The big news of the week in Seattle tech was the unexpected resignation of RealNetworks Chief Executive Rob Glaser, who stepped down after nearly 16 years on the job. The resignation prompted plenty of coverage -- including our own reports on how Glaser's stock holdings increased by about $40 million after the news and an ongoing list of entrepreneurial ventures started by RealNetworks alums.

Other bloggers, columnists and journalists offered interesting analysis, some celebrating Glaser's role in the technology industry and others bluntly explaining where he screwed things up. Here's a roundup of some of our favorite posts, with short excerpts from each.

Dan Rayburn offered a glowing tribute of Glaser on BusinessofVideo.com, noting that many bloggers were failing to recognize the executive's impact on the online video industry. He wrote:

"In many industries, most companies don't last sixteen years. In the Internet space, it's even more unheard of. In that time, Rob managed to not only start the online video revolution but stay the CEO of a company and grow revenue to half a billion dollars. Like it or not, it's pretty hard to argue with those facts. You don't have to agree with everything someone says or does to show them the respect they deserve for what they have accomplished. Rob, for your efforts over the past sixteen years, and for what you have done for the industry over that time, you have my thanks."

That post prompted Ryan Lawler of NewTeeVee to put together a list of "Five Really Dumb RealNetworks Moves." Lawler wrote in item #5 that the company turned its RealPlayer software into "bloatware."

"This is the thing that most people remember RealNetworks for, and is part of a legacy that ruined the consumer side of its business. The company became notorious early on for packaging third-party adware and malware into its RealPlayer installations. Which is a shame because, despite the fact that media companies could usually get better streaming results by using Real’s encoding technology than any other competing technology, and that Real’s media servers scaled relatively well and could be deployed on non-Windows hardware, after a time it had a hard time retaining customers because no one wanted to install the RealPlayer client."

TechDirt also hit on that theme:

"But a bigger issue may be that so many people absolutely hate RealNetworks because of its long history of spreading adware through really sneaky and nasty installation techniques that hid the (checked off) approval buttons. It reached a point that lots of people never wanted to have anything to do with Real ever again. It should be a lesson for plenty of companies that look at short term profits over providing the best overall experience for users."

Glaser has kept a pretty low profile since resigning, but Kara Swisher of All Things D was able to score an interview with him a few hours after he stepped down. Glaser declined to address whether he was pushed out of the CEO office, which allowed Swisher to offer a flattering take on the executive's tenure. She provided an interesting overview of Glaser's career, quoting him on a variety of topics. She writes:

"That’s pretty much been Glaser’s modus operandi over his many years at Real and in the larger Internet space: He pushed his vision of a live Internet forth, he never cut and ran, he never sold, he kept pushing forward. And you have to admire that kind of gumption, no matter the outcome. In any case, it is likely Glaser will keep doing so in the years to come."

Barron's asked a more practical question, wondering if Glaser's resignation could lead to an acquisition of RealNetworks. The story quoted three stock analysts, with Canaccord Adams' analyst Jeff Rath writing that the management changes could lead to Real selling off pieces of the business.

“We believe the recent management changes and corporate rhetoric suggest improved strategic flexibility that could lead to near-term share gains.”

Rob Pegoraro of The Washington Post offered one of the most biting columns on RealNetworks' legacy. Pegoraro wrote that the company has been sliding into "irrelevance" and has gone from "pioneer to pest" in recent years.

"But in the mid 1990s, who would have predicted this? Back then, RealNetworks (first known as Progressive Networks) shipped some of the first reasonably simple, reliable software to stream audio or video off a Web site. And installing its player application was mandatory for anybody interested in the Internet's multimedia possibilities. But Real got greedy and decided to exploit this demand by packing in unwanted features and pushing extra-cost services and upgrades -- while using the RealPlayer installation routine to load up users' computers with third-party programs and links to other sites."

What do you think? What was Rob Glaser's legacy at RealNetworks -- pioneer or pest?