So, after forcing Apple to include DRM in order to be allowed to carry their songs, they are now considering offering them as unprotected MP3s through competing stores to 'get Apple', or what?

Apple has delivered a protection for content that is both flexible, and secure - which is the opposite of everything the labels have tried - yet, here these idiots are trying to stab Apple, again, in the back with what amounts to more failures.

Sure, I'll download an unprotected MP3 - Oh, what's that? You want $1.99 per track? Sorry, F/U, I'll just download it from p2p, or iTunes, then!

Not stabbing you personally, but this is proof that people will complain no matter what the labels do.

People complained when the labels offered DRM-laden downloads as too restrictive.

Now, there are complaints when the labels offer the freely-usable MP3 tracks that have been requested by many people for years!

And I'm sure there would be complaints if the labels, fed up with being complained at both ways, pulled the catalogs entirely ... or if they went electronic-only and stopped offering CDs/tapes/LPs ...

They're offering it through "Yahoo's online music service"?

They ought to "test the waters" with eMusic, which is already offering independant and minor-label music in MP3 format. A few major label songs, and they'd have some serious competition for iTunes...

The only serious competition will come in the form of "easy to use", and that means easy download, on computer organization and uploading to player.

Nobody has all of that in one package which is why nobody's is as easy as Apple.

To force Apple to incorporate DRM but sell un-protected through other services, can't be right!

I don't see the problem with DRM, I'd rather have it with a 1-click, auto-syncing store that has everything than an open format but fragmented & awkward 'service' - it's just choice for the sake of choice.

I guess they figure that the channel and paradigms are now in place, so there is less fear of pirating? I think they're wrong... I am in close contact with a number of college students, and pirating is still the primary way they get their music. They fill hard drives with the stuff. If the record labels drop all DRM, the message will be that the music is free. It's the wrong message, of course, but I guarantee I'll start hearing arguments that "the music labels don't care because they've removed copyright" or some other rationalization.

Why can't the labels leave well enough alone and put their energies elsewhere?

One good note for Apple... this whole iTMS thing is really just an option for them... the success of the iPod is independant of the iTMS. It's the cool factor, the great design and the function with iTunes that keeps people buying these things, not the music store. And Apple makes money on the iPod, not on music sales. So let them muck around with the channel... Apple will be fine.