Most Silicon Valley executives seem to have forgotten some lessons they have learned way back in business school or while they're taking their MBAs - that important moral lesson happens to be put the customers first, above profits, above income, above anything. This is what CNet Executive Editor, Charles Cooper, believes. His opinions focused on the incompatibility of the iTunes Music Store to non-Apple mp3 players.

He mentions that the decision to make the iTunes incompatible to others was a good business decision that most likely contributed to why Apple's iPod is the best selling mp3 player around, and why Creative is being portrayed as a green-eyed monster jealous with the attention and profits that the rival's product is getting. The iPod + iTunes combo entailed big money and profits, but did they put out their customers first? Well, certain European countries don't think so.

We have mentioned the problem that Apple had with France and Denmark with regards to why the iTunes is incompatible with non-Apple mp3 players. Apple has until the end of July to explain to regulators in Norway, Denmark and Sweden why songs sold on iTunes could not be played on rival devices. Harsh words have been exchanged, lawsuits have been filed...but the pervading question is still, "how are the consumers?"

From my understanding of what Mr. Cooper wrote, he believes that Apple will be pressed to bring down the walls it has erected i.e. the incompatibility of iTunes with other mp3 players, to guarantee that the momentum behind its great invention continues into the next decade. I couldn't agree more with him.

Apple has been known for its good customer care activities, I believe that customer care should not be the means to continue propagating a product, thus it should be the reason why a product exist in the first place. The profits is of course part of the equation, but the problem is that businessmen have been focusing on things they can't control instead of things that are within their reach. Customer service is something they can control, and, for the sake of damage control, make the iTunes compatible with others.