Poor Debra Pickett. Pickett writes for The Chicago Sun-Times. She is experiencing what it’s like to have an iPod and a Windows personal computer. She’s also a great example of the confusion the average Jane must feel during these transitory times; the record industry’s morass, online music, and incompatible music formats.

Pickett explains, “…after a couple of weeks of iPod ownership, I decided to download some new tunes for it. I started out by going to the iTunes Web site, that cool, designed-just-for-the-iPod site where you can download any of a jillion songs for 99 cents apiece. But I couldn’t use it. My computer uses the Microsoft Windows operating system. And the iPod is made by Apple. You can’t even open the iTunes site from a Windows machine. Because even though it says right on its well-designed box that the iPod is compatible with both operating systems, that’s not exactly the whole truth.”

[MacDailyNews note: for the record, Apple's iTunes Music Store isn't really a website; it is a specialized "music store" accessible via an application, iTunes 4, which currently doesn't run of Microsoft's Windows operating system(s).]

Pickett continues, “First, you’ve got to buy an extra part to even connect an iPod to a PC. Even then, you can’t really use most of its non-music features, like the calendar and address book. All that was frustrating, but it was nothing compared to the slap in the face of not being able to use iTunes. I felt like an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of an operating-system war.”

“Apple says it should be available to Windows users by the end of the year. Meantime, there are competing sites that promise similar deals. Most of the songs I checked out on buymusic.com cost a dollar or two to download. So I went for it. Pink, Shania Twain, Meredith Brooks — a bunch of artists who each have one song I find sort of cool. I spent about 10 bucks, then got ready to load my new purchases onto the iPod.”

[MacDailyNews note: always read the specs for your portable music player before buying music online to make sure the formats are playable. This may seem obvious, but most people don't understand the differences between MP3, AAC, etc.]

Pickett continues, “It was all impressively official. I had to agree to a set of licensing terms for each song, saying exactly how many times I could copy it. It was just the way I’d like people to treat my copyrighted work. I was so proud. Until I realized my downloads couldn’t be played on my iPod. Because, as much as Apple hates Windows, Windows hates Apple right back. So, for now, I can listen to those fun new songs on my computer, but I can’t take them with me, which was the whole point of having them.”

Full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: “As much as Apple hates Windows, Windows hates Apple right back?” How an operating system can hate another is beyond us, especially if one, Windows, is trying so hard to be what it hates. Maybe it hates failing so dismally? iPod for Windows supports MP3 (32 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible(6), and WAV. It says so right on the box. Ms. Pickett has never complained that she can’t use Unleaded gasoline in her Diesel car, or we just can’t find it in print, but she feels no hesitancy about proclaiming her inability to play Buymusic.com purchased (rented) music in her iPod. MacDailyNews can see this being very confusing for the average person, though. Saying, “buy a Mac, problem solved” doesn’t really work here; even though Ms. Pickett would be a much happier camper all around. Asking Apple to hurry up already and get iTunes working well and shipping for Windows works better for us in this case. So, hurry up, Apple!