[buug] iTunes Music Store: m4p audio files?

[Jerry Asher]

Claude Rubinson wrote:

> >Seems kinda pointless since it appears I can still just burn
> >an audio CD. Or am I mistaken?

I use audible.com.  Crummy website.  IE Only.

But I drive lots and for $20 a month I can download two books in a
proprietary format.  I can listen to the book using their proprietary
player.  I don't know any other audible subscribers, so I don't know if
someone else could play the books I have bought and downloaded.

I haven't read the fine print -- did I buy books or just licenses, but I
am sure I know the answer (though they refer to my books as being in *my
library*).  While I would like to own the book, and as it turns out, for
me, 1/2 the fun is giving a book I like away to someone else, well at $10
a book for 10-20 hours of driving entertainment, I am willing for now, to
trade away ownership.

I can legitimately (they provide the software and encouragement) burn the
books to CD.  But the books I listen to are typically unabridged and 10 -
40 hours long, making a CD copy prohibitively expensive (of my time and
money).

Odd Plug (not Ob Plug).  Terrible website.  Ethical/Moral problems over
DRM.  But some of these books are wonderful things to listen to.  Up
Country, 28 hours by Nelson DeMille narrated by Scott Brick.  Snow Crash. 
Angel's Flight, Michael Connelly read by Burt Reynolds.  Several James Lee
Burke Mysteries, read by Will Patton.

These were wonderful performances.  One actor doing all the voices, male
and female, and convincing too.  Maybe one or two sound effects, but
mostly just used as a seque.

Not all the books have such good recordings, and those that don't can be
painful to listen too.  But if you're going on a long drive, or need
something new to listen to at the gym or on a walk, it's a pretty good
service.

BUT I HATE THEIR DAMNED WEBSITE.  It's clear they got some seed money from
Microsoft or a Microsoft interested VC.