 |
Search |
|
|
|
|
Classic 2 Guys |
|
10 Random Stories:
|
|
|
|
iTunes Music Store: It's a Good Thing, Not a Bad Thing |
|
 Just some thoughts on the whole iTunes Music Store thang...
Windows Version of Music Store
Apple said that a Windows version of Music Store was in the pipeline and would be ready by the end of year. That's a pretty optimistic outlook, especially when you don't have your Sr. Software Engineer for the service hired yet! (Here's a shot of the job listing if you want to apply for it.)
Now, the gig specifically states that Apple is making "iTunes for Windows". Making an entire Windows application from scratch, especially if it has the features the OS X version has, will be pretty time-consuming.
Maybe Apple could shave some time off the project by just making the Music Store (no iTunes) and integrating that into Internet Explorer (I feel like I should say 5 Hail Mary's after mentioning that). Or even better, make it for any browser that has 128-bit encryption, that way you're not tied into IE and then even the Linux folks can play.
However, we know Apple plans on using the whole iPod/iTunes-on-Windows thing as a sort of Trojan horse to get people to switch to the Mac. Plus, when Apple announces they'll do something beforehand (which is ever-so-rare these days) they pretty much follow through on it.
Anyhow, lets hope they hit their mark of having iTunes for Windows ready to go before 2004.
Digital Rights Management
Ok, I'm sorry, but I'm sick of people slamming Apple's new service. It's mostly coming from non-Mac users, but an article at The Register has me shaking my head in disbelief. Normally the guys across the pond are pretty knowledgeable and fair, but not today.
The article's main negative points about the Music Service are about what you can't do with the music you buy, plus the fact that if you lose the music on your hard drive you have to repurchase it.
Ok, so let's talk about DRM issues with Music Store. What DRM? You're only limited to 3 Macs, and that's not bad. The songs are encrypted, but that's easily bypassed if that's what you want to do. Apple and the Big 5 record labels are giving us a lot of leeway here, folks. I mean, I can hardly believe that the Big 5 aren't putting up a stink about allowing people to share music via Rendezvous or across the 'Net. (I'm very glad they're not - it's one of the coolest features I've seen in a long time!)
As for losing your music, and not being able to re-download it, that's just a whole lotta nonsense. What happens if you buy a CD and lose it? Do you go back to the store and say, "I'm sorry, I bought a CD from you guys a few years back. Do you have that on record? I'd like a new copy!". <scoff> BACK UP. That's all there is to it. If you don't back up your music, then you deserve to have to pay to re-download your music.
It just kills me with all these naysayers of Apple's service. Yes, it's not perfect, but it's a fantastic start! It will improve, songs will be added, the way DRM is used will change, it will evolve. It's the first implementation of anything of it's kind, and if 275 thousand songs sold in the first eighteen hours of the Music Store's existence isn't shining proof that people love it, then I don't know what is.
Oh yeah, and one more thing...
The RIAA has successfully laid the smack down on 4 college students who were participating in illegal music swapping. If you're still using Limewire/Kazaa/Aquisition you may want to think about going legit. Your odds of getting caught are still probably pretty slim, but the question is, are ya feelin' lucky, punk?
|
|
May 2 2003, 1:11 PM EDT, by
 |
Comments:
|
| stickman67 |
5/2/03, 8:28 PM EDT |
Sounds like the grapes have gone sour in Windoze World. And maybe there won't be a Windows version of iTunes by the end of the year, but hey, isn't it fun to think of the Microsoft boffins goin' apesh*t about it? That thought alone makes life worthwhile ...
|
| Zack |
5/3/03, 8:14 AM EDT |
Wouldn't you be a little hesitant to tell you friends... "Yeah, ummm... I'm a Windows Developer employed by Apple Computer."
|
| vdubya |
5/3/03, 2:49 PM EDT |
The Register article got me too. The writer was complaining that Apple was "sugar-watering-down" Miles Davis because they titled one of his CDs "B***hes Brew". And that doing a search for "Miles Davis" did not even bring up that album. Well, give Apple credit for making it easy for parents to browse through the music catalog with their young children and not have to worry about censoring out objectionable titles. The music...even the previews are intact and as raw as the artist laid the tracks down. Also, I think there may be a 100 song return limit on doing searches. Couple that with it's relevancy listing (Bitches Brew only had one track in the store) and you can see why his search didn't yield the expected "seedy" results. I'm sorry, but it's really hard to defend copying CDs (or whatever) illegally. It's also hard for the music companies to defend $18 for a CD. Talk about a great compromise. And Apple did it with all the style and sophistication we've come to expect. ...now to download a little Marshall Mathers...
|
| Wasabe |
5/4/03, 11:41 AM EDT |
Stupid people at the register. Apple has done a excellent service with it music store. and to vdubya i say: marshall mathers? yeckkk. i hate him. literally hate him with a passion
|
| Wasabe |
5/4/03, 11:41 AM EDT |
Stupid people at the register. Apple has done a excellent service with it music store. and to vdubya i say: marshall mathers? yeckkk. i hate him. literally hate him with a passion
|
| stickman67 |
5/5/03, 12:54 AM EDT |
Thanks for that, Wasabe. Now if only we can all learn to think like you, there'll never be another disagreement in the world! ;-) Breathe deep, seek peace ...
|
| HTML Samurai |
5/5/03, 8:27 AM EDT |
No, really wasabe, how do you really feel?
|
| Wasabe |
5/5/03, 7:01 PM EDT |
WITH A PASSION I HATE THAT MAN
|
| Jonahan |
5/6/03, 11:36 AM EDT |
Whoa dude - chill :) We won't make you listen to him, I promise!
|
| Wasabe |
5/6/03, 10:34 PM EDT |
OH don't worry. My sister and brother make sure I hear plenty M&M. They play it loooouuudddd as possible.
|
This article is archived, so you may not comment on it.
(The good news is there's always the shoutbox, the forums or the contact form if you're socially-inclined at the moment!)
|
|
|
|
Site Links |
|
|
|
|
Deep Thoughts |
|
|
If they have moving sidewalks in the future, when you get on them, I think you should have to assume sort of a walking shape so as not to frighten the dogs.
|
|
Around Da Web |
|
| iProng: |
iPhone steals show at CTIA Wireless 2007
|
DLO offers dual cover fashion case for iPod
|
AT&T received 1M inquiries on iPhone
|
| MacDailyNews: |
Ars Technica in-depth review: Apple TV ?impressed all those who touched it?
|
Inside Apple?s Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard Server OS
|
The chips inside Apple TV
|
| Think Secret: |
Adobe Creative Suite 3 pricing revealed
|
|
|
We Like: |
|
|
|
|
Side Projects |
|
Jonahan
- JediPoker.net
- Jonahan.com
- iProng
- MacProng
iKen
Jedbeck
J.P.
|
|
