So, so true... that's why I refuse to buy music online.  Why should corporations control how and where I listen to my music?

It's like buying Kellogs cornflakes, only to find you can only eat them in a Kellogs bowl using a Kellogs spoon.  Not going to happen!

If I buy something, I expect freedom with that purchase, not C.R.A.P.

"Why should corporations control how and where I listen to my music?"

Well, DRM is very important. No company will let you download music or any other media if you can just give it out to a million other people for free. You cannot convert to a different format because I am guessing it would be very difficult to retain the DRM. I know it sucks, but there is not really another option. Or is there?

"I hate the fact that I can only open my iTunes music with iTunes or an iPod, and that my phone will only play WMAs and MP3s."

Yeah I agree. I think ideally, DRM is still important, it just needs to be standardised. I don't like the idea of being locked into certain hardware etc, it seems not to be to the benefit of the consumer at all. But then, who knows what issues are involved in trying to convince all the different companies involved to adopt a standard.

I think if a company decides to use its own DRM, they are going out on a limb, and the consumer should take this into consideration. I don't know if you can force it down a companies throat and say "you have to use this". I don't particularly like when governments get involved. I am not entirely familiar with the history of the DRM story, but I think a lot of the blame has to fall on Apple. Microsoft seems happy to give its DRM away to anyone, whereas Apple is probably trying to leverage the iPod, to the detriment of consumer choice.

So maybe it is Apple you should not be a fan of?

Hehe .. you are kidding aren't you .. I am talking about your last comment

"It's hard to like a Mac when (IMO) XP and Vista are SOOO much better. ;-)"

Vista ... well lets see .. I can buy that for ...ooops .. not out yet

With a 64 MB video card and 512 MB RAM and a slow powerPC processor Mac OS X is produces stunning visual effects while Vista needs 1 GB RAM, 256 MB video card and a Dual core processor ... I think you have never used a Mac ...

Funny. For decades the music industry has provided me with a perfectly legal option to purchase music in a pristine high-quality un-DRM'ed format with the legal ability to copy this music to any device I want in any format I choose. It's called a CD and many retailers in my neighborhood offer them.

Online music sales that are encumbered by restrictions regarding my ability to copy, transcode, and move my purchase around as I see fit will NEVER GET MY DOLLARS.