Apple's Present: iTunes Supports Ogg Files

curious.corn writes "I may be a fool (and a happy Christmas Mac OS X newbie ;-) but it seems that this morning's software update brought a really cool cadeau to Mac OS X. How 'bout Ogg file integration in iTunes? Yesterday evening I could only play them in QuickTime (after downloading a component somewhere) this morning I updated iTunes and am enjoying my old Linux playlists. Buon Natale a tutti voi Edo."

Comments

Merry Christmas

[iomud]

Lets all thank timothy for posting something he thought was cool but had no earthly idea if it was true or not. Come on, not even a url? At least correct the headline or something. Weaksauce.

Re:It's always nice with better file format suppor

[mcg1969]

and it is supposedly patent free

WTF is that supposed to mean? Supposedly? Is there some doubt that ogg-vorbis is patent free?

Did you even bother to read the next sentence? Here, I'll do it for you:

Until somebody actually discovers that they have a patent for something that it is using, that is. :)

regebro's statement here reflects the common understanding that confirming a technology is "patent-free" is a difficult, tedious task that is next to impossible to perform 100% exhaustively and perfectly. So it should not surprise any of us if someone unearths a patent that Ogg/Vorbis is alleged to infringe upon some time in the future. We can hope that won't happen---or that if it does, the patent holder proves sympathetic---but it might.

If you want Apple to support Ogg Vorbis, ask 'em!

[dwheeler]

If you want Apple to support Ogg Vorbis, complaining about it on Slashdot seems mostly pointless. Instead, send a message to Apple!

A quick look at their contact page at http://www.apple.com/contact suggests a few possibilities, such as their Apple.com feedback page or sending email to their Quicktime Feedback address, quicktime@apple.com. Or both. Perhaps there's a better way, hopefully someone here will post it.

Whining would be worthless. Polite letters asking Apple to please support Ogg Vorbis across their product line (especially product A, B, and C) would probably be read. If you currently use their product (and would pay for an upgrade that supported Ogg Vorbis), or have decided to NOT buy one of their products because it doesn't support Ogg Vorbis, say so - that will be more likely to get their attention.

I've already let Apple know. If you want Apple to support Ogg Vorbis, you should too.