Getting Downgraded

Jason Snell on Apple’s repeated downgrading of iTunes’ music-sharing feature: when it debuted you could share music over the Internet; then they restricted it to five concurrent users on your local network; recently they’ve tightened it to no more than five computers on your local network in the last 24 hours. Tech companies like Apple and Roxio are squeezed: customers want freedom, the entertainment industry wants odious restrictions.

★ Thursday, 7 April 2005