Intel uses iTunes for benchmarking

+1 Roger!

I do wish however that I could use iTunes to convert those damn WMA files people insist on using to ANYTHING else. That is one thing that the iTunes on Windows does well.

@Jordan:

You're right, I haven't addressed the issue of iTunes running on Aero, and I won't for the simple reason that I wouldn't know the first thing about it, nor do I care. This being an Apple enthusiast blog, I would care if iTunes didn't run on Leopard. Feel free to enquire about it on a Windows blog.

But I will point out again that, as a marketshare strategy for its computing platform, Apple may be trying to sell the Mac by underselling iTunes for Windows. From a tech perspective that may suck, but I guess it's a valid business approach (don't want to go too far down that road, either, because I'd quickly be knee-deep in don't-know-what-I'm-talking-about).

All in all, yes, I am defending Apple, while encouraging them to do better. It is, after all, my preferred platform of CHOICE, and I make no apologies for it. If someone likes Windows 7, good for them! They should feel free to log on to The Unofficial Windows Weblog and enthuse about it to their heart's content. You won't catch me there, though, because I'm not a Windows enthusiast, and I've long outgrown the adolescent urge to throw spitballs by posting insights like "On the Mac, it's so much better!!!!!" So live and let live, and let Windows fans have theirs, and Mac fans have theirs, and while you might think it is a stifling of debate, I might say that it's one thing for family to criticize my family, but it's quite another for an outsider to do it. Mac fans know that Apple doesn't get everything perfect (puck mouse, anyone?), but we just can't have that criticism coming from Windows fans. In that event, yes, we WILL defend the puck mouse! To the death!

@Jordan:

I am not a conspiracy nut, nor do I wish to rehash ancient history, but have you considered this: maybe the OS is crippling a competitor's product? Wouldn't Microsoft prefer Zune users over iPod/iPhone users?

Think I'm making stuff up? Then ask the folks at Lotus software how an upstart like Excel quickly established itself over entrenched market leader 1-2-3. Bundling? Sure. Loss leading? Absolutely. But also by maliciously and surreptitiously writing code into the OS itself to actively prevent 1-2-3 from running.

Don't want to rehash ancient history, but there's that saying about being doomed to repeat it. Unless you have personally decompiled both the operating system and iTunes in their entirety, this remains a valid open question. Could it be Apple's fault? YES!!! Could it just as well be Microsoft?

Most of these comments are annoyingly off-topic.

I'm a long time dedicated Mac user (since 1988) and I happen to think iTunes on the Mac sucks. I spend more time watching the beach ball spin in iTunes than any other program I have ever used. It is so slow as to be almost useless with a large-ish (16000 songs) library. In short, I frikkin' hate it.

@Jordan

And you're surprised that Apple, being a soft- AND hardware company, leverages its software to encourage people to buy their hardware? That would be like me being surprised that Microsoft used its inside knowledge of the operating system to optimize its non-OS applications. THAT would never happen.

And by the way, I didn't accuse you of trolling. What I did say is that if you are a Windows fan, you should _expect_ a chilly welcome on a blog for fans of Apple.

Somehow I knew it would be Apple's fault again. Tell you what, Jordan: I hope Apple fixes the "slow, crappy, bloatware piece of software known as iTunes (on Windows)" as soon as Microsoft fixes its slow, crappy, bloatware piece of crap known as Office (on the platform of your choice).....and not one minute sooner. Deal? Let me know when Office is fixed...but hurry: average life expectancy in the United States is 75.6 years...

Don't like Apple? Don't use their products. Not that hard. It boggles my mind that some people log onto something called "The Unofficial APPLE Weblog", and bellyache about a bias, or want to tilt at windmills and try to convert the heathens they think they encounter here. Apple is not above reproach, but don't expect to find much criticism of Cupertino here. Many anti-Apple or pro-[insert platform here] comments would be more appropriate on a general computing blog or somesuch, where a fair-handed discussion of competing platforms might (and should!) take place. Expecting that discussion on a blog with one of the platforms up for discussion in its title? Reminds me of Zep's "Fool In The Rain"...minus the precipitation.

One more time (take notes if you have to): as evidenced by its very title, this is a site for Apple enthusiasts. Not an Apple enthusiast? Guess what...

@SIP. Im with Jordan on this, stop thinking everything is trolling and try to act like less of a rabid fanboy. Ur part of the people that make the rest of us apple users look insane.

I got a Macbook and I got Windows. I got itunes on Both. It is bloatware on Windows.

Why should a processor be involved at all when syncing an iPod? Shouldn't the performance in that task be based solely on the connection used for the transfer and the storage mediums used on either side?

I don't want my software thinking about transferring my data - I just want the data transferred.

I'm sure they use other programs besides iTunes - Firefox, Outlook, and any number of "essential" programs are probably on the list.

You use iTunes on Windows? Perhaps you should get off this board and crawl back to where you came from. At least it would save us all this trolling and anti-Apple bullshit you keep posting.