From: jefferson graham
To: pho@onehouse.com
Subject: pho: USA TODAY request for feedback on iTunes for Windows bugs
Hi,
It's Jefferson Graham from USA TODAY.
I'm looking to talk to people who've used iTunes for Windows today and are experiencing the same kinds of bugs that have affected my computer and others I know.
I haven't been able to burn a song to CD, transfer to an Ipod, or even listen to a song offline, without being asked to "authorize" my computer. And on two computers, both have crashed several times from the software.

Anyone else?

Jefferson Graham
USA TODAY

Yep--- I tried to tell all yo guys that microsoft was c up to something... They are so concerned about copyright infringement (software isues) that they have self appointed themselves as the copyright police and have been modifying updates in the windows software and in the media players, etc. to reject downloads and burning of copyrighted material without licenses (authorizes) -- this is a major blow the indie music and producers -- There will be more to come in the floowing weeks and months I am sure...

fossil,

Is there any way that we can find out exactly what microsoft is doing with these updates?

Often when I am on my computer (home or at work) I get a pop-up message asking if I would like to accept the latest microsoft updates. I suspect that some updates are good (i.e. patches to protect software for security reasons) but I sure don't want to get stuck with a bunch of DRM crap which will limit my flexibility to manage my music files.

How can we separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak?

Wait, u mean updates for XP right? So how can I change the options so that I don't have to update anymore? I bet there is no option...

Anyone ever notice that you don't get those stupid error messages on Mac computers?

bufo if you install media player 9 you can put player 8 back in it does not have all that crap in it. as far as the updates The are in most part just for the operating system software. have fun putting player 8 back on you will probably have to reboot from scratch or hopefully you have a system restore point set when you first put 9 in. if you turn your widows update off then you can update yourself and pick out the updates you want and leave out the ones you don't.

twlnki, here's what you do to turn off the auto update feature (follow the list):
go Start
go Settings
go Control Panel
go Administrative Tools
go Services
find Automatic Updates
right click Properties
click Stop button
then change the Start Up type to "Disabled"
click OK

all finished & no more pesky updates from Redmond without your active involvement (always DL administrative updates so you can archive them for later use if something were to happen to your Windows install)

i tunes does suck i will not by compressed music with drm for any price. i tunes will just support the riaa. i tunes is a joke that is designed to fail. the riaa wants to get you back in the record stores where you have to buy the whole CD. and you only can buy what they are offering. (Brittney creed chiny premanufacktured crap) thats what id call my band "premanufacktured crap" cool huh.

@twlnki
for an easy program to shut off any kind of M$ spying/auto-installing, go to www.xp-antispy.org and fetch the xp-antispy program

curtnerc & JohnjCarlton,

OK, thanks. I'm not sure which version of media player I have at home, but I'll check it out tonight.

If it wasn't for the annoying DRM wrapper or the proprietary format (which, if unchanged, requires the user to have an ipod if they want it on a digital music player) ITunes wouldn't be so bad.
If those two annoyances were gone, and the album selection was increased (many of the indies are conspicuously absent - I wonder why ?) Then, and only then would I even consider taking ITunes seriously.
As it stands now, it's no bargain - while 9.99 an album may seem reasonable (to some) for a single CD album, anything beyond that is preposterous - 0.99 a track? Or worse still, 24.99 + for Double CD albums? I think not.
Even though DRM wrappers are easilly removable, given the right "persuasion", and there are even easier ways to convert the supposed proprietary files to mp3s (How? If you don't already know how, you don't need to know) that's not the point.
While apple is making gradual progress in this so-called "digital music revolution", they still have alot of work to do. Like many of the "legit" (read: par per play) services, apple seriously needs to work out a better price point. If they continue the per album/per track model, prices need to be significantly lower than what they currently are - more along the lines of 0.25 a track (max), or $5.00 an album.
However, why not go to a monthly fee based system? Personally, I would be more than happy to pay a reasaonable fee for unlimited, unrestricted music per month - $10 a month for unlimited, non-DRM protected tracks? Sign me up! (Yeh, like that will ever happen...)

Proprietary format? The AAC format that iTunes uses isn't proprietary at all. In fact, it's been around for awhile - it was LiquidAudio's native format as well. Yes, it contains DRM though.
The other audio players on my system are compatable with AAC as well, I might add.

Sometimes I think I must be the 0.99/9.99 deal is pretty good, too. I'm not enough of an audiophile to discern much difference between an audio CD and AAC, I admit - and at $9.99 it's still cheaper than half the price I pay for a CD already - so I don't get the liners, booklets, etc. Big deal - I -never- listen to my audio CDs anyway - the second I get home, they get ripped (granted, at 192 kbps) for my MP3 player.

On the downside, of course, the only things iTMS carries that I'd listen to, I already have. The 128kbps feeds on the radio tuner are good though!

All I can say is that Steve Jobs simply CAN'T market any product -- any at all -- without shoving his one-sided, "exclusivist" view of software, hardware, this-ware and that-ware down everybody's throats. He is just that incapable of "letting go." That, plus the whole paranoia thing. He has maintained this mentality even BEFORE all this -- that is, for the past 2+ decades, with every product from the Macintosh on down. His exclusivist philosophy, from what I've heard, had led to a permanent break between him and his one-time partner Steve Wozniak, leading the latter to leave Apple.

As for these "strings" attached to iTunes for Windows: This doesn't exactly surprise me in the least. I'd've been surprised if there WEREN'T ANY.

I posted this on 9-17, after noticing this update on MS' site :

I check frequently for Windows XP updates, but turned off the automatic feature that downloads and installs them in the background. I'm glad I did, not only because it prevented me from getting the blaster worm, but because of one that became available today. This update installs Windows [D]RM on your PC.
Ouch.

The Kid.


Also, when you install the new Media Player, the defaults are to communicate information on what you are playing back to various fuzzily described sources. I used to deselect all of these options, but finally just stopped downloading this player on new computers.

The Kid.


Additional Information
Windows Rights Management Client Privacy Statement

Microsoft is committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy statement explains data collection and use practices of the Windows Rights Management software; it does not apply to any other online or offline Microsoft sites, products or services. By using this software you are consenting to the information collection and use practices described in this privacy statement.

This software contains components that use certain Internet-based services that enable you to install and use system components of the platform necessary to enable certain features of the software, during a process called machine activation. During machine activation, your computer will be automatically connected via the Internet or by your entity’s proxy server in order to create and save on your computer a system component that is associated with your hardware. The system component is used by the software to allow you to access content that has been protected by the rights-enabled permission features of the software.

None of the information collected or generated as part of machine activation is personally identifiable. Microsoft will not retain any information collected during the activation process, except on a temporary basis where necessary to diagnose and resolve a problem with the Windows Rights Management service. Microsoft does not share any of the information collected during the activation process outside Microsoft.


The Kid

Having loads of trouble with iTunes on my laptop. Every time I download it it wipes off the ability to playcd/dvd's, because of some conflict.
Does anybody have a remedy please. Please keep it simple as I'm no computer wizz THANKS in advance