What if Music Store goes away?
Codepoet raises a few questions about the new iTunes Music Store (referenced by iacas). The first, and most important one, is:
What if Apple stops the store? What about the music we bought? Remember, it has to be unlocked per computer.
Take a look at the Terms of Service. This has to be clicked-through when you start up an account, plus it's linked all across the site. The interesting part is paragraph 9, section d (emphasis added):
You acknowledge that some aspects of the Service, Products, and administering of the Usage Rules entails the ongoing involvement of Apple. Accordingly, in the event that Apple changes any part of the Service or discontinues the Service, which Apple may do at its election, you acknowledge that you may no longer be able to use Products to the same extent as prior to such change or discontinuation, and that Apple shall have no liability to you in such case.
What does it mean that we may no longer be able to use the Products "to the same extent"? That's very vague, and it may well mean that songs stop working if the Music Store goes away.
Some other interesting parts:
(Section 8b) You agree to comply with such Usage Rules, as further outlined below, and you agree not to violate or attempt to violate any security components. You agree not to attempt to, or assist another person to, circumvent, reverse-engineer, decompile, disassemble, or otherwise tamper with any of the security components related to such Usage Rules for any reason whatsoever. Usage Rules may be controlled and monitored by Apple for compliance purposes, and Apple reserves the right to enforce the Usage Rules with or without notice to you.
Not unexpected.
(Section 8b) You will not access the Service by any means other than through software that is provided by Apple for accessing the Service.
Boo hiss. If you don't like iTunes, you're out of luck.
(Section 8b) You agree not to modify the software in any manner or form, or to use modified versions of the software, for any purposes including obtaining unauthorized access to the Service.
Wow. So, all of you who are modifying iTunes (if even just to switch icons), you're now in violation of a contract with Apple. Be warned.