A Reader's Plea For Help: Stop the Limited-iTunes-Sharing Madness

TUAW-reader Robert wrote in today with the following complaint: "The limited number of times a shared iTunes library can be shared in one day is REALLY annoying. I live on a college campus (not because I'm a student) and my apartment shares a broadband network with all 600 students in the dorms around me. I USED to have access to some real great music and I got a lot of exposure to different kinds of music. The exposure to other music meant I bought *more* CDs. Now, if I don't light up iTunes at 7am, I don't get to connect to other libraries because they've exceeded their daily quota of 5 connections. It has rendered the concept of shared libraries useless for me. I'm not a music downloader, I only get my online music from ITMS and other legal means. I used to hear something on a shared library and go buy it. Now I can't hear other music, so I buy less."

Dear Steve Jobs,

See what you have done? See what your pact with the RIAA is doing to your iTMS sales? Sure, you're beating every other online music source out there, but you could be beating them more thoroughly with higher numbers across the board if you simply start befriending your consumers rather than making things difficult for them through these odd limitations and DRM.

It's clear that the RIAA isn't interested in their customers needs, wants, or desires, but I like to think that you are interested in these things, Mr. Jobs. The RIAA is interested in money. Since you have a lot of money, perhaps they will listen to you if you push back against them.

Hugs,

Your Customers.

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TUAW-reader Robert wrote in today with the following complaint: "The limited number of times a shared iTunes library can be shared in one...

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Jesse Gillespie

There are some aplications, I can't think of the names of any off of my head, that allow users to share their music over iTunes sharing without having the iTunes app or its helper active. Since some of these use an older version of the protocol, they might not be subject to the connection limit. Just a guess. Of course, these won't help you if you're interested in listening to _other_ people's music.

May 26 2005 at 2:09 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Matthew Johnston

I have stopped using ITMS because of the DRM. I used to be a frequent legal downloader but now thanks to the new restrictions i cant even make a slide show of my holiday with the music i paid for and send it to someone because 'the computer is not authorised'. Now if i want to maake this slide show with the music i want i have to get it drm free. Stop encouraging people to illegally download and punishing the people that actually piad good money for it.

May 25 2005 at 6:40 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply