Leader: Apple work with Microsoft? Let the people decide

To interoperate or not to interoperate?

That is the question to which Apple said 'no' and which the US Congress is now debating.

A mandate is under discussion across the pond which would oblige Apple to ensure iTunes and its other digtal music products worked with offerings from archrivals including Microsoft and Real.

There's been no love lost between any of the companies involved on the subject of interoperability. From Real sledgehammering its way onto iPods to Microsoft's none-too-subtle suggestions that consumers on the hunt for a new flash music player should avoid getting locked into one online store, DRM has been a battleground for digital music companies.

Despite some attempts and overtures made by other tech firms to get Apple to open up its file formats, those self-same rivals are the first to say they'd rather the door to the iPod was opened voluntarily than kicked down.

Still, the news isn't ideal for consumers - anyone thinking of swapping their iTunes-bought music from an iPod to a Zen Micro, or transferring their Napster-bought music the other way, will have a real problem. For the less tech-savvy, one standard platform could be an answer to their prayers and make the whole music and music player buying experience less of a hassle.

So is it time for a little bit of government-sponsored friendliness between the Cupertino and Redmond DRM folk? As hard as it may be for consumers to swallow, we have to say no.

No-one from Capitol Hill stepped in when Betamax and VHS went head to head or when USB and Firewire slugged it out. And while debates may still rumble on about whether the best man won, consumers had the choice and voted with their cash.

It's the same with the Apple-versus-everyone-else battle. The non-DRM-literate could do with more information on what works with what - a nice sticker on music players that says 'does work with Napster, doesn't work with iTunes' would be a start - but ultimately the choice should be left with digital music buyers. If they're so worried about iTunes music not working with their MP3 player of choice, after all, why have Apple's online music sales done so well?

For those seeking a more agnostic solution, there's always the CD - remember them?

It's down to the public, not the government, to decide whether Microsoft and Apple interoperate. If customers start to complain loudly enough, you can bet Apple will sit up and take notice. Or at least take more notice than it did of the Congressional debate, at which rivals such as Real and Napster testified but from which Apple was conspiculously absent.