I think you need to clarify your point. When you say
"The lock-in was iTunes, not the DRM."
do you mean iTunes the application? iTunes the online store? Or iTunes the ecosystem?
The app wasn't a lock in, as far as I know there were no rules requiring exclusivity on the online store... and if the ecosystem was a 'lock-in' there are alternatives.
Not to pick on you specifically, I see plenty of people saying one or more of those is a lock-in, but I haven't seen a good reason why yet. It just seems to be an article of faith. Why is iTunes a lock-in? It just is, that's why.
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But then there is all this heated debate. Why even argue about it? If someone wants to own a Zune and feel all special and unique and pay $15/month for music subscription, hey, they can just do it.
I think the debate is 'interesting', because at HN, surely we would all recognise that building an ecosystem (or community) around your product and giving the users a seamless end to end experience would actually be a good thing. Something to be emulated. No? If not, why not? What is it about Apple that singles it out from the herd for such uniquely irrational treatment?
"The lock-in was iTunes, not the DRM."
do you mean iTunes the application? iTunes the online store? Or iTunes the ecosystem?
The app wasn't a lock in, as far as I know there were no rules requiring exclusivity on the online store... and if the ecosystem was a 'lock-in' there are alternatives.
Not to pick on you specifically, I see plenty of people saying one or more of those is a lock-in, but I haven't seen a good reason why yet. It just seems to be an article of faith. Why is iTunes a lock-in? It just is, that's why.
---
But then there is all this heated debate. Why even argue about it? If someone wants to own a Zune and feel all special and unique and pay $15/month for music subscription, hey, they can just do it.
I think the debate is 'interesting', because at HN, surely we would all recognise that building an ecosystem (or community) around your product and giving the users a seamless end to end experience would actually be a good thing. Something to be emulated. No? If not, why not? What is it about Apple that singles it out from the herd for such uniquely irrational treatment?