Microsoft launches MSN Music, calls iTunes "closed"

MSN is closed. You have to be using Explorer to buy music on the site. And then assume you want to listen to your music on a cd. Does the cd player in your car play Windows media files? No.

And I already have a music player, it's called an iPod. It plays mp3s, the standard. Can I play Windows Media on it? No.

You can only play the music in Windows. That's pretty closed to me.

"A lot of people want choice and we offer that.".... coming from someone at Microsoft this makes me both laugh, and vomit...

Over 80 percent of the HDD MP3 players are iPods. Sales and market share continue to go up.

Over 60 percent of all MP3 players are iPods and sales and market share continue to go up.

Sounds like the majority of people have spoken. Although Mircosoft is demanding a recount in Florida.

..versus another?

I don't have an iPod and I use iTMS.

The definition of "closed" is "unusable by others" and that is EXACTLY what MS has done here. Mac users are completely unable to make this "choice".

Such propaganda.

That is a great point you bring up Will C.

One hears so much about (the great lie) you can only use iTunes with iPod or visa-versa.

But one can make a music purchase from iTunes and burn it to a CD and even (with the right settings and a few extra steps) buy music from iTMS and put it on any mp3 player. Not just the iPod.

But with many other music stores. They are actualy more closed end. You have to use Windows. You have to use IE browser. You have to use WMA. Wheres your choice Microsoft?

It appears that the javascript used on the buy button on their site does not work with Firefox.

This then is a truly "OPEN" and cross browser store!

(Can't say I am supprised)

Wait! iTMS is a closed system? Damnit, why the hell didn't someone tell me this before. MSN, here I come! Openness and freedom, that's what this country is about! If you all want to live in your little Stalinist world of Apple, that's fine. But my buddy Glaser says that's not what real Americans do. And now that MSN is here, all I have to do is dump my iPod, dump my Mac, dump all that controlled music I got on the iTMS, get a PC, buy new software, and start buying music at MSN, where I'll be able to do with it WHAT I WANT, NOT WHAT SOME LARGE COMPANY ALLOWS ME TO DO! And, with Apple about to go under (I read it on ZDNET or somewhere yesterday), do you really want to own hardware and music you won't be able to use in 6 months. I didn't think so.

And when I read the headline, I got scared anyway and knew I was going to do this. I thought iTunes had actually 'closed' down, and I was going to be stuck.

The second quote by Christine Andrews is a repeat of her first quote:

"In response, Apple touted its 92-percent iPod marketshare for drive-based players and 65-percent marketshare for all portable players (including flash-based devices), saying that ""ITunes has done a great job of helping to elevate the [digital music] market," said Christine Andrews, lead product manager of MSN. "We're different because Apple is a closed system. If you want Apple, you have to use the iPod. A lot of people want choice and we offer that."

Was there supposed to be a response quote from Apple?