Or a new iPod, or happen to have more than one computer or more than one iPod in the house... what a freaking nightmare. I got lost in the instructions of how to move the files...

Maybe things are better now... I don't know. Frankly I really don't care. Its a Fruit problem.

All I know is that since everyone sends their music to iTunes, it is the most reliable source for music out there. I download what I want from iTunes, then immediately make an audio disc. I then rip the songs from that disc and make regular MP3s. I can copy those MP3s to any non-Fruit music player I chose to use... in fact I can put those tunes on any number of removable media drives and move the music from player to player as I desire... Or I can pop that audio disc into any of the CD players that exist in the house, car or boat.

No, I don't have a cool display and interface... no, I don't get to see the album covers (nothing like the old LP art anyway). But I do get my tunes, when and where I want. (oh and one of my music players has had a built in FM radio for a long long time now) and I can change my own batteries.

But hey don't let my dissing of Fruit based hardware rub anybody the wrong way... caveat emptor.