I own an iPod.
Actually, I paid for it. I have never felt like I own it. It has a life of its own. It's something of a snob when it comes to playing nice with everything else I own. It looks down up on me and my software.
And the attitude is somewhat an embodiment of its maker. Apple is absolutely capable of making a device that is simple to its inner core. The layers of obfuscation and intrigue that they bury the workings of it is intentional and not in my interest. To use SQLite and then hash72/hash58 to prevent you from reading it, it is as blatant as it gets to a smoking gun.
The reasons are rather obvious. Apple wants people to use iTunes and eventually click on one of those "Buy Now" links in it. Now, to ensure that I (as an iPod "user") uses iTunes, they don't have any scruples about twisting my arm.
And the pain will go away the moment I use Apple iSomething. Everything would work and it would be nirvana. It is not my fault that it is painful for me to use an iPod without using the rest of the apple cult-products. Stop bullshitting me about that. I know what's causing this pain.
Apple wanted me inconvenienced. It was intentional on their part.
I'm not even asking for them to build a simpler device. I'm just angry at them for intentionally breaking their already undocumented interfaces with every generation of the iPod. I'm not angry at them for not making a linux iTunes. I'm angry at them for springing a surprise every release and hanging onto the file layout specs as if it was their Hello Kitty diary. I'm angry at them because they don't care about me or my money. There are enough dollars to be made with people with iTunes & its Click-to-Buy convenience.
Last of all, I'm angry with myself. I'm angry about paying Apple good money to sell me something that they are going to use as a lever on my choices at other things. I'm angry about giving them more money to screw someone else over, come the next gen of the iWhatEver.
Indeed, one bite of that poisoned apple ...
--Happy is he who has the pure truth in him.
He will regret no sacrifice that keeps it.
-- Faust