Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft's Take on iTunes for Windows
Skruffy writes "The Register has an amusing article about Microsoft's reaction to the launch of Apple's iTunes software on Windows. It seems that Microsoft is very keen to warn its users of the dangers of using a service that would restrict them from accessing music from other sources... Oh the irony."
When a Linux zealot uses every anti-Microsoft buzzword together--"evil empire," "M$," and "FUD campaign" (apparently when a company gives an opinion on anything, including competition, it's now a FUD campaign), it totally makes people stay far, far away from Linux and its immature community.
There's gotta be some sort of record for most-used zealot buzzwords in a post.
"Sufferin' succotash."
Heck, you don't even have to give Apple any information at ALL to download the app. Just click the download button. How refreshing is that? For once, a company that doesn't require you to tell them all sorts of personal crap and fill out a survey just to download a free or try before you buy app.
Of course, who knows what info iTunes is sending Apple on its own? By default, iTunes installs a service called "iTuneshelper.exe" that runs as a TSR even when iTunes is closed. I'm sorry, but not being the sort to trust companies that are admittedly in league with the RIAA, this makes me a little bit paranoid (even though all my MP3's are ripped from legally purchased CD's). This service goes away if you uncheck "connect to the Internet when needed", but why is this checked by default to begin with? There is a separate checkbox for "update iTunes automatically", so what else is iTunes doing when connected to the net? (btw, the music store works whether or not "connect to the internet when needed" is checked - so it has nothing to do with that.)
iTunes also installs two other services that are useless for most people running Windows - iPodservice.exe and gearsec.exe. It does this without permission as well, and these can only be turned off by disabling the services themselves, not within iTunes. Neither of these is required in any sense for running iTunes itself.
All in all, I'm about as pleased with iTunes as I am with Windows Media Player from a privacy/permissions standpoint. Which is to say not much.
If you're on dial up, my sympathies. If your not, you deserve a swift kick.
It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.