Thursday, July 17, 2008

Mac haters....

I almost feel like there are a bunch of Mac haters in the audio book field. My grandma listens to a lot of audio books and the ones she wants are not always the new best sellers that the library has in the branch. So I go to different places online, including the library. The library allows you to borrow for free audio books to listen to. Grandma can use my shuffle with no problem but I can't put them on my mac in order to give them to her. The software they use is Overdrive. This is the message I get as a Mac user.

"Why can't I transfer WMA Digital Audiobook titles directly to my iPod, or use these files on my Mac?

WMA Digital Audiobook titles, provided by OverDrive, Inc., use DRM protection technology from Microsoft Corporation. Unfortunately the iPod and Mac do not currently support DRM-protected Windows Media Audio (WMA) files.

OverDrive, along with hundreds of online digital media providers, is hopeful that Apple and Microsoft can reach an agreement that would enable support for Microsoft-based DRM-protected materials on the iPod and Mac."

Well my first questions is why are they using WMA? They are completely blocking out thousands of people. For what reason? Shouldn't the library be using something a little more open? Then today I'm on Borders and they are offering a free book. But guess what? Can't use it because I haven't paid my few hundred dollar Microsoft Premium cost. I know I can put windows on my Mac but I don't want to. Apple has been so good about their products working on a windows machine. But Microsoft just doesn't! ::pout::

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