On paper a simple flag, but stringently enforced by every program and consumer deck out there (professional decks where a different matter).

As for what was better or worse i will not get into. MP3 was already turning into the de-facto standard, and thus Sony did themselves no favors by having people go the long way round.

I guess i missed the news about the last Sonicstage release, as by that time i had given up on how Sony was handing tings.