RE: Dumb iTunes Question - in defense of Apple

["Montgomery, Daniel E." <Montgomery@Mackinac.org>]

Rightly stated, Brad.

 

I use both a Mac and a PC and I'm one happy computer user.

 

Apple made iTunes for Windows for one purpose -- to sell iPods. They didn't do it for goodwill or to make everybody love them for creating "The Best Windows App Ever."

 

As far as Apple's market share, if you compare their market share to other, individual PC companies, you'd find that it's a fairer match. Compare Apple to Dell, compare Apple to Compaq, etc., and you'll find Apple's numbers are far less disparaging than when Apple is contrasted with the entire PC market.

 

And, it's probably fair to say that the people most wondering why Apple only has 3% of the PC market are not the Apple people. I think many Apple-lovers like the idea that they're part of a small club.

 

Apple investors have continued to invest capital into Apple (even with Al Gore on the board of directors).

 

Besides, I don't see how Apple opening up their store as a free-for-all, will increase their market share.

 

 

Daniel Montgomery

Graphic Arts Manager

-----Original Message-----
From: Brad Caviness [mailto:bigwigenterprises@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2004 4:26 PM
To: over-the-rhine@actwin.com
Subject: RE: Dumb iTunes Question

Thanks Daniel,

 

For some reason, I was under the impression that iTunes offered you a choice of either mp3 or aac. And there are a few not-an-iPod units that are being wired to play aac. Mine, however, does not.

 

Which leads me to my eternal gripe with apple as a persistent PC user: Why is everything they produce so adamantly proprietary? iTunes is the most cross-platform application they've yet released, but even then you have to use their machine (an iPod, in this instance) or you're out of luck.

 

I know, Mac users will argue that Apple is not proprietary, per se, it's just that they're closer to the edge of the technology curve, while PC's are lagging behind. But I have a hard time accepting any platform that makes you upgrade all of your software when the operating system goes up a notch. Windows may be backwards in a lot of ways, but at least it's backwards compatible.

 

And people wonder why Apple has only been able to capture 3% of the computer market. iPod and iTunes gave them a huge surge (3 million files transacted and counting), and their marketing for the product is brilliant. But competition from other manufacturers as well as iTunes limited application to these units seems to me to be potentially restricting to Apple's earnings. Which could leave them back at 3% in the not to distant future. You know, after they're done making money hand over fist.

"Montgomery, Daniel E." <Montgomery@Mackinac.org> wrote:

Brad, since iTunes delivers your songs in a AAC format, you'd have to burn any music you buy from the iTunes Music Store to CD, and then re-rip them and transfer them to whatever MP3 music player you like.

 

The iPod and iPod mini are the only players available that can play the AAC format.

 

Daniel Montgomery

Graphic Arts Manager

Bradley S. Caviness, Bigwig
Bigwig Enterprises

http://www.bigwigenterprises.com

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