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Saying that iTunes is anti-web is like saying that any desktop application is anti-web. When you click on a link in the browser it is forwarding the request to

Saying that iTunes is anti-web is like saying that any desktop application is anti-web. When you click on a link in the browser it is forwarding the request to a desktop application. Just because the application connects to a remote server and displays html type content does not mean it needs to go in a web browser. This is classic idealistic programmer blindness. Examples: I could write this program and I don't think it's worth $20 so it should be free. It should be open source. I can't reprogram my the fuel intake of my car so it must be anti-web. etc, etc, ...

Tichy 18y ago
OK, so I'll say it: any desktop application is anti-web. Is it programmer blindness? The reason I hate it as a programmer is that I don't see any compelling reason for the store to be not on the web. And it is very inconvenient. So it appears to be bad design, which disturbs the harmony of the cosmos.
- utnick 18y ago
  It isn't on the web because it is integrated into the software that you play your music and videos in. This is a good thing.
  - Tichy 18y ago
    Why? There are players for music and video for the web, and in any case, this is supposed to be a shop for iPhone applications? If the players for web don't live up to Apple's standards, why not improve Safari accordingly?
    - utnick 18y ago
      i admit I only use Itunes for music/video.. and it is convenient to buy and then automatically be in my library where I can fire it up quick or export it to my ipod. For Iphone apps it might not make as much sense.
      - Tichy 18y ago
        I have nothing against the convenience, I am just surprised they do it that way. I would have thought that basically iTunes integrates a browser for the shop, with some "plugins". So you could have the best of both worlds. If you want to just browse, you can do it with a normal browser, if you want the convenience, use the iTunes browser.
- mcormier 18y ago
  No reason? Seriously? How about some business reasons? - Don't have to test on multiple browsers. - Can upgrade the browser engine automatically with application updates and tie new features to iTunes version - Less risk of HTML hacking (source is much harder to get to), increases entrance barrier - Long term goal of familiarizing Windows users with a mac style interface.
  - Tichy 18y ago
    <irony>I guess web applications were the wrong approach all this time.</irony> I am surprised that it is still possible to buy applications for OS X anywhere. Why don't they tie OS X to the iTunes store as well? In fact, why doesn't Apple just create it's own internet, completely isolated from the real internet? Edit: one reason I can accept (just barely): pushing apps directly onto the phone if bought in the shop. I still think there should be a way to view the apps available in a browser.
  - wallflower 18y ago
    Even if iTunes could be coded using jQuery+CSS, how would the sync to your iPod/iTouch/iPhone be handled?
    - Tichy 18y ago
      Let them use iTunes for that, why not. But why not let me browse the selection on the web. I think you can also buy the stuff directly from the phone once you have one.
      - gnaritas 18y ago
        How about because you're not their target market? Businesses exist for profit, and their resources are not unlimited, they clearly put their efforts into their customers, you know, the ones with iPods for whom iTunes exists. Their business is rocking, they have no need to chase you.
        Tichy 18y ago
- pchristensen 18y ago
  Maybe no compelling reason for you as the user, but I'm pretty sure there are compelling reasons for Apple.
yef 18y ago
Classic Apple apologism. If Microsoft did this, there would be a swarm of complaints, and rightly so. I'll stick with the Amazon music store, which is not only cheaper, has no confusing DRM files to deal with, and is fully on the web, meaning I can link to music, buy it on any web-enabled computer, etc. There are plenty of reasons to like Apple, but their music store seems backward and anti-competitive to me.
- raganwald 18y ago
  > If Microsoft did this, there would be a swarm of complaints, and rightly so. help me understand: how do I buy music for a Zune? I went to Zune.net, and this is what I found: "For the full Zune Music experience, get the free Zune software. Browse over three million songs you can preview and download..."
- jimbokun 18y ago
  "If Microsoft did this, there would be a swarm of complaints, and rightly so." In Cringely's interview of Steve Jobs from "Revenge of the Nerds", Jobs says that he doesn't begrudge Microsoft their success. It just bothers him that they have absolutely no taste. I agree that Apple (particularly under Jobs) is no better than Microsoft in terms of wanting to lock in all of their customers and extract as much money from them as humanly possible. However, I do think that Apple (particularly under Jobs) exhibits outstanding taste in software and hardware design. In particular, the combination of iTunes and iPod, while striving to lock customers in and not playing fairly with others, is far more usable and aesthetically pleasing than all of the sorry attempts by Microsoft to solve the same set of problems. I think the fact that so many people LIKE Apple's products is part of the reason why not as many people get upset at Apple's anti-competitive behavior.

Tichy 18y ago

OK, so I'll say it: any desktop application is anti-web. Is it programmer blindness? The reason I hate it as a programmer is that I don't see any compelling reason for the store to be not on the web. And it is very inconvenient. So it appears to be bad design, which disturbs the harmony of the cosmos.

utnick 18y ago
It isn't on the web because it is integrated into the software that you play your music and videos in. This is a good thing.
- Tichy 18y ago
  Why? There are players for music and video for the web, and in any case, this is supposed to be a shop for iPhone applications? If the players for web don't live up to Apple's standards, why not improve Safari accordingly?
  - utnick 18y ago
    i admit I only use Itunes for music/video.. and it is convenient to buy and then automatically be in my library where I can fire it up quick or export it to my ipod. For Iphone apps it might not make as much sense.
    - Tichy 18y ago
      I have nothing against the convenience, I am just surprised they do it that way. I would have thought that basically iTunes integrates a browser for the shop, with some "plugins". So you could have the best of both worlds. If you want to just browse, you can do it with a normal browser, if you want the convenience, use the iTunes browser.
mcormier 18y ago
No reason? Seriously? How about some business reasons? - Don't have to test on multiple browsers. - Can upgrade the browser engine automatically with application updates and tie new features to iTunes version - Less risk of HTML hacking (source is much harder to get to), increases entrance barrier - Long term goal of familiarizing Windows users with a mac style interface.
- Tichy 18y ago
  <irony>I guess web applications were the wrong approach all this time.</irony> I am surprised that it is still possible to buy applications for OS X anywhere. Why don't they tie OS X to the iTunes store as well? In fact, why doesn't Apple just create it's own internet, completely isolated from the real internet? Edit: one reason I can accept (just barely): pushing apps directly onto the phone if bought in the shop. I still think there should be a way to view the apps available in a browser.
- wallflower 18y ago
  Even if iTunes could be coded using jQuery+CSS, how would the sync to your iPod/iTouch/iPhone be handled?
  - Tichy 18y ago
    Let them use iTunes for that, why not. But why not let me browse the selection on the web. I think you can also buy the stuff directly from the phone once you have one.
    - gnaritas 18y ago
      How about because you're not their target market? Businesses exist for profit, and their resources are not unlimited, they clearly put their efforts into their customers, you know, the ones with iPods for whom iTunes exists. Their business is rocking, they have no need to chase you.
      - Tichy 18y ago
pchristensen 18y ago
Maybe no compelling reason for you as the user, but I'm pretty sure there are compelling reasons for Apple.

yef 18y ago

Classic Apple apologism. If Microsoft did this, there would be a swarm of complaints, and rightly so. I'll stick with the Amazon music store, which is not only cheaper, has no confusing DRM files to deal with, and is fully on the web, meaning I can link to music, buy it on any web-enabled computer, etc. There are plenty of reasons to like Apple, but their music store seems backward and anti-competitive to me.

raganwald 18y ago
> If Microsoft did this, there would be a swarm of complaints, and rightly so. help me understand: how do I buy music for a Zune? I went to Zune.net, and this is what I found: "For the full Zune Music experience, get the free Zune software. Browse over three million songs you can preview and download..."
jimbokun 18y ago
"If Microsoft did this, there would be a swarm of complaints, and rightly so." In Cringely's interview of Steve Jobs from "Revenge of the Nerds", Jobs says that he doesn't begrudge Microsoft their success. It just bothers him that they have absolutely no taste. I agree that Apple (particularly under Jobs) is no better than Microsoft in terms of wanting to lock in all of their customers and extract as much money from them as humanly possible. However, I do think that Apple (particularly under Jobs) exhibits outstanding taste in software and hardware design. In particular, the combination of iTunes and iPod, while striving to lock customers in and not playing fairly with others, is far more usable and aesthetically pleasing than all of the sorry attempts by Microsoft to solve the same set of problems. I think the fact that so many people LIKE Apple's products is part of the reason why not as many people get upset at Apple's anti-competitive behavior.