

(Apple just is doing all this to get the name out there even more)

Leo is just helping, next week he will call them podcasts again and there will be another big hub bub all about it on the twIt pod-network of podcasts

He's right, considering Apple's recent folly of trying to own "podcast". Netcast is just as, if not more, accurate. Apple legal messed up big time.

I listen to a lot of LaPorte's podcasts, and especially enjoy Security Now, but I'm really getting tired of him and his pompous remarks.

Without being an expert, it sure looks like Apple legal need to get their act in order.

Every time the word 'podcast' is used it's a subtle ad for Apple products, and trying to own it is supreme folly.

Still, at least Microsoft's happy.

Laporte has to know only geeks without girlfriends bother to download RSS readers or whatever to get 'podcasts' and if it weren't for iTunes I would never be listening to the ones I have now.

#7 Podcast on iTunes: Windows Weekly with Paul Thurrott

"Windows expert, Paul Thurrott, of the SuperSite for Windows, talks about Windows Vista and more each week on this netcast - part of the TWiT Netcast Network"

Leo is either protecting his new ad revenue from the perceived threat Apple poses of the use of the term "podcast", or he is trying to court more Windows and Microsoft fans by distancing himself from Apple by using the term "netcast".

Sure, "podcasting is not dependent on Apple, iPod or iTunes", but having your podcast prominently displayed in the iTunes podcast directory generates huge download traffic.

"The association of Apple and its iPod product with podcasts is confusing to many consumers, Laporte said, and has limited audience growth." Does Leo really think TWiT listeners (geeks and power users) (or potential geeks and power users) are that naive? I'm thinking that if someone is truly confused over the association of Apple and its iPod with podcasts, they probably aren't all that interested in TWiT.tv netcasts anyway.

I like Leo, TWiT, and podcasting, especially Revision3's Diggnation. If Apple really is on the war path over the use of the term "podcast", then Leo is justified in pushing the use of "netcast". If, however, he's just courting Microsoft by alienating Apple, he might also consider what portion of his sponsor-attracting traffic comes from iTunes.

The recent ad revenue from Dell ("I'd sell the company and give the money back to the shareholders.") and Visa, combined with TWiT Netcast Network's new Paul (I love Apple- no, wait, I hate Apple!) Thurrott "netcast" really explain a lot. Dell sponsors TWiT, TWiT hires Thurrott, and now Leo wants to call podcasts "netcasts".

Cool.

Michael

You don't know the history of podcasts. I do.

davida--

Podcasts, even those distributed via iTunes, are free of DRM. They can be played by any device that supports the format.

"They make it very clear that they have no interest in the word "podcast". "

Except suing anyone who wants to use it commercially...

Well, nowadays some people DO call them "adjustable open end wrenches" but for the majority it always has been and always will be a "Cresent Wrench" (the company to first mass produce and sell these was called Cresent).

I think the same thing will happen here.

I look forward to sending emails to Laporte in the future to say how much a enjoy his Podcasts.

Oh, and I meant to say also that he's given himself the job of pushing an awfully big rock up a steep mountain. History tells us that attempts to manipulate common language useage always fails...

From http://www.daringfireball.net :

MDJ on Apple’s ‘Cease and Desist’ Request to Podcast Ready ★
Matt Deatherage figured out what’s going on after reading the full text of Apple’s cease-and-desist letter — it’s not because Podcast Ready was simply using the word “podcast”, it’s because Podcast Ready was attempting to file for their own trademarks on “podcast ready” and “myPod”:

Apple hasn’t said word one about tens of thousands of people using the term “podcast,” despite Apple’s “iPod” trademark and its claim on “Pod” as a portable audio player trademark as well. Apple took action against Podcast Ready because the firm, formerly known as Infostructure Solutions, was attempting to trademark the terms “Podcast Ready” and “MyPodder.” That would mean that other companies who wanted to use the term “podcast ready” would have to license it from Infostructure Solutions, even though the term is obviously and admittedly based on Apple’s “iPod” trademark. Apple cannot allow companies to register a variant on “myPod” as a trademark if it’s defending its own “iPod” trademark.

I would suspect that Apple might be better off with a term like 'netcast', as it's more generic. I guess podcas just goes to show the ubiquity of the iPod at the time podcasts became popular.

I prefer netcast, though 'cast' itself is the wrong term. It's really audio on demand / personal audio recorder/ audio weblog. As in "Did you listen to that guy's podcast. What an idiot ! It's a podcast not a bloody paralog !"

ndelc:My understanding is that the iPod had nothing to do with the name Podcast originally. POD stands for "Personal" (as in, anyone can do it), "ON DEMAND" (as in, get it when you want it, there are no scheduled dates or times for airing it). It just so happened that Podcasting became popular (largely thanks to Apple, who had nothing to do with the name) during the iPod Age.

Hah! Leo covered that one as well. Its an attempt to retrocon the term "podcast" away from the iPod, and nothing more.

The "pod" in podcasting has always stood for the iPod, and only a blatant revisionist would try to say something different.

From the wikipedia article:

"Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio or video programs, over the Internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. The term as originally coined by Ben Hammersley in an article in the Guardian on February 12, 2004 [1], was meant as a portmanteau of "broadcasting" and "iPod"."

Nowhere in the any of the "podcast" entries on wiki does "personal on demand" show up.

Golly, this is pathetic.

When will people learn to read instead of jumping to conclusions?

Please get it straight - Apple made it clear they were not interested in the word "podcast." In fact, the letter said that "Podcast Ready" was a perfectly fine name for a podcasting service.

However, they had problems with the name "myPodder" as it relates to a "music playing device." A music device called "myPodder" or "myPod?" Sounds like Apple has a perfectly legitimate beef.

The problem is, the company "Podcast Ready" is the one trying to file a trademark for "myPodder" and so naturally idiots like Leo Laporte immediately thinks Apple's trying to own the word podcast.

Idiots. Sounds more like an inferiority complex in action.

Pretty clever to call it Personal On Demand - like the POD storage company that drops a trailer on your property for you to fill with your stuff, and picks it up and delivers it for your anywhere you need it (personal on demand storage)

Absolutely intriguing that the iPod name can fit this moniker. Couldn't Apple maybe lay off Podcast for this reason? Again it is amazing how well it fits. The iPod is a personal, on demand device (especially if it goes WiFi) (ok, WHEN it goes Wifi) and a Podcast is a personal, on demand broadcast (as opposed to on demand that you CAN'T carry on your person)

Wow.

Wow. What are the odds?

And since when is Apple a "monopoly" in podcasting?
SINCE APPLE REFUSES TO LET PEOPLE USE THE NAME PODCAST AS THEY WANT, what the fuck is wrong with MDN?

Laporte has an intelligent argument there but for a dumb premise

haha, what do you think people will call it when they create their podcasts right on the coming iPods, audio and video and all, duh. The community called it and when Zune has 70%+ market share maybe we all want to call em zunecasts but don't hold your breath.