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Using iTunes with a Mac Emulator on Win98SE

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wsm23
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Using iTunes with a Mac Emulator on Win98SE

My daughter recently(without consulting her geek dad), bought an iPod.

Of course when it came time to install iTunes we found out the iTunes only works for Win2000 or XP and we have 98 on her computer.

I am not ready to fork out the $99 for XP upgrade and more memory that the computer will want to run XP and I may get her a laptop in the next year for school.

Is there any way, portable or not, to run iTunes on a Win98SE.

Is it possible with a Mac Emulator of some sort?

I have heard about Mac on a stick, but is that new enough version of Mac to work?

I know about Winamp and Yamipod, but those don't let her get into the iTunes store and buy music.

John T. Haller
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Nope.

Mac on stick is an older version of Mac OS. Too old. She can put music on her iPod using something like Yamipod or ephpod, but you can't but anything in the iTunes Music Store without iTunes. I recommend not buying in iTunes anyway as all of your music would be locked into iTunes, making it difficult to switch to any other brand of music players (noone but Apple supports their "Fairplay" DRM-hobbled AAC files).

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

wsm23
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Thanks, I suspected that.

I may get her a Napster or Wal-Mart account to go along with it.

I don't want her to have to be hobbled by anybody.

Thanks again John!

Life is about the journey not the destination!

The Kazoo Spartan

John T. Haller
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Nope

You're welcome... but...

That won't work either. Napster and Walmart only work with Windows Media's PlaysForSure, which is NOT supported by iPods and probably never will be. When you buy any DRMed music, you essentially have to decide what type of player you're going to use forever. And if that format dies, you lose all your music.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

wsm23
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DRMed?

Does that mean copyright protected?

As I said she should have asked her dad before buying.

Life is about the journey not the destination!

The Kazoo Spartan

John T. Haller
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DRM

DRM officially stands for Digital Rights Management. We usually term it Digital Restrictions Management as it completely restricts what you're able to do with your files that you paid for. Take iTunes for instance. You can only play it on your own copy of iTunes or on the iPod that you have registered with that copy of iTunes. If, say, you decide to buy a different brand of MP3 player when it comes time to upgrade... you'll need to buy all your music again.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

wsm23
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iPod and Open source programs

Does using yamipod or another open source program lock the iPod to that computer like itunes does?

Life is about the journey not the destination!

The Kazoo Spartan

John T. Haller
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Only purchased music

Only purchased music through iTunes locks you in. Same with purchased music through Napster and Walmart.

If you want a whole CD, buy it and rip it... just be sure to rip it in MP3 format and not AAC. Buy a used copy and save some cash. For individual songs, there's not a whole lot you can do. Of course, some used CDs are only a buck or two... so it's about the same price as a single track.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

wsm23
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Thanks again.

Thanks John.

You've enlightened me an I am sure many others today with regard to the MAFIAA, The Big Apple, and MS tactics.

Life is about the journey not the destination!

The Kazoo Spartan

wsm23
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I promise one last question or two.

My daughter wants to ake her iPod to her friends house to use their iTunes to sync her iPod.

Is the DRM music the only thing that she won't be able to sync?

Weill her iPod be linked permanently to that iTunes version or just with the music pruchased on that store that is downloaded to the iPod?

Life is about the journey not the destination!

The Kazoo Spartan

John T. Haller
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Permanent

iPods are designed to only sync with one copy of iTunes and to scare you by offering to automatically delete all your music when you plug it into a computer with iTunes that isn't hers. If she syncs it at her friend's, she won't be able to use iTunes anywhere else (but can use something like ephpod).

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

wsm23
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Thanks again.

My daughter thanks you too!!

Down with the MAFIAA!!!

Life is about the journey not the destination!

The Kazoo Spartan

Rob Loach
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XP

Isn't it about time you get a new computer, or upgrade that old one? The one you're running is almost 10 years! Be a good geek dad and get a new computer.

Rob Loach [Website] [Projects]

Bruce Pascoe
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...

I guess he figures "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Or in this case, replace it. Really, that's an okay mentality to have. Saves you money in the long run. Now, me, on the other hand... I might not upgrade my computer often, but I'll be damned if I don't have the latest version of my operating system. Smile

Though I may not be upgrading to Vista... I've heard too many things about Vista and DRM. I refuse to support DRM by buying a crippled operating system.

nm35
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Cut the DRM crap already!

Ditto. I was looking forward to Vista, but I've had enough DRM bull.

~nm35 {blog} {personal space}

wsm23
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Method to my madness

Having a teenager, I have to worry about a number of things that could get her into trouble regarding computers.

Not having the latest and greatest so far has forced her to ask me every time she needs to install something on her computer. This way I can more closely monitor her activities. Under the guise of installing or updating her computer, I can check her history, etc.

It has also allowed me to get her out of her room and back onto the family computer to use iTunes.

Life is about the journey not the destination!

The Kazoo Spartan

Bruce Pascoe
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...

Well, you can do that with XP, too. Just make her user account a limited account. Then she can't install most programs. Only you can, with an administrator account. So that's a poor excuse for not upgrading the operating system.

But the second reason (getting her out of her room) is a good one. I wouldn't have thought of that one. Smile

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