Anyone tried Vista?

[Dreadbelly]

Itunes steals file associations and damages files that have non itunes permissions. itunes will only allow music purchased through its service to be played on ipods-no third party mp3 players allowed. To be fair, itunes doesn't sell mp3s, they sell mp4s packaged as aac files. However, they won't even allow players that handle mp4 and aac files to work with itunes. They are openly and blatantly attempting to create a monopoly on the digital music scene by entering into contracts with record companies stating that their music may only be sold through the itunes store or on cd/dvd. All the while they are doing this, they are still putting out complaints that Microsoft engages in unfair business practices.

Pot. Kettle.
Blech.

Actually, in iTunes defense, that is only on the Windows side, and it is because of M$ and the agreements made to port iTunes to Windows.

On the Mac, iTunes does none of this sort of behaviour. It remains non intrusive.

Quicktime can be had in several flavours, but I don't think there is anything you can do about iTunes. M$ is in bed with the RIAA, and part of porting iTunes over to Windows was to make it fully compliant with RIAA standards. Mac side, there is still the whole "rip, mix, and burn" thing going on.

So to be fair, this is yet another issue to blame M$ for.

And to point the finger at Apple, I am not pleased with the shift away from mp3s over to acc files and other DRM compliant methods. Easy to beat those though. Record the raw sound files to a CD, rip the CD in to mp3s, and tag the files your self. A pain, yeah. Not something I do personally though. But if you buy something from the iTunes store I believe that you own that file and it should be yours to do with whatever you please, including making multiple copies of it.

[Erisianmonkey]

So to be fair, this is yet another issue to blame M$ for.

Actually, the whole not allowing non-Apple players (creative, m$, generic) is all Apple.

And to point the finger at Apple, I am not pleased with the shift away from mp3s over to acc files and other DRM compliant methods. Easy to beat those though. Record the raw sound files to a CD, rip the CD in to mp3s, and tag the files your self. A pain, yeah. Not something I do personally though. But if you buy something from the iTunes store I believe that you own that file and it should be yours to do with whatever you please, including making multiple copies of it.

I did so with the music I got with a gift card that was given to me a while back. I bought the music on my backup computer, burned it to disc, then wiped the hard drive to get rid of itunes and its residue.

BTW-Haven't said it yet, I love your new avatar Dread.

[Dreadbelly]

BTW-Haven't said it yet, I love your new avatar Dread.

Thanks! I've been told once or twice that we look just a little bit alike. When I went and saw the movie in the theatre, my beard caused quite a sensation!

[Chef]

Actually, in iTunes defense, that is only on the Windows side, and it is because of M$ and the agreements made to port iTunes to Windows.

On the Mac, iTunes does none of this sort of behaviour. It remains non intrusive.

Quicktime can be had in several flavours, but I don't think there is anything you can do about iTunes. M$ is in bed with the RIAA, and part of porting iTunes over to Windows was to make it fully compliant with RIAA standards. Mac side, there is still the whole "rip, mix, and burn" thing going on.

So to be fair, this is yet another issue to blame M$ for.

And to point the finger at Apple, I am not pleased with the shift away from mp3s over to acc files and other DRM compliant methods. Easy to beat those though. Record the raw sound files to a CD, rip the CD in to mp3s, and tag the files your self. A pain, yeah. Not something I do personally though. But if you buy something from the iTunes store I believe that you own that file and it should be yours to do with whatever you please, including making multiple copies of it.

I use mine with a Mac so I am unaware of itunes with windows issues. I certainly agree about owning the music we buy from itunes but all this copy or not bull is mostly from the RIAA and the only thing that is worse is the DVD industry. Fair use says you can copy your DVD for personal use but it is breaking the law to decode the disk to make the copy.

I have alway wondered just how many pirating operations have failed because of these efforts

[Erisianmonkey]

I have alway wondered just how many pirating operations have failed because of these efforts

Not a one. A quick search of usenet or bittorrent trackers on the web will tell you that. At the risk of getting into the political, it is a bit like gun control laws. Any law will only affect those who obey the law.

[Mike1]

OK, OK, howzabout we return to the topic of the original post?

How do you feel about Vista was the question asked, not how you feel about the Micro$oft/Mac debates. We can argue the virtues and shortcomings of Windoze and OSX until the cows come home and not accomplish anything but waste a lot of zeros and ones, so let's get it back on topic.