Microsoft hates consumers ... oh, you know it's true.

Look, can we maybe just admit a few things that we may be mildly obsessed with?

Maybe, say, an obviously highly commercial reality TV program where clearly nothing is even remotely real, but somehow I end up getting teary every time because some little lost rocker is achieving his / her dream of stardom?

Ok, here it is: I watch Rockstar Supernova. On DVR so that I can rewind and watch my favorite "rockers" again. And, I liked two of the songs soooooo much that I actually went online to download them.

Wait, let's be clear.

Not the original versions of the songs. Nay, young marketer, nay.

Rather I bought the whole boatload of branded TV and downloaded the versions by the reality TV stars themselves: Rebel Yell by Billy Idol Lukas Ross and Lithium by Nirvana Dilana Robichaux.

And, ok, since we're admitting things. I downloaded two others, too, since I was there.

Total: $3.96

And, of course, I immediately tried to import them into iTunes so that I could dance around with them blaring in my iPod (a la your average 30-something).

<error> <error> <error>

However, these files were created by Microsoft. AND are in WMA format. WHICH is not compatible with iTunes. AND is actually only compatible with computers and about three portable music players. WHICH is super handy for music one MIGHT WANT TO TAKE WITH HER.

How did I find this out? Was it clearly stated that these files - priced exactly like all MPG downloads are priced - would not work with the type of music players the vast, vast majority of the market owns? Um, no. It was in the fine print in the FAQ. Brilliantly placed so that only aggravated post-purchasers could locate it.

A miserable consumer experience. And, a monopoly (with exclusive rights to these particular songs). Oh, Microsoft, how you hate consumers so.

Actual fake memo from lead product manager to marketing team regarding new proprietary format:

Dear Marketing Department,

We’re ready to launch our new M*N Music Store. Instead of using the global standard for security and portability – MPG – we’ve elected to build our own proprietary format that will prevent customers from listening to these songs on any portable music player anyone, anywhere presently owns.

No worries, we’re selling music players, too – so, they’ll just have to buy a new $300 player for the songs they buy at the Music Store. Perhaps someday – possibly in a parallel universe – this will destroy our evil foe, iP*d.

Here’s where you come in – we have financial projections to reach to justify the product development budget. So, we’re hoping you could delay any consumer education on this product. We’re thinking, develop a price point, look/feel and experience that’s just like iTunes.

Customers will get excited about the exclusive deals we’ve worked out with key artists who long ago traded their integrity to win a few billions of Bill’s big ad budget. And, they’ll download without even guessing that someone could have created a new format that won’t work with any device they currently own.

Once they’re hooked, we’ll provide the compatibity info in super fine print that users will find when they try to troubleshoot errors. And, then we can cross sell our new portable devices, too.

Remember our motto: Screw the customer. Most of them can’t get around using us anyway.

Cheers!

Satan C. Frogface
M*N Product Manager

Comments

[Eric Baker]

Serves you right for supporting *LAME,UNORIGINAL,POINTLESS,ANNOYING* TV shows about has been "rock" groups. You are the reason crappy show like this exist.

[alphamonkey]

Agreed. The Zen (which in my not very humble opinion is far superior to the iPod) can handle just about anything. If Creative Labs had an ounce of sense, they'd have marketed the Zen just as hard as the iPod and they'd probably dominate the market.

[spike]

Actually I'm pretty sure most MP3 players will play wma's. It's Apple that't the picky one... :-)

[Danopoly]

Satan C. Frogface! HA!

Can I get that on a T-shirt?!

[Rob Mortimer]

Lets all relax and look forward to HDDVD vs BluRay. Hurrah for companies being SO stubbon that the consumer gets screwed over instead instead of them making a decision.

[Jen]

It's hilarious that I'm reading all of this now- just faced this very problem with iTunes vs. Microsoft, etc. It'd be nice if companies could come up with something other than proprietary file types and codecs to keep customers...

[Nathan]

Have got to love Microsoft.

Who needs customer service or good ads when you have a big brand name? And as if improper advertising like this, along with not-so-great customer service could ever turn such a brand towards the direction of Mirco$oft, Microsuck, or Satan. Oops!

[Leigh]

You're all making me giggle. I appreciate all the technical info - but, it's an ad blog. I was just bitching about a crappy consumer experience. And, although I shall take this info and try other ways to play my songs on the player of my choice, I have to say, the response was quite unexpected!

[Q]

A Few Points of Information:

1.) The iPod will play a variety of audio formats including: AIFF, WAV, Apple Lossless, MP3, AAC and AAC Protected.

2.) The AAC format (Advanced Audio Coding) was not developed by Apple but is an open standard developed by the MPEG Standards Group. It is also known as MPEG-2 part 7 and MPEG-4 part 3.

3.) Apple did develop "FairPlay" which is a Digital Rights Management system used by the iTunes Music Store.

4.) Apple has, at this point, chosen not to license this technology to other companies. As a result, only iTunes, QuickTime (and QuickTime compatible applications), and the iPod can use files protected with "FairPlay".

5.) iTunes and the iPod do not support other DRM schemes because: a.) Apple has chosen not to license these schemes from their owners and include them in the iPod, b.) the creators of these schemes have chosen not to license these schemes to Apple, c.) these schemes require Windows and/or Windows Media Player and would require either the creator or Apple to engineer the codec for QuickTime and Max OS.

6.) FairPlay is as closed as PlaysForSure. PlaysForSure is as closed as FairPlay. If your digital audio player does not support PFS, it will not play those files. If you music was purchased using some other DMR scheme and your digial audio player only supports PFS, it probably won't play the file.

[Anyon]

Don't forget to pay pony up $10 to the author of the shareware!

You already dumped $4 on Microsoft and some record labels. Might as well give $10 to the person/people who created a little program that allows you to enjoy that music.

[Leigh]

And the dream lives on! Thank you, Pope.

[POPE]

here, Advergirl, try this:

http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/14645

[Rob Mortimer]

Isnt half of the issue with Apple being so restrictive on the format their players will accept..?

[E]

I thought iTunes converts WMA files when you import them - at least that's what mine did. However, it was probably protected WMA format which screws you over.

[Faris]

Saw an interesting article a while back on Apple's closed architecture and how it will spell doom

Both do the same thing - try to tie you into to upgrading on to their next gen devices - if you change brand you can't use your music.

Ultimately, as this guy below argues, this is pretty short sighted. The rise of the PC over the Mac was essentially because you could be IBM clones from anywhere.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/04/01/1143441370852.html?from=top5

[Paul McEnany]

Really, I think you probably deserved it. That was just your punishment for watching that awful television show.

[Anyon]

To Apple's credit, converting an iTunes purchase over to an MPG requires burning a CD and then ripping the song from the CD. Then you can use it on ANY music player.

Hardly the optimal solution, but that's what the record companies require.

[Annon]

Nice Blog. I hate to get picky but Apple does not use MPG either! They use AAC. iTunes is kind and clever enough to simply convert the format when it sends it out to your iPod. THAT is the difference between Microsoft and Apple.