The bait and switch is that they hijacked my computer. Jeez, man, are that thick?

Let's spell this out so you might understand. I'll try to type slow. They used the opportunity of my purchase of their product to hack the operating on my PC. Yes, hack is the correct word. QuickTime. 1) The code was hidden and could not be unselected. 2) The code was unrelated to the operation of the IPod. 3) The code was malicious in that it automatically changed my preferences and settings and caused my existing software to crash.

Why is this a big deal? I cleaned things up o.k. and my computer is fine. However, some part of QuickTime is still on my hard drive and still has its fingerprints all over my registry. In that regard, they have taken the use of my property. At some point I fully expect to have some conflict with a future version of Media Player and whatever code QuickTime left on my machine. That's how the game works. Why to you think computers become so squirrly after a couple of years? Why do we have to keep replacing software?

Why should I care? Because this is just another example of how these guys operate.

QuickTime was installed without my approval and without my opportunity to decline. Apple set it up such that they could eliminate millions of copies of Microsoft software in use. I was able to correct the settings, but a large percentage of users are not. Apple knows this, that is why they bundled the software. The real question is: Why would Apple be so hell-bent to get their video player out there? What is their end-game? How do they plan to leverage the gained market share to generate a revenue stream? At some point, they plan to get out the big stick and make you pay. Just like Microsoft, Adobe, and all. Make no mistake, that is what is really going on. In the end, the consumer wishes he never had never started down that rosey path.

Go ahead. Buy your IPods and encrypted music. Sell your soul to dishonest people. Be sure to hold on to you wallet.

You buy what you think is a portable music player, what you get is a worthless nothing without the "terms of use" the manufacturer decides to dictate. They may be above board and honest. They may, however, decide to squeeze you and try to control (they would say "develop") your future actions. They have total discretion. Isn't that the software agreement you mentioned? Isn't that called leveraging? I call it crap. What happens when IPod gets 90% market share and decides to pull support for Windows? Will you throw away your IPod or buy the Mac?

This is a rant, yes. However, it is a supremely important issue as entertainment goes digital. The consumer electronics industry simply cannot go the way of the PC.

jocko