I'd 'Zune'r die...

When I heard that music "downloaded" from the new music service Ruckus (free for all IU students) wouldn't play on iPods, I was pretty surprised. Why would Ruckus and its protected, non-user-friendly file types willingly alienate a good number of student iPod owners? But I was even more astounded when I learned that Microsoft is, in turn, alienating all its anti-Mac buddies and subscribers to services such as Ruckus with its new portable music player, Zune.\nNow, I'm an avid Mac user and even I'll admit this: Zune looks pretty freaking cool. It's the first media player that might legitimately challenge the iPod in its market. But get this: Zune will not play any of the protected file types from download services such as Ruckus, Napster, MTV's Urge or AOL Music Now. The new Zune will only play unprotected files or a new type of protected file available from Microsoft's Zune Marketplace. Sorry, Ruckus, Napster, et al., but the millions of new Zune owners won't be subscribing to your services any more. However, Zune will play some types of unprotected files. To paraphrase J Allard, one of the men in charge of developing Zune, it's not a problem because there are lots of programs out there that convert file types and strip protection. So the new Microsoft slogan is buy from us or steal from someone else.\nBut with Zune, Microsoft didn't just leave out the download companies and their customers; they encouraged use of these services and then turned their backs on them. For example, Microsoft pushed playsforsure.com, a site that lists music services and devices that use Windows Media files, a certain type of seemingly universal protected media. Microsoft advertises these companies and encourages people to get subscriptions to a service they can trust. "Choose your music. Choose your device. Know it's going to work." \nSo if you trusted Microsoft and Windows Media's claim that your music would "play for sure" if you used one of the suggested stores, you were right -- as long as you buy a JVC XA-HD500 (catchy, huh?) or one of the 154 other "compatible" devices that make up the tiny piece of market share unoccupied by the iPod. If you want Microsoft's Zune, the coolest new media player coming out this Christmas -- well, all the music you downloaded from Ruckus or any of the sites that would "play for sure" won't play on it. Get ready to re-buy all of that music in a new format. Tough luck.\nWith that in mind, I don't feel that bad anymore. Ruckus screwed me over, but it's OK. Microsoft screwed over all the companies that jumped on board with its "play for sure" campaign, and all the consumers who bought into it. As a Mac user, I can understand Windows messing with me: It's competition, right? But it really puts a smile on my face when Windows screws itself.