Looney Zune Decision Stifles Gift Sales

Microsoft's silly decision to make its Zune software only run on Windows XP SP2 (with Vista support coming the end of January) has had an interesting unintended consequence. Before you buy a Zune for someone as a gift, you have to know which operating system they use. If they have a Mac, forget it. If they use an older release of Windows, forget it. It is particularly funny that iTunes can run on more Windows computers (Windows 2000 SP4, all XP releases and Vista) than Zune.

The iPod has become a favorite gift choice, particularly for Christmas. My anecdotal evidence is that many such shoppers have no idea of the operating system used by many of the folks they are shopping for. So how many holiday shoppers who might consider a Zune choose an iPod simply to avoid this foolishness?

I think this falls into the "we didn't think this through" category. Microsoft has made it harder to choose a Zune than an iPod as a gift. If they do not release Mac software, this problem will continue.

This bonehead move ranks with the goofy way the Zune store requires you to buy points that you then use to buy content. But that's another rant for another day...

Microsofties, please repeat after me: we will create no dopey obstacles to someone choosing our product.

Now port the Zune software to the Mac's OS X. I've run out of adjectives that are synonymous with stupid.

Copyright © 2006 Philip Bookman

Technorati: Zune, Microsoft