digital download store. PassAlong became Microsoft PlaysForSure certified in December 2004. In 2006 the company released a non-DRM solution that helps guard artist content without restricting interoperability on the consumer side. In that year PassAlong joined DDEX to develop metadata standards across the industry. Members include Microsoft and Apple Computer. The company stopped operations on May 5, 2009. The closing was evidently a result of losing investors who were forced to pull out by the effects of the waning economy. At the time of closing, new initiatives included variable-pricing programs and in-car music downloads, digital video libraries, and social networks. DRM and Microsoft PlaysForSure The PassAlong library of digital songs includes both DRM files and MP3 files. The DRM (Digital Rights Management) technology used was developed by Microsoft to protect digital music files. They are called WMA or Windows Media Audio files. The certification program developed by Microsoft to ensure that portable devices (portable media players, phones, etc.) and content services have been tested against several hundred compatibility and performance requirements, is called Microsoft PlaysForSure. PassAlong is PlaysForSure certified. See also Artist-rights, Rightsholder organizations, and royaties: RIAA - Recording Industry Association of America CRIA - the Canadian Recording Industry Association ASCAP - performance rights organization for songwriters, composers, publishers BMI - performance rights organization for songwriters, composers, publishers SESAC - - performance rights organization for songwriters, composers, publishers SOCAN - Canadian performance rights organization Harry Fox Agency - agency that collects and distributes mechanical license fees on behalf of music publishers CMRRA - Canadian agency for mechanical license fees Soundscan - Performance tracking used by Billboard Magazine and others RoyaltyShare - an outsourced royalty processing solution for the music industry DRM - Digital Rights Management DMCA - The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, made law in 1998, and validated DRM Alternative artist rights/royalty models and open source: Creative Commons Creative Commons licenses Open content Open source Public domain Share-alike Consumer rights, user experience, and device interoperability: Electronic Frontier Foundation American Electronics Association - AEA, which runs CES, and many programs IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers focuses on the advancement of technology User experience Fair use - US copyright law that allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from rightsholders Consumer rights Interoperability - connecting people, content, devices, and digital ecosystems DMCRA - Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act (proposed law) News, Blogs and Sources: Digital Media Wire Notes