Apple's "iTunes" mess

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
Date: September 10, 2005 2:28:07 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Cc: lauren () vortex com
Subject: Apple's "iTunes" mess



Dave,

Users of Apple's iTunes and/or QuickTime on Windows might wish to
take note:

Maybe it's a plot to get Windows users to buy Macs (OK, just
kidding), or maybe it's a Mac-centric QC department, but Apple is
really taking it on the chin regarding their newly-released Windows
version 5 iTunes.  This is bundled with their new version 7 QuickTime
-- in fact, this bundle has become the standard QuickTime download
as well.  Even more problems appear to have possibly resulted from
the complicated DRM environment and the inclusion of a complex
LAN-related utility in the release.

A brief look at the discussions over at the Apple Forums:

http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?14@787.O9RaaW1FRjC.0@.68a505a5

gives a taste of the frustration, not only by users who don't have
working iTunes anymore, but also by many who now have broken
QuickTime installations, and in some cases major OS problems as
well.  What's worse, rolling back can be difficult or impossible,
and Apple's lack of official recognition or public response
regarding these problems is driving many users up the wall.

I've personally now seen two systems that have fallen into this black
hole -- no working iTunes, no working QuickTime, and attempts to
install older versions (even just of QuickTime) fail miserably, even
after complex (and in some cases dangerous) attempts at cleaning out
the leftover muck.  It's really a mess -- reminds me of early DOS
days.

It's apparently a somewhat bizarre measure of Apple's success that
people are so fired up over this situation, and of course the
related impacts on their ability to feed materials into their
expensive iPods and other devices.

This obviously isn't a life and death situation.  But for a company
with such a finely tuned PR machine as Apple, it should be a
reminder that basic issues are important -- like making sure that
major software releases are properly tested, and at the very least
can be easily and completely deinstalled if there's trouble.  To fail
these fundamental tests threatens the rapid loss of consumer good
will that may have taken many years to establish.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren () pfir org or lauren () vortex com or lauren () eepi org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
  - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, EEPI
  - Electronic Entertainment Policy Initiative - http://www.eepi.org
Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
DayThink: http://daythink.vortex.com


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