After almost a year of not using iTunes or the iTunes music store I have come back to Windows and iTunes for a while (driver issues with my lappy but that's a story for another day). My first purchase from the store using iTunes 6 was pretty uneventful, other than finding out that I had used all my computer authorizations and being forced to reset those the purchase went well. It was not until I got the music on my computer that things went to hell.

As a rule of thumb when I download music from iTunes I crack it and make mp3s (I run Linux on my other computer, I can't use protected AAC files). Well what a surprise it was when my trusty Hymn didn't work... WTF? It would appear that Apple has finally caught up with the crackers and did the DRM shuffle. Now I have to burn my PAAC files to disk and rip them back into iTunes, not hard just a pain. Why Apple? Does this make the labels happy or something? If this makes the labels happy then when are you gonna get Warner to let you put the Linkin Park stuff up?

Come on Apple, I know you can't release mp3 files and keep the labels happy but at least keep it easy for us to use our music. I have faith that we will catch up though... it's just a matter of time.