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November 03, 2004
More on Apple 'breaking' iTunes
Cory Doctorow has posted an update to his diatribe about Apple's latest iTunes update, which I commented on here. What he doesn't acknowledge is that Apple never offered the file-copying functionality which he was enjoying until the latest update: it's not Apple withdrawing a feature when they never offered it in the first place. Every moderately complicated programmable IT product known to mankind has its share of undocumented features and backdoors waiting for some third party to exploit them, but the manufacturers are under no obligation whatsoever to preserve those undocumented features.
I don't dispute that iPod Downloader no longer works after the latest iTunes update: I do object to Cory proclaiming as fact, without citing a shred of evidence, that the only reason this update was released was that the RIAA rang up Steve Jobs and demanded that he update iTunes this instant so as to stamp out iPod Downloader. It also bothers me that he insists on talking about Apple as being in the pocket of the music business, as if they'd have one tenth as much material for the iTunes Music Store to sell if they didn't come to some accommodation with the music business. Perhaps one day the RIAA will unconditionally surrender to the forces of the Creative Commons, but until that happens if Apple want to sell music online they have little choice but to find a sweet spot somewhere between the RIAA and the "all music should be freely copyable" advocates. (And yes, I do realise that the latter is not the position of the Creative Commons supporters. I simply mention that position because it's the polar opposite of the RIAA's stance, the one held by the other group Apple can't possibly please in practice.)
Since I drafted this post I've read Zed's comment on my earlier post, which cites an article which does make it look as if Apple were targeting iPod Downloader. However, what it doesn't explain is why they were targeting it: as I mention in my reply to Zed's comment, I can think of other reasons Apple might be nervous about third parties messing with the iPod's disk contents.
Posted by John at November 3, 2004 12:00 AM
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