If you want to use Apple's products, buy them. If you don't, don't. It's really not that complicated.
Sure it's lock in. Apple thinks that's going to be most profitable. Maybe they're right, maybe they're wrong...the bottom line is it is THEIR DECISION. Consumers can vote with their dollars.
What business DOESN'T try to eliminate competition? It might not be nice, but it's reality.
Had Apple wanted to do business with Real, there would have been a deal. Since Real didn't bring anything to the table that Apple wanted, there was no deal. Apple has zero obligation to accomodate Real.
Again: We're talking about REAL. If they went out of business tomorrow, I'd be thrilled.
Real's failure to come up with a working business model is not Apple's fault.
If Real depends on Apple's cooperation to make their business model work, it's not a very good business model. I mean, come ON! What did they think was going to happen? Real's Harmony platform didn't support Macs. Why would Apple continue to support Harmony?
No, they were "convicted of" forcing PC manufacturers to buy Windows regardless of whether Windows was installed.
They may have settled a civil suit with Caldera, but that's a totally different matter.
I'm a pragmatist. Microsoft's monopoly resulted in bad products. Apple's "monopoly" results in good products. Apple's "monopoly" is, therefore, good (for me) and Microsoft's is bad.
I don't scream about MS. I just don't use their products (when I can avoid them). I think they're crappy. I think their monopoly has enabled them to get away with making bad products: That's my objection to their monopoly.
Apple's been the underdog for so long, they've finally got a market niche that they can dominate. The difference is, they continue to deliver high-quality, well-designed products. I don't see anything wrong with that.
I think we talked before about how people don't fit in neat stereotypical categories.
Because Apple is not really concerned with compatibility of their music with different players.
I don't care if Apple broke Harmony on purpose or not. They had no obligation not to break it. It's their product: They can do what they want with it. It's your money: You can do what you want with it.
Apple doesn't own all the "gas stations". They just own the most popular one. They haven't lifted a finger to prevent people from using anybody else's service...they simply created a huge demand for THEIR product.
iTMS isn't a monopoly because Apple forces people to use it. It's popular because it has the least restrictive DRM of any of the commercial music sites, and people have responded to that.
They also have a good marketing campaign.
Neither of these factors are illegal, unethical, or in the slightest bit "bad". Apple didn't "force" this moron to buy an iPod.
If Real was really concerned about the compatibility of their music with different players, they could have simply used un-DRMed AAC or MP3. But they didn't. They just wanted to piggyback on Apple's success (and oh by the way, not have their software work on Macs, but that's another story).
Apple had no obligation to consult with Real and figure out how to not break their software.
Jesus, this is REAL NETWORKS we're talking about. They've been purveying the MOST OBNOXIOUS SOFTWARE EVER for ten years now.
"Judge, I bought 400 gallons of diesel fuel, and NONE of it will work in my Honda Civic! MAKE Honda give me a new car that will work with the fuel I purchased because I'm an idiot and didn't anticipate my own future needs!"
Slashdot Mirror
The fact that I don't agree with the tenets of Zionism does not mean that I hate Jews.
SO WHAT?
If you want to use Apple's products, buy them. If you don't, don't. It's really not that complicated.
Sure it's lock in. Apple thinks that's going to be most profitable. Maybe they're right, maybe they're wrong...the bottom line is it is THEIR DECISION. Consumers can vote with their dollars.
OK. So you're using Real Player and you're a happy customer. Great! Good for you! What does this have to do with Apple, and the discussion at hand?
Yeah, I hate it when people don't fit into my preconceived notions about how they should be.
Why can't you just let him do his own thing? What's wrong with that? What if he doesn't WANT to be a salesman and a human resource department?
What business DOESN'T try to eliminate competition? It might not be nice, but it's reality.
Had Apple wanted to do business with Real, there would have been a deal. Since Real didn't bring anything to the table that Apple wanted, there was no deal. Apple has zero obligation to accomodate Real.
Again: We're talking about REAL. If they went out of business tomorrow, I'd be thrilled.
Huh? What are you talking about? I'm not aware of a single label that's signed an exclusive deal with iTunes.
Real's failure to come up with a working business model is not Apple's fault.
If Real depends on Apple's cooperation to make their business model work, it's not a very good business model. I mean, come ON! What did they think was going to happen? Real's Harmony platform didn't support Macs. Why would Apple continue to support Harmony?
Ever heard of fire?
If your customers are doing something you don't want them to do, put up a sign.
That way, I'll know to take my business elsewhere.
I'd like companies to not be anti-competitive too. I'd also like a pony. Neither of these things is ever going to happen.
No, they were "convicted of" forcing PC manufacturers to buy Windows regardless of whether Windows was installed.
They may have settled a civil suit with Caldera, but that's a totally different matter.
I'm a pragmatist. Microsoft's monopoly resulted in bad products. Apple's "monopoly" results in good products. Apple's "monopoly" is, therefore, good (for me) and Microsoft's is bad.
Do you understand?
I don't ask permission to use their bathroom. I'm not going to ask permission to use their electrical outlet.
If they ask me to leave, I will. I will also never bring them any money.
One rude waitress seems to think people shouldn't plug in in her restaurant.
Everybody else on the damn planet seems to think it's fine.
Wow. Those newshounds at NYT continue to impress me.
Exactly. What's your point?
I don't scream about MS. I just don't use their products (when I can avoid them). I think they're crappy. I think their monopoly has enabled them to get away with making bad products: That's my objection to their monopoly.
Apple's been the underdog for so long, they've finally got a market niche that they can dominate. The difference is, they continue to deliver high-quality, well-designed products. I don't see anything wrong with that.
I think we talked before about how people don't fit in neat stereotypical categories.
Because Apple is not really concerned with compatibility of their music with different players.
I don't care if Apple broke Harmony on purpose or not. They had no obligation not to break it. It's their product: They can do what they want with it. It's your money: You can do what you want with it.
Don't buy from iTMS or buy an iPod. That's fine.
If you look at the numbers, though, that's not what happened. There are a LOT more iTunes users than iPod owners.
Apple doesn't own all the "gas stations". They just own the most popular one. They haven't lifted a finger to prevent people from using anybody else's service...they simply created a huge demand for THEIR product.
That's their job.
iTMS isn't a monopoly because Apple forces people to use it. It's popular because it has the least restrictive DRM of any of the commercial music sites, and people have responded to that.
They also have a good marketing campaign.
Neither of these factors are illegal, unethical, or in the slightest bit "bad". Apple didn't "force" this moron to buy an iPod.
If Real was really concerned about the compatibility of their music with different players, they could have simply used un-DRMed AAC or MP3. But they didn't. They just wanted to piggyback on Apple's success (and oh by the way, not have their software work on Macs, but that's another story).
Apple had no obligation to consult with Real and figure out how to not break their software.
Jesus, this is REAL NETWORKS we're talking about. They've been purveying the MOST OBNOXIOUS SOFTWARE EVER for ten years now.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
"Judge, I bought 400 gallons of diesel fuel, and NONE of it will work in my Honda Civic! MAKE Honda give me a new car that will work with the fuel I purchased because I'm an idiot and didn't anticipate my own future needs!"
What an idjit.
"slashdotters" are never unanimous about anything ever. There is no hive mind.
No. You need to remember that Apple is not a monopoly; Microsoft is a monopoly. That's what the law says.
Yeah...if you really, really like spam...
The question is, WHO CARES whether you think this stuff can be replaced with Usenet? If you think Usenet is better, go use it. Nobody's stopping you.
"Whether it causes an accident or not, your high beams aren't going to cause someone to have permanent eye damage."
Neither will a laser pointer a couple miles away.