CNet has an article on Microsoft's announced DRM platform toolkit for media companies and producers. The Data Session Toolkit (so-named because the intention is to store the DRM'd content in a second "session" of the CD with Data only flags) contains licenses for Microsoft's Media Player format and allows labels to create disks today that work in standard CD players and on PC's.

The advantage to the labels is that they can use copy protection schemes (such as those from Macrovision to protect the Audio tracks on the CD's first session and then allow users to get access to the Data tracks (containing MP3-like Windows Media files) so that they can still download the music to their MP3 players.

To Microsoft, the play is to make the Windows Media Player format (currently only fully supported under Windows, although rumored to be coming for the Macintosh) ubiquitous in the music industry, thus stomping out its rival MPEG-4 (an international standard backed by companies such as Apple).

Interesting in its absence is any mention of a player for Linux. I'm wondering if we will see a trend from Microsoft to use the Macintosh as "proof" that they are supporting other platforms, while leaving the Linux folks high-and- dry, with their theory being that Linux is a more substantial threat to them that the Macintosh.