A Reader's Plea For Help: Stop the Limited-iTunes-Sharing Madness

TUAW-reader Robert wrote in today with the following complaint: "The limited number of times a shared iTunes library can be shared in one day is REALLY annoying. I live on a college campus (not because I'm a student) and my apartment shares a broadband network with all 600 students in the dorms around me. I USED to have access to some real great music and I got a lot of exposure to different kinds of music. The exposure to other music meant I bought *more* CDs. Now, if I don't light up iTunes at 7am, I don't get to connect to other libraries because they've exceeded their daily quota of 5 connections. It has rendered the concept of shared libraries useless for me. I'm not a music downloader, I only get my online music from ITMS and other legal means. I used to hear something on a shared library and go buy it. Now I can't hear other music, so I buy less."

Dear Steve Jobs,

See what you have done? See what your pact with the RIAA is doing to your iTMS sales? Sure, you're beating every other online music source out there, but you could be beating them more thoroughly with higher numbers across the board if you simply start befriending your consumers rather than making things difficult for them through these odd limitations and DRM.

It's clear that the RIAA isn't interested in their customers needs, wants, or desires, but I like to think that you are interested in these things, Mr. Jobs. The RIAA is interested in money. Since you have a lot of money, perhaps they will listen to you if you push back against them.

Hugs,

Your Customers.