Just wanted to let you know what I think of the progress of your crusade to bring music to the masses in digital format. I know you’re dying to get it done, since you have so much music that you think we should hear.

So, I tried out MusicMatch Jukebox’s Download service. Pretty nifty, actually. The catalog looks pretty huge, and I was even able to find an album that Tower couldn’t get for me. That is pretty cool. And, it only cost $9.99. Bravo, boys. That’s the price point I’m looking for.

BUT…here’s where your grade drops from an A to a D-.

Now I’ve got 9 Windows Media tracks on my computer. They’re useless to me. Why useless?

1. I don’t use Windows Media Player. I’d use it if I could plug Lame into it and rip CD’s into MP3 format. But I can’t. I’d use it with an encoder workaround, if it could burn a CD in a realistic time frame on a freakin’ 40x burner. Again, it doesn’t. So, WMP receives a “You really Suck” score. This has nothing to do with why those 9 tracks are useless. I just wanted to get it off my chest.
2. WMA sucks for fidelity. Yes, I know. MP3 sucks, as does any lossy compression. But I’ll stick with the devil I know.
3. What do you mean I have to use Musicmatch? What if I wanna play something with WinAmp? I just checked it out. You can’t. That sucks.
4. I don’t have the jack to spend on one of those fancy new mp3 players. I’m quite content with my Rio 500. Despite everyone’s best effort at killing those off, there’s some homebrew drivers and a couple of apps that let me use it. Well, can’t use my new 9 tracks on it. No WMA support.
5. What is this crap about only being able to listen to a track on 3 computers. Sorry fellas, I bought it. It’s mine. I get to do with it as I please. Wherever, whenever, however. (Just like your add says, before you get to the fine print)
6. What is this crap about only being able to burn a cd 5 times? See above.

So, while I’d love to use the service, and would probably spend money there, I’m afraid I can’t give you my business.

Said it before, say it again.

1. Make it cheap (you did)
2. Make it universal (Ogg would be great, MP3 is acceptable)
3. I can use it however, whenever, wherever.

You’re SO close to making more money than you can imagine. Get with it guys.

Until then, I’m enjoying the 9 tracks that I burned to a CD, and then ripped with LAME. They’re in a format that I can use wherever, whenever, however.