Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/IPod/archive1

iPod

Not a self-nom. Fantastic article - I'm amazed that it isn't featured already. Doesn't have a references section at the bottom, but is appropriately inline referenced. Ambi 13:10, 18 Dec 2004 (UTC)

• Object. Good-looking article, but, man, that's a POV lead. The first paragraph goes like this: The iPod is a portable MP3 player designed and marketed by Apple Computer. It stores audio on a built-in hard drive, which gives it much larger capacity than other portable audio players that rely on flash memory. This also lets it serve as an external hard disk while connected to a computer; a user can store any kind of files on it. Lots of implications there: 1.) "than other portable audio players that rely on flash memory" suggests that all other players rely on flash memory. I realize that suggestion's not intended,but still, it's there. 2.) "This also lets it serve as an external hard disk... a user can store any kind of files on it" says that the fact of having a hard disk leads to these convenient features. That's not the case. While a flash memory player has much less storage space (as has already been mentioned in the previous sentence), it works just the same in this sense. I use mine to move Word files between computers sometimes, it's a lot more convenient than the CD "burning" hoo-haa. 3.) Isn't it a bit, uh, promotional, to make an explicit comparison with flash memory players and only mention the advantage (=memory size) of hard drive players? There's a good reason some people prefer flash memory, for instance for the gym or for running: having no moving parts, these players are extremely patient of being bounced about, dropped on the floor, etc. They're also very small and light. These things matter more in some contexts, having room for a lot of files like the iPod matters more in others. There ought to be either no comparison made, or else a fair comparison. (Incidentally, does the article mention the size or weight of the iPod at all? I can't find it, though that could be me. It's interesting info for a portable device. Steve Jobs, by contrast, is quoted as noting the size and weight of "competitors' video-supporting devices" as flaws.) I've fixed 1 myself, by simply removing "other", but 2 and 3 are beyond me, I'm not good enough with the terminology to get the lead to incorporate them and still stay nice and tight and concise.--[[User:Bishonen|Bishonen (talk)]] 14:29, 18 Dec 2004 (UTC)
  • Object for now agree with Bishonen's objections. Clear them up and this turns to support. Alkivar 18:20, 18 Dec 2004 (UTC)
    • I pulled the explicit comparison with flash memory (I'd rather not have to pad out the flash memory vs hard drive argument, as its not awfully relevant) and I think a couple of minor wording changes have seen the implications fixed up. Ambi 03:35, 19 Dec 2004 (UTC)
      • well you've got a point, i guess this really isnt the right place for a flash vs. hd based player comparison. however on a different note i'd like to see a photo for the First gen model, and for the Special edition black ipod. I'd also appreciate removal of the blatant "here's how to break the drm" part of the iTunes section. but you've overall almost got it right. Alkivar 04:18, 19 Dec 2004 (UTC)
        • There's a photo of the first generation model there already! ;) [1] Would a fair use picture of the special edition one be alright? I don't think I know anyone who has one. Ambi 09:46, 19 Dec 2004 (UTC)
          • I was pretty sure that photo is mislabelled, you sure thats not a 2nd Gen and a Mini? A fair use photo of the black one would be fine, but I think because its such a sharp contrast to the rest that it should be shown. Alkivar 13:40, 19 Dec 2004 (UTC)

I'm sorry, but I'm still not happy. I agree that you don't want to go into the whole hd vs flash thing, at least not in the lead, but I think the answer to that is having no comparison in the lead. Changing explicit unfair comparison to implicit unfair comparison doesn't remove POV. On this principle (I presume), UTSRelativity has already reinstated the mention of flash in the lead over Ambi's rewrite, arguing in the edit field that it's misleading to speak of "earlier MP3 players" as if the iPod came along and replaced flash. (And yes, I agree with him/her that to people interested in these devices your rewrite implied that, even though you removed the word "flash" itself). See my comment above for the reason new flash players are still being made. Also, the second lead paragraph states that iPods "feature small size". Small compared to what, a Sony Walkman from the 70s? For an MP3 player, the iPod features big size. Again, as I said above, wouldn't a mention of size and weight be interesting in an article about a portable device? I had missed the claim to "small size" when I wrote that--the claim makes the omission of specifics look a bit worse.--[[User:Bishonen|Bishonen (talk)]] 10:50, 19 Dec 2004 (UTC)

Object. Surprised to see this nominated as I think it is a long way from being of featured article standard. Problems: very POV; the quality of the technical information is not generally high and is scattered through the article rather than being focused into a section for ppl to either read closely or skip over; likewise information on design aspects is also too scattered; it's sales record should also be better presented. Basically the article doesn't read well, is too much of a puff piece and is difficult to extract information from. Oska 07:58, Dec 20, 2004 (UTC)

Object making this article a featured article is like marketing ipod which i dont think is the purpose of wikipedia. This article has no links to any other comparable harddisk players. An article on say the different types of portable music players or on the different types of music formats will be more useful and informative to people. -- kaal 00:18, 22 Dec 2004 (UTC)