Why is itunes store such a piece of shit

[Bebpo]

So apparently when you buy a new computer, log in, and authorize your computer with the store and then click "check for available downloads" it won't find any of the stuff you've bought on it in the past on a different computer, so you lose everything you've bought.

Anyway around this?  Google isn't helping and apple customer service is shit.

Glad I've only spent about $50 on the store in the past 4 years.

[brob]

You got some entitlement issues dude. Be happy Jobs let you borrow those songs from him in the first place.

[MCD]

http://www.zune.net/en-US/

[BlueTsunami]

I dont' know, when you download the MP3 it should be your responsibility to keep them safe (with a backup copy or something). I'd rather just buy my MP3's from amazon and back up whatever I've purchased on a separate HDD or burn them to to a DVD. This really is nothing compared to the whole DRM shit before iTunes Plus.

[Rman]

So apparently when you buy a new computer, log in, and authorize your computer with the store and then click "check for available downloads" it won't find any of the stuff you've bought on it in the past on a different computer, so you lose everything you've bought.

Anyway around this?  Google isn't helping and apple customer service is shit.

Glad I've only spent about $50 on the store in the past 4 years.

You can't re-download your songs.  It's not XBL or PSN.  You need to back them up.

As an FYI, there's is no legit music download service that lets you re-download purchased songs.  RIAA won't allow it.  Apple will make a special exception in the case of data loss, but it is for one time only.  Amazon is the same way.

Authorizations are tricky.  What it does is allow you to play DRM'ed files on your new computer.  The new iTunes Plus songs aren' DRM'ed, but older songs and media--movies and tv shows are.  When you authorize your computer, your allowing it to play the DRM'ed content. 

Yeah, dude, it works nothing like Steam, XBL, PSN, or even WiiWare.  The RIAA negotiated these terms with all online music marketplaces--Amazon, eMusic, Zune, etc.  So it you do buy MP3s, you need to back them up.

I'm moving more to streaming services--Pandora, Rhapsody, etc., because of this.  I don't really need to own tons of music since the streaming services have amazing selections.

Did you back up your MP3?  If not you should be able to burn them to a DVD and move them over to your new machine.

[demi]

WiiWare doesnt let you re-download your stuff either if you get a new Wii, btw

[Rman]

WiiWare doesnt let you re-download your stuff either if you get a new Wii, btw

Correct.  I meant more within one machine.  These music services don't even allow you to re-download your purchases to the same computer they were purchased.  Again, RIAA shenanigans.  They set the terms.

[lennedsay]

Back in the day I used some software called Tune Transfer. It downloaded all the songs off my iPod to my new computer.

You can only have songs you buy on 5 computers ever though (from what I remember and I doubt it's changed). So I'm on my second iPod, 1st iPhone and 4th or so computer in the last 7 years I've been purchasing iTunes songs. They're all legit mine and I've honestly only used the songs I've purchased for me, but my next computer will lock me out of those songs.

[bork]

Back in the day I used some software called Tune Transfer. It downloaded all the songs off my iPod to my new computer.

You can only have songs you buy on 5 computers ever though (from what I remember and I doubt it's changed). So I'm on my second iPod, 1st iPhone and 4th or so computer in the last 7 years I've been purchasing iTunes songs. They're all legit mine and I've honestly only used the songs I've purchased for me, but my next computer will lock me out of those songs.

They stopped doing the DRM thing with new music like two years ago, though.  When I got a new PC a couple of months ago, I took all the DRM iTunes music I had, burned them to CDs, then re-ripped them, which removes the DRM.  It was tedious but I only had around 60-70 songs with DRM.

[Bebpo]

People buy music

Japanese music that is too obscure to exist on the internets
$25 digital download on itunes JPN store is still cheaper than $30+$10 shipping for the physical cd.

Unless you know, you install Windows 7 and forget to back up your itunes directory!   :'(

And wow, fuck the RIAA for being responsible for this shit.  I delete stuff I download from digital stores all the time because I figure I can just redownload it when I need it.  Why should music be different? 

[Rman]

People buy music

Japanese music that is too obscure to exist on the internets
$25 digital download on itunes JPN store is still cheaper than $30+$10 shipping for the physical cd.

Unless you know, you install Windows 7 and forget to back up your itunes directory!   :'(

And wow, fuck the RIAA for being responsible for this shit.  I delete stuff I download from digital stores all the time because I figure I can just
redownload it when I need it.  Why should music be different? 

Bebpo, just keep bugging, Apple.  Be a pain.  This happened to me with tons of music and I got a one time re-download of the files.  You gotta be persistent, though.  And try to call them.  Email won't work.  You need to talk to a person.

Here's a response to a user at the Zune boards from the moderation team, explaining the situation:

You cannot redownload mp3's.  This is an industry standard and you will see this enforced at all the major digital music sites.

You need to backup your mp3's by either putting them on CD's or copying them to an external hard drive.

Matt F.
Zune Video Team

[Brehvolution]

I don't see any problem with torrenting the music apple won't let you re-download. You already own the "license" for the music.