I hate my $#%&%$!!!! Computer

[DungeonmasterCal]

Ok... so I'm trying to go straight. No more Kazaa, etc. I download Windows Media Player 10, and go to the music store. I use my msn passport id, log on, and go shopping. I find oodles of old classic rock songs I want (I hate commercial radio because they don't play the classic rock *I* want to hear) and go to buy them. I click "buy". Nothing happens. I click "buy" again. Nothing happens. I turn off my firewall. I click "buy". Nothing happens. I have a cable 'net connection, so it's not a speed issue. I can download via ITunes, but my computer won't burn the files to cd.

Ironically, my work computer runs the same OS (WinXP Pro) as my home computer. I can get the music store to work there, but downloading at work is STRICTLY prohibited. So here I sit, gazing through the window of the virtual music store, unable to buy what I want.

I hate my computer.

 

[der_kluge]

I'm not advocating that you violate the law... well, ok, I am.

Do what I did:
Download Bearshare, and get Sygate's personal firewall. You can download it from tucows.com - it's free.

With Sygate, you can block specific things. Bearshare comes loaded with spyware, but you can block all the spyware, while still allowing Bearshare.

I've used Kazaa, Morpheus, and Bearshare. I find Bearshare to be the easiest to use.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

I did the bootlegging thing for awhile, but somewhere I developed a conscience...danged thing gets in the way, let me tell ya. I have some friends who are songwriters and performers, so I guess I'm offering moral support by not using the P2P-wares anymore.

 

[KenM]

You could go to the store and buy the songs on CD, then burn them onto another CD/ computer.

 

[Allanon]

You could also google for "iTunes music protection" and download a handy little program which removes the DRM from the files downloaded via iTunes. Voila, you have paid for the music but are still free to use it like you want (like burning it on a cd, or playing it on the other PC in the house).

 

[Aeolius]

You could also google for "iTunes music protection" and download a handy little program which removes the DRM from the files downloaded via iTunes. Voila, you have paid for the music but are still free to use it like you want (like burning it on a cd, or playing it on the other PC in the house).

Granted, you can burn CDs and share playlists over a network without hacking iTunes.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

You could also google for "iTunes music protection" and download a handy little program which removes the DRM from the files downloaded via iTunes. Voila, you have paid for the music but are still free to use it like you want (like burning it on a cd, or playing it on the other PC in the house).

Ehh..it's not that I can't play the tunes I download from iTunes, it's that for some reason my computer won't burn them to a cd. I brought them to work as data files, and burned them here. But I'll give this a shot! Thanks!

 

[Allanon]

Ehh..it's not that I can't play the tunes I download from iTunes, it's that for some reason my computer won't burn them to a cd. I brought them to work as data files, and burned them here. But I'll give this a shot! Thanks!

The "or playing it on the other PC in the house" comment was intended as an example, as the normal iTunes DRM doesn't let you play the files on anything other that the original PC on which it was bought (or at least that was the case last time I checked, I could be mistaken).

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

The "or playing it on the other PC in the house" comment was intended as an example, as the normal iTunes DRM doesn't let you play the files on anything other that the original PC on which it was bought (or at least that was the case last time I checked, I could be mistaken).

No, you're right about it. It'll be a handy way around the blocking of iTunes here at work. To authorize my work PC to play my iTunes I have to access the iTunes store...which I can't do at work. I'm gonna try it out when I get time.

 

[ergeheilalt]

Granted, you can burn CDs and share playlists over a network without hacking iTunes.

However, if you go with a non-iPod mp3 player, you're out of luck. I second the iTunes recommendation with the DRM-removal tool.