PyMusique creator says it was all about getting Linux for iTunes

We've been a little too distracted this week to notice where things currently stand in the pitched battle between Apple and the makers of PyMusique (that app which lets you buy DRM-less songs from the iTunes Music Store), but our pal Arik Hessaldahl over at Forbes.com spoke with Cody Brocious (one of the guys who isn't DVD Jon), and got some good background on how this all happened. Cody says that they weren't originally setting out to create an interface for the iTunes Music Store that let you buy songs without any DRM—it was simply a pleasant side effect of creating an interface for Linux users. We sort of want to believe them when they say that they didn't realize that the DRM was attached to tracks until after they were downloaded, but that doesn't exactly explain why they then went on to create a Windows-based version of PyMusique, does it? (Not that we really care, since sooner or later someone was going to figure it out.) Anyway, we doubt that Stevie J. would ever take them up on it, but Cody's now offering to help Apple create a Linux-compatible interface for the iTunes Music Store.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

[All Music Site @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

"but Cody�s now offering to help Apple create a Linux-compatible interface for the iTunes Music Store"

I think Apple has to go along with that offer!

[Velorea @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Just like it was about getting DVDs on Linux, right Jon? Riiiiight...

(He originally insisted that DeCSS would be Windows-only. How quickly we forget.)

[CaptSnuffy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

i think you meant to say "iTunes for Linux" instead of "Linux for iTunes"

[Brad Spry @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

The windows client is questionable, but this article reinterates my original comment about "they just want a Linux client".

Sure, it could just be a "save their ass" claim.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Steve better keep his eye on the Linux desktop long term.

[DRM encoding ultimately doomed @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Apple must realize they are fighting a losing battle (buying time, perhaps?) with the DRM encoding. Likely anyone with crypto background and two or more copies of a single DRM encoded song could decipher the encoding and strip/nullify it.

[ladyfox @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I think they honestly were, at first, only trying to design a Linux-only ITMS interface. As soon as they found out that it stripped the DRM stuff probably figured it was no big deal. I mean, you still have to pay for the music before you can download it. The only reason I use ITMS myself is due to the fact that I can still strip the DRM crap off by simply burning it to a CD and re-importing it. Were that not an option I'm sure a lot of people would'nt give Apple a plug nickel to ITMS to say nothing of the iPod probably not doing very well.

Granted, I give Apple a lot of credit for managing to put together ITMS and still running it at a break-even point. But, come on, how long is it going to take before the RIAA gets the message that DRM is a bad idea?

I refuse to buy from any label that buys into the DRM idea which is why I love Metropolis Records so much. Not only do they have great bands but they've gone on-record that they will never put any kind of copy-protection crap on their CD's. 'Course, it helps that I love all the groups under their label as well. ^___^

[Dan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Well, the biggest reason there is a Windows version is that they wrote PyMusique in Python. It runs on Linux and Windows with very little changes to the code (if any at all).

[Daffy Duck @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Backpedalling, anyone...?

[FlatMac @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

So we're supposed to believe that people using a FREE OS want to PAY for music?

heh.

[FlatMac @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

--The only reason I use ITMS myself is due to the fact that I can still strip the DRM crap off by simply burning it to a CD and re-importing it.--
--how long is it going to take before the RIAA gets the message that DRM is a bad idea? --

Well, even if you're stripping the DRM on download, you're still downloading the music which sends the message to the RIAA that,"Hey, it's ok, we'll buy music with DRM." The iTMS sales would need to drop precipitously to send the message we WANT to send.

[nick @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

--So we're supposed to believe that people using a FREE --OS want to PAY for music?

--heh.

believe it or not, I personally pay for loads of things, including music. I use linux because it doesn't suck.

not to mention the fact that a great majority of windows users are using a pirated copy

whether this was his intention or not, I DO want to be able to PAY for songs under linux, DRM or no.