Thursday, June 30, 2005

iTunes & Podcasting - is it driving YOU nuts too?

I don’t mind the Podcasts embedded in the iTunes store.
Or that they’re set-up already for commercial content.

But…

The workflow sucks.

1) Click on the iTunes Store

2) Click on Podcasting section, or better - search for, say “BBC”

3) Okay - 6 items. Lovely. Let’s take them all.

4) Click on the first item - SUBSCRIBE.  (Jumps to Podcast subscription list)  Now, let’s add another…

..oh, wait. Where’s the back arrow? 

5) Go to step 1

Duh. This gets old fast. You could also avoid the interface and use the BROWSE button on top, but alas you still cannot select more than one item at a time.

Okay - I have a blog - here’s what *I* would do:

1) Click on Podcast directory - this should go to the split-panel browsing interface.

2) Drag the items I want to my Podcasts list. Assume that if I drag it there, I want it.

3) Oh wait - there’s no step 3!

If I want to unsubscribe, I can still do so as it works now. If it’s not free content, the UNSUBSCRIBE button should become a AUTHORIZE or PURCHASE button, which takes you to the Store since, duh, you’re THEN buying something.

Perhaps version 6.9.1…

Posted by Admin on 06/30 at 05:32 AM
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iTunes, Grokster and Podcasting - joys and dangers abound—UPDATED

I’m very happy to see Podcasting embraced by Apple (albiet I’d prefer it if they didn’t embrace it too tightly and allowed it a little more freedom of movement, bit that’s another post). The big question to me is: Does the iTunes store, as a transport and delivery medium, need to watch out for copyright infractions of it’s users?

How does Apple track if the broadcast fairly uses copyrighted material, whether it be audio, music or photos?

I’m not a lawyer so I don’t have a real idea on how the recent Supreme Court decision applies to systems outside the P2P sphere.

It may be that the analogy doesn’t really fit - iTunes uses a centralized server offers files for downloading and isn’t exactly a P2P since individual users can’t download without violating the iTunes Terms of Service. I’m sure the Apple “TOS” on iTunes is tight, on the user and creator ends, might cover this - they’ve got the best designers and some of the best lawyers in the biz (as long as a the CEO doesn’t give anything away ).

Still, we’re talking about the RIAA and the MPAA - I’d watch my back.

# UPDATE # - On this week’s “Click Online”, the BBC makes the point that a company is not in trouble if it merely learns that it’s software has been used to facilitate theft. I still see a problem if, after the company learns this, it does not act or acts insufficiently to defend itself against charges of continuing theft.

Posted by Admin on 06/30 at 05:13 AM
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Cory Doctorow is a big fat liar—UPDATED

Of course that’s wrong - if anything, I believe Doctorow and Boing Boing are anti-DRM-at-all-costs. But read on and you’ll see the point I’m trying to make.

As usual, BB and Cory Doctorow thought they had another whipping boy for their continual “no DRM anywhere” drone.

Apple pops out the Podcasting version of iTunes (version 4.9) and Cory is immediately on their ass:

-> Boing Boing: Apple adds DRM to Podcasting—UPDATED

Happily they corrected the body of the article - and posted a correction: Apple uses the MPEG-4 AAC format, which offers higher-quality recording vs. MP3. That they’ve added the “—UPDATED” blip to the old article title, which is a good move forward.

But…

The body title and, importantly, the HTML page title claiming DRM deception remains. Why should it matter? This way, almost all search engines will pop up the page maintaing the factually incorrect position ad infinitum, and collecting ad revenues for every inquisitive clicker that gets faked-out looking for the true facts.

They can smear Apple at will, fire it into the stream of consciousness we call RSS and later revise history to cover their asses. And we have to pay (via advertising) to find the real facts.

THIS is why blogging isn’t immediately journalism.

Want to be really fair? Change the title to “Apple does NOT use DRM on Podcasts - UPDATED” **and** post a new article pointing back to the updated article.

PS: There’s still no way to comment directly on a Boing Boing article - only permalinks and self-promotional linkbacks. The stone-wall remains up.

Posted by Admin on 06/30 at 03:48 AM
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Wednesday, June 15, 2005

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Why Boing Boing can no longer just be trusted…

Cory Doctorow has this thing about any kind of DRM, and okay - that's his thing and I'm cool with it. It's all about choice, right? But Cory also likes the bully pulpit and can, in my opinion, stretch the truth a bit to fit his theories. A good example is the 21-song iPod, an amazing piece of FUD. If Boing Boing allowed for commentary, it'll be hammered right now.

Cory Doctorow is pushing the idea (founded by the tragically hip types at Downhill Battle) that the average iPod is a gaping hole filled with 21 paid songs and god knows what else. Could it be non-drm'd content, illegally gained? Could it be...SATAN's iPod?

Duh - try CDs.

imageThis is why I don't trust Cory Doctorow anymore - he completely ignores the obvious, that people are buying CDs again because of iTunes and the iPod...I mean, not a WORD about CDs. There were stats bandied about years ago, showing an uptick in CD sales, and while I can't prove it (or find a decent link right now) I do know from personal experience that I bought more CDs in the 2 years I've had an iPod than I have in the past 10 years. All kinds of content - some private lables, some mainstream, some regional, and more of the stuff I just love.

This is what chafes my botox'd-buttocks - Doctorow should know better. He's no idiot - in fact, I'd say he's insanely bright, but its infuriating to read crap like this on his blog AND then have no recourse to comment there. Enter the bully pulpit - "blogs are great! CC everything! And by the way, only my opinions count here." He help promotes this fabrication - this distortion of reality - syndicates it and then waits for others to pick it up. And via propagation, it becomes factual.

Well it's not. It's not even his lie - but he pushes it just like the local dealer, pushing anti-corporation, anti-drm FUD to a confused public.

Ultimately, Downhill Battle - which promotes its indie agenda, let's be fair here - is to blame. The chart above belongs to it, but its appropo since Cory's ignored the obvious facts, pushed the lie and taken their side.

Dude, if you want indie music, buy indie music - don't buy Brit or Boyzone or whatever. But don't call all iPod users thieves or ignoramuses or whatever point you're alluding to. It's insulting to our intelligence.
Posted by Admin on 06/15 at 03:27 PM
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Monday, June 06, 2005

Is it time to gang up on Billy the Bully?

(To say that I was spectacularly wrong is to underestimate how spectacular a supernova of miscalculation can be. A modest man would have erased or re-edited, but I prefer to leave them online. Primarily because I believe words?once written?deserve to remain as record, foolish or not. It goes to fidelity and veracity. And also because I know no-one read this thing anyway. Enjoy.)

It’s hours before Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference 2005 and the newswires are alight that Apple is switching to Intel. True or not, consider the message. Is the world now looking for a savior from years of Windows hegemony?

Since I do so badly at prognostication, I’m going to throw my hat in the ring now and see if I can make a few qualified predictions. Please mind your head, keep your arms inside the ride at all times and, as always, no wagering on who survives.

  • Apple will not switch to x86 processors - Apple builds “walled gardens” like Macintosh and iTunes, places where there’s freedom but safety. Opening up the gates to x86 compatibility would reintroduce the spectre of Orange/PowerComputing-type clones. I can’t see that happening.

  • The PowerPC spec is open - anyone can build them. Perhaps Intel will become the primary manufacturer since IBMs going to have their hands full making all those 3+Ghz G5s for Microsoft’s XBox. Altivec - Moto & IBM’s versions - would be a problem, but the G5 architecture takes care of much of the Altivec advantage. The bait to the Intel rumor has been the new Pentium D processor - with DRM handily built-in. If Intel can build it into a Pentium, why not a PowerPC?

  • Did I say ‘IBM’ and ‘3+ Ghz G5’ in the same line? Sure I did - do you think Steve likes following behind Bill for anything? Add a dash of hubris and you can see why Intel now becomes attractive to Steve.

  • Lastly, why leave a hardware platform that’ll soon have games developed for it? Games have always been Apple’s ‘Achilles Heel’, and with Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo adopting the G5, what kind of advantage would there be to drop it now? The G5s that will be used in future game systems are scaled-down and streamlined verisons of the Apple core…if anything, porting should be easier.

    • There’s likely either alot more to this or alot less, but it does do one very important thing - worth all the media attention draped across the subject this weekend: it marks a line in the sand that both Apple and Intel are willing to crossing over. Is this the opening salvo in a war against the bully of the marketplace, Microsoft? MS dumps Intel for IBM, and Intel promotes Apple’s security over Microsoft. Sony is getting cozy with Apple. Intel. Sun.

    There’s blood in the water and everyone can smell it.

    Posted by Admin on 06/06 at 07:09 AM
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