BajaNomad

Do you use iTunes?

Don Alley - 9-17-2008 at 09:32 AM

I've used Apple's iTunes frequently to shop for music and the occasional TV episode. I've also used Amazon's digital downloads. All my music now is digital MP3 type stuff, with our house stereo wirelessly connected and controlled through our computers.

I just upgraded to iTunes 8, and got this info in the software license agreement:
Quote:

TERMS OF SALE

U.S. SALES ONLY

Purchases or rentals (as applicable) from the iTunes Store are available to you only in the United States and are not available in any other location. You agree not to use or attempt to use the iTunes Store from outside of the available territory. Apple may use technologies to verify such compliance.


Several other services (Pandora, NBC) have blocked access from Mexico by identifying the IP source. I'm in the states right now but looks like Apple could do the same if they haven't already. The previous policy was that customers needed a US billing address.

This is due to a digital rights issue.

Back to Limewire?

larry - 9-17-2008 at 09:39 AM

The underlying reason for this is that some sound recordings are owned or licensed by territory. For instance, Freddie Records in Texas owns Ramon Ayala's recordings for the US, but those same recordings are owned by Sony/BMG in Mexico. So if i-Tunes in the US sells Ramon Ayala downloads to a customer in Mexico, theoretically, Sony/BMG is being cheated out of money for a sale that they created the demand for. The reality is that the music business will have to undergo a complete makeover before these issues are resolved in a manner which allows it to invest money in recording and make a return on that investment in an orderly way.

Don Alley - 9-17-2008 at 10:05 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by larry
The underlying reason for this is that some sound recordings are owned or licensed by territory. For instance, Freddie Records in Texas owns Ramon Ayala's recordings for the US, but those same recordings are owned by Sony/BMG in Mexico. So if i-Tunes in the US sells Ramon Ayala downloads to a customer in Mexico, theoretically, Sony/BMG is being cheated out of money for a sale that they created the demand for. The reality is that the music business will have to undergo a complete makeover before these issues are resolved in a manner which allows it to invest money in recording and make a return on that investment in an orderly way.


Yes, I understand the reasoning. And note it is about compensating the business people, not the artist. The artist is the biggest loser in that sales that would pay them royalties are blocked.

There is a Mexican iTunes store. It offers only applications for iPhones, no music yet.

Certainly I preferred the older interpretation, that having established a US residence, and processing the sale with US dollars from a US source, I am, in a virtual sense, shopping in the US. If companies that own Mexican rights want to participate in the profits of online sales, the burden should be on them to provide access to the music (such as through the iTunes Mexico store). The alternative now being used is to selectively block access to websites, not just for sales but for listening as well (Pandora).

rob - 9-17-2008 at 10:06 AM

I just downloaded ITunes 8 this morning and it promptly froze the system - I have a love/hate relationship with ITunes - it works (I have over 3.5gb of music connected to it), but refuse to buy music from any DRM source.

There is absolutely nothing to stop Apple (or any other DRM licensee) pulling the plug on you at any time - the music is not yours, you use it under a license whose terms (and term) are purely determined by the issuer.

Why bother with Limewire when there are so many other (better) sources who merely sell their music under different copyright laws? start with

http://www.aom3.org/forum/

and take it from there.

Woooosh - 9-17-2008 at 10:06 AM

I use iTunes and buy songs from Mexico. iTunes automatically detects your ip location and puts up the warning about U.S. Sales only. All you have to do is click on the USA as your location and sign-in to your iTunes account though. They put up that warning- but don't block you from working around it.

CaboRon - 9-17-2008 at 10:19 AM

I had a similar experience with Net Flex.... I paid for the movie download service and the next day received a message that my money had been refunded because I am using an off-shore ISP ....

The Net Flex agreement with the movie distributers is only for US use.

There is a service available in the US where you can have everything routed through their USP in the states ....

Thirty five dollar set up fee ... plus a fifteen dollar monthly service charge and everything you send or receive goes through that USP ....

I will be glad to provide their contact info for anyone who is interested ..... U2U me for that.

CaboRon

BTW ..... everytime I call up i Tunes it locks up my computer .
Thank's Apple :lol:



[Edited on 9-17-2008 by CaboRon]

woody with a view - 9-17-2008 at 10:29 AM

good to hear about the issues with version 8. i haven't installed it yet as i have close to 20gig music and i only use it to synch to my ipod.

limewire and a good antivirus policy have worked for me.

gnukid - 9-17-2008 at 03:52 PM

Don't upgrade your itunes... prior versions work very well as a general rule.