Don't bother, Apple can go smoke the poor quality and over priced shit they make. The IPOD nano has a screen that will crack if you flick it, earphones that blow when they hear bass and built in batterys you have to pay £50 to replace when they die from over use. Every Apple product user I have ever met always seems to have too much money to blow on a brand name.

Wow. Sounds to me like you get your opinions from slashdot, rather than from actually trying the products. I don't have an iPod (it doesn't do oggs), so I bought this player instead, however, I do have a G4, and a G5, and I can assure you, neither one of them are "shit". In fact, the G5 is by far the sweetest hardware I have ever used.

PS: Linus Tovalds uses Linux PPC on a dual G5 box. Is he only interested in brand names? Or perhaps he just likes hardware that works its ass off.

@ Phyrexicaid: I don't think Apple owes you jack. Sure, but presumably you researched a bit before buying the thing right? Then you should have known exactly the level of support for Linux (ie: you are on your own). So you buy the thing anyway, and get upset because there is no support for your OS?

You seem to have missed my point.

I know that the level of support is zero. But my complaint is that it shouldn't be. In the beginning the number of linux ipod users was small, but with 3rd party apps like gtkpod a linux user base has been established.

Apple has failed to meet the requirements of their new user base. I'm upset due to that fact, not that I bought a mini and had to struggle, that now, as an established user, who wants something from the company, fails to elicit a response at all. It's arrogance on Apple's part.

How many other service oriented companies would get away with that? A large number of people request a feature and you just blatantly ignore them? Do you think I'm wrong in that?

I assure you I have not. Rather, I think you have missed mine.

Apple is a private company. They can cater to whomever they want. Apple has probably put much thought into Linux support, and decided against it anyway. I am sure they have done many studies and still think that the potential return is not worth the potential cost to support Linux. Perhaps they have other, ulterior motives for the lack of support, and perhaps they just really don't care. The reason is not important, what is important, is that they have given you the exact level of support they promised before you ever bought the iPod, ie: none. Therefore they owe you nothing. Where do they draw the line? FreeBSD support? Amiga? Minix3? Whatever the Ubercool OS of the day is? It is their product, and they are well within their rights to support whatever platforms they see fit.


Perhaps it is arrogance. So why did you buy the product? Vote with your wallet and support the companies that do support your platform (There are a few...). Why bang your head against the wall. I just can't understand why you are so upset when you knew what you were getting into in the first place.

You would be surprised. Try requesting a new 'feature' from your telco or cable company and see how far you get. Try to get your local MSCE to fix your Unix box. Should he be required to provide you this service just because you are paying him? Even though it was clear when you hired him that he was an MS only guy?

I think you're right that it would be a nice and decent gesture from Apple to give you support that you want, but I don't think they have any obligation to provide it. Remember it is free enterprise, and they are free to provide whatever level of products and services the free market will bear. Again, vote with your wallet.

Au contraire. We seem to be arguing at cross purposes here.

I'm upset because I'm an angry, angry man, isn't that reason enough? If you've read the first post of this thread you would see that I have decided to vote with my wallet. I sent their customer support an e-mail in which I said
I then said to the LinuxQuestions.org community:
So, if you had read the first post you would see that the point of this thread is to vote with your wallet, and to let Apple see the result of their arrogance.

Dave

Personally, I could care less about the iPod's linux support. I don't think I'll like iTunes no matter what OS its on.

I really wish the iPod was just a dumb copy your files on the harddrive type mp3 player.

All the iPod really is, is a glorified turd harddrive with a plastic shell. Why does iTunes have to be such a pain in the ass?

I got just one thing to say to the people who masterminded iTunes database and song organization...

Create New Folder

If all I wanted to do was copy mp3s to and from my harddrive or to another ipod even, itunes would be the least effective way. Ever looked in ipod_control? Not so user friendly NOW, is it?

What do these people have against the Explorer? Why not just use folders to organize and separate songs? Hey, you like ID3 tags? Lets make our drag and drop gui make folders automatically based on them?

Artist>Album>Song

Hey the ipod is an EXTERNAL piece of hardware. Why dont we make the drag and drop library that updates it EXTERNAL as well? We could atleast make it an option. What if the person travels from computer to computer, and doesn't want his ipod existing library erased every time he wants to go to friends house and add a song. Hmmm, what an idea.

But nooooo,no.

OMG apple, why? WHY?

Phyrexicaid: I do understand your pain man, and I _do_ understand why you are upset.

I have sent Apple email's trying to get them to support ogg format in their iPod. I didn't even get a response, let alone an encouraging word on the subject, so I bought a different HD portable from a different company, even though it was a tad more expensive, and harder to find.

I guess I was just being devil's advocate, and trying to show what Apple's point of view might be.

btw: I have read the entire thread

Sorry, maybe I should make my point more literate so you will understand what I mean. Apple product = expensive, Other product = less expensive. Now unless the apple product does something super amazing that my other product cannot then I cannot see the point of spending that much more money other than the brand name. If you can tell me something special the G5 can do that my PC cannot that is worth spending the extra money on then I shall take back what I said and suck off the almighty Apple.

I have no desire to convince you of anything, as it would seem you are just plain disagreeable on the matter anyway. I could quit frankly give a rats ass what you use, I am just pointing out that I have not had the same experience with Apple hardware that you seem to claim here, and disagree with your contention that it is shit...

Since you are just taking random potshots at Apple, again, I can only conclude that you get your opinions from slashdot, and have never actually used an Apple.

Here's a couple more variables for your formula:
Jaguar = expensive, Toyota = less expensive.

They both have wheels, they both get you from point a to b? So is the Jaguar "shit"?

Have you priced out the new Sun desktop systems. Geez they're expensive. Must be shit right? Or perhaps these are just for those that only use brand names. Here's a couple more brand names for you: AMD, Intel... ever heard of? Do _you_ own any hardware by these brand names?

Just because you have no use for something doesn't mean nobody else does. Personally, I edit video. I tried with my AMD box and kino, and the machine ground down to a crawl (when it wasn't crashing). The G5 however, munches through it like hot-buttered popcorn. For me, it was worth the extra money, and is the right tool for the job.

To be "fair" I took out the "shit" thing out when I clarified what I meant. Second the Jag driver doesn't need an engine capable of 220 mph if he only does 80 down the motorway, the only reason to get a Jag is because it looks swish and has the brand name which is the same reason for buying an Apple product. HOWEVER having said that I do SO appreciate you needing a more powerful engine for your video editing and so withdraw my statement but stay reluctant to suck off Apple.