Here's the post:

I'm not sure what's going on but I've had this post removed twice in
less than an hour. The first one had 4 replies before it was removed,
the second had 54 posts before it was removed. You may want to cut and
paste this while you're reading this in case it goes away again. The
reason I was given for it's deletion was because it didn't pose an
actual technical question so I WILL ask a technical question during the
repost... let's see if THIS gets CENSORED...
Here's my post WITH the technical question injected....I'm a new Apple customer... even though I've had iPod's since the
G3, and now have seven iPods ( all models ) I didn't REALLY consider
myself an Apple customer until I decided to fork out over $1500.00
dollars for an Apple laptop and switch over from Microsoft, of which
I've been a life long user.
I turned my back on what I've known all my "computer" life and
decided to get on the "Apple Bandwagon"... and I dove into it head
first. I've spent more money on Apple products in the past year that I
even want to talk about.
Along the way I've become a spectator in what appears to be a
transition within the Apple "community". Seems to an outsider that for
the most part all was well for years between Apple and it's customers.
But recently that seems to be changing. I'm not going to waste time
going over all the recent issues... anyone that's a regular visitor to
this forum is well aware of what people are noticing regarding Apple...
from the roll out of the iPod "Classic" to the issues with MobileMe and
everything painful thing in between.
What I have noticed is this... and I'm speaking in generalities
here. Regardless of what seems to be wrong with Apple, their product de
jure, or issue of the day, people here complain, seeming to say
basically the same things regardless of the particular issue..., they
get repeated over and over, the problem gets resolved ( in some fashion
or other ) and the storm passes.
Apple seems to know what they are doing in not responding to the
issues... if they do respond it's all over the media... "Apple
Apologizes for xxxxx".... it shows up on every news, web and magazine
on earth. I've seen this when things have really gone to extremes with
problems regarding Apple products. Why would Apple do anything that's
going to bring more negative attention to them. The people on these
forums for all intents and purposes are a relatively small percentage
of there overall customers. We can moan and complain all we want but
it's not really making a difference in Apples bottom line...take today
for example with there profit statements and stock prices.
Apples advertising, which brings in new customers by the throngs,
vastly offsets all of the dis-satisfied customers they have that
complains here on these forums. For Apple to reply would only open them
to public awareness of problems with their product, and right now, they
have an image of "It just works.. and all is well"..... which is
bringing in new customers big time.
I'm just as frustrated as anyone else, but I really don't see much
payback coming to us as a result of our rants and rages. Perhaps an
extension on a subscription here or there, but nothing that really
makes up for the inconvenience of going without a service for several
days that we paid good money.
As I've heard many people say... "it's not like it's a matter of
life or death"...that's not the point. We rely on this for our social
as well as business communications. That's what Apple has positioned
themselves as... providers of that service. They advertised it as such,
we had the need, paid for it, and in the end, are at their mercy. As
sad as it is to say, Apple is the best there is out there in my
opinion, and like so many others I've watched here on these forums, we
will take it. We will complain, we will protest, we will stay up all
weekend "pressing the button". We will continue to buy their products.
And APPLE KNOWS IT.
Also... how do you adjust the volume on a G3 iPod? ( This is the technical question in case it wasn't obvious).Chuck :- )