One quick question.  If I take some music from someone else's computer onto my ipod directly, can I then copy that music from my ipod to my computer?  How?  And, now that there is no more limit on computers for the songs, when that message pops up about not being authorized on that computer, what do I do?


Even though Apple has done away with DRM (digital rights management) or copy protection within iTunes, that doesn’t change the limitations on all the old music you purchased in the past. That is, unless you’d like to “upgrade” your library for a fee. Another way for Apple to bring in cash.

While it is possible to do what you want to accomplish, it’s also considered stealing and it’s the reason Apple put these iPod limitations in place to begin with (with the RIAA’s strong suggestion to do so of course). But let’s say you’re only moving your music off an old iPod that you originally purchased the music and move over to, then your hard drive died and you need to move the music off. A program called iPod Rip that will do the trick. It cost about $20.

Something else to consider is if the music you “transfered” from the other computer was purchased on another person’s iTunes account via iTunes then they’d need to give you their password in order to play that music and your computer would count as one of their 5 allowable machines in the old DRM method. If they were willing to give you that password in order for you to authorize your iTunes to play their music, then it’s not stealing. It’s legal.

It’s only music purchased from now on that will be DRM free. All the old music still has that horrible infection embedded in it.