Apple Vs. Windows

Yesterday I did a search for iPod in the Nikon D70/D50 Forum on Digital Photography Review. I still have not tested transferring pictures from my camera to the iPod. I was really dismayed at the results of my search. There were two people who bought iPod’s before going on vacation. They transferred their pictures from their Nikon D70’s to the iPod without problem. When they got back home and attached the iPod to their Windows pc, the hard disk in the iPod was formatted and all of their pictures were lost. This is really pathetic.

This will not happen to me because I read the manual that came with my iPod, and I started using the iPod for audio files before I attempted to store my photos on it. The iPod manual is very vague about the formatting process. It just says that the iPod may need to be formatted but does not specifically say that if you are using a pc with Windows that the disk will be formatted the first time you connect the iPod to the pc. I installed the iPod software, and then connected the iPod to my pc. A window immediately opened that said the disk was being prepared and updated files placed on the iPod, and then I would have to plug the iPod into an electrical outlet to complete the initialization process. I followed directions and all went well. The manual supplied with the Apple iPod did not explain any of this process.

I feel sorry for the two individuals who lost their vacation pictures, but I think they share the blame with Apple. Before you go on vacation you should check out all of your photo equipment. In the digital age photo equipment now includes storage devices and pc’s. I certainly will be making practice transfers between my camera, iPod and pc before I put any pictures that are important to me at risk.