Comments on: Apple blocks music sales to older iTunes

The Mac maker is forcing customers using earlier versions to upgrade to the latest iTunes if they want to purchase music.
Photos: iPod gets the picture

[Below Meigh]

Apple cored

From several discussions on other forums, the reason Apple did this was to protect itself. Seems the ipoddownload plugin that was forbidden (Apple legal went after the author and had it pulled) was somehow disabled in the latest 4.7 release.
So no copying back and forth of files from iPod to other macs (that is what Apple fears and thus Rip.Mix.Burned).
Personally, folks that have Windows can do this with other software. And 4.7 has its fair share of issues.
Apple is protecting itself. Not its customers.

[Steve Bryan]

Trivial fix

Anyone who cares to continue using iPod Download with the
new version of iTunes can patch it with trivial effort. There are
two steps. Get the program HexEdit through VersionTracker.com
or google to find it (it is a free program). In the open menu of
HexEdit navigate to Applications -> iTunes -> Contents ->
MacOS -> iTunes. With that file open search for the string "iPod
Download". Notice that iTunes depends on matching a string in
order to block the functionality so change the string to any other
string that has exactly the same length and save the result.

It would be possible to write a program to do this patch but I
don't know if people would be inclined to use such a solution. It
really isn't hard to do it yourself (using HexEdit) and see exactly
what is being changed.

So you have the choice of using 5 minutes to make this change
or rise up with torches and pitchforks and storm the castle. I
think applying the patch makes more sense.

[pjonesCET]

Apple blocks sales to older Itunes

What happens to those folks for whatever reason are stuck using OS9. Despite what apple thinks there are many folks still using Machines that can't use OSX. Remeber unlike PC's that have to been thrown away every 8-12 months and have gotten price down to a deluxe TV or VCR. Mac oftem last for 10 years or more. Often older people that can't afford new Apple equipment are left holding the bag.

Apple drains it's rich user base once again.

I don't think older people fit the apple bill today. Those are for people who want to simply look good (in their own eyes) and have lots of money.

I still run really old software on my XP box. It?s a good thing. Forcing people to upgrade isn?t the best plan I?d say. Apple has been doing this for years. It?s nice being able to run any software on any version of Windows (just about anyway).

---Remeber unlike PC's that have to been thrown away every 8-12 months and have gotten price down to a deluxe TV or VCR. Mac often last for 10 years or more. ----

What a foolish comment. Not only is most of the hardware the same, I have boxes very old that run just fine ? AND run all the newest software. Those run slow but hey most are 7-10 years old!

More trolling Cupertino zealots ?

[ScifiterX]

iTMS never was an OS 9 option.

The iTunes Music Store was only ever an option for users of
iTunes 4, which was released the same day as the Music Store,
or higher. The most current version of iTunes that even ran on
OS 9 is 2.0.4.

Boycott Apple

Whose Got The Power? Apple or You?

I say we just boycott Apple! The only reason Apple iTunes is as successful as they are is because they were the first, and people have a hard time switching.

Why don't we all just take a leap of faith and just switch already. There are other music sites out there that are far better and I am sure more options are still to come. I have heard good things about Rhapsody... maybe if Apple users switch to Rhapsody, Apple will have second thoughts about how they treat their customers and stop being such a selfish bully.

http://allwaysmusic.modblog.com/

A pretty idea starting to get ugly.

One of the nice things about MP3 files and the iPod is the freedom the provide. Freedom to transport your music, carry your files, timeshift, etc.

Since the iPod supports more-or-less standard open formats, that was a good thing too.

Recent moves to make the iPod more restrictive, more closed and less flexibile really make the platform a lot less appealing for me. I should note I own 2 iPods and do not bootleg songs (I use it mostly for timeshifting or somtimes listening to my own CD's).