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My name is Heidi and I want to make DVDs. As a longtime Mac user, I want to do my authoring on the Mac. So I want to buy DVDirector, a reputedly good Mac DVD authoring program developed by a German company called Astarte. The trouble with this seemingly simple premise, however, is that Apple, Inc. bought Astarte GmbH last April, and DVDirector has not been heard of since. Then again, is anything involving Apple ever simple?
My first stop: Apple.com. I click and click through software options, multimedia options, anything that mentions DVDs. No luck. A search of the site turns up a two-paragraph press release dated April 10, 2000 about the purchase of Astarte. It tells me to click for more information. I do so and am redirected to the Public Relations site. There is nothing more on Astarte or its software products. Refusing to give up, I write the following email to product support:
Hello,
I have searched your site for information about DVDirector, but have found only a press release regarding the purchase of Astarte in April. Do you sell Astarte's software via Apple.com? If not, could you please direct me to a Web site that does?
Thank you. -Heidi
A day later, I received the following response:
Subject: Response to your Request
RE: Tell Us: Products
Thank you for your correspondence concerning Apple's acquisition of the DVD authoring technology, products, and engineering team from Astarte GmbH. At this time,...