Apple isn't (pardon the pun that is coming) the only bad apple in this area.  Plenty of others are as well.  Lots of developers and software providers are out that have been incredibly lazy about upgrading and updating to get ready for Vista.

Heck, we still haven't been able to upgrade our systems at work to IE7 because one of the contractors there (the prime actually) has not yet gotten their VPN system upgraded to be compatible with IE7.  They blamed Juniper networks but I can just about guarantee that Juniper had their stuff ready to go when IE7 was released as a "critical" update to Windows XP.  If not, then Juniper should be slapped hard for the same failing you mention in your article.

I blame the prime contractor's IT department for not getting their systems updated to be ready for IE7 (nor Vista for that matter, since it only ships with IE7).  They are just using Juniper as a convenient excuse.

I installed iTunes 2 days ago and it works fine on my end.(Vista Ultimate)

iTunes 7.02 has worked on my machine running Vista for the past few months.

Not sure what the issue is on your machine.   

iTunes 7.02 has worked on my machine running Vista for the past few months. Not sure what the issue is on your machine.

Not an issue on my machine per se, this is a problem that is acknowledged by Apple and WIDELY known. . Note in particular that "iTunes store purchases may not play", and "Ejecting an iPod from the Windows System Tray using the 'Safely Remove Hardware' feature may corrupt your iPod."

Whaaa? Using Safely Remove Hardware CORRUPTS the iPod? Yeah, not exactly a minor issue. I don't see how Apple could not have noticed some of this ahead of time, especially breaking purchased music libraries.

For those not using an iPod/iTunes purchased music, much of this is a non-issue... iTunes will actually run and play mp3's just like before.... mostly... it doesn't seem to be launching at all for me at the moment.

I tunes won't work for me unless it's excluding from being skinned. Just in case...

I tunes won't work for me unless it's excluding from being skinned. Just in case...

Well, I have nothing skinned currently anyway, having too many bugs with WindowBlinds 5....

apple sucks anyway and why would you want itunes

Well, my girlfriend is getting me an ipod for my birthday (april) but I plan on using 3rd party uploading devices (for foobar2000) to get media on my ipod. I refuse to install that horrid itunes... I hate what it does to my media library (adds useless tags and stuff >__>).

But I did have vista RTM for a little bit, and I had put itunes on it for my girlfrind ipod, and it worked fine. So not sure how much has changed in the final version... .

I haven't had any troubles. I've been buying music and downloading them to my iPod and rzar. I don't even use the 'Safely Remove Hardware' feature I just pull out the USB when it says "OK to Disconnect".  

The repair patch was already available so don't get into too much of a dither:

WWW Link

From my view, they are literally punishing Apple customers (iTunes/iPod) who dared buy Vista so early. What do you think?

I don't think thats the case at all.  I seriously doubt Apple had a big meeting and decided iTunes shouldn't work perfectly with Vista to "punish" someone.  People on Windows, whether it's XP or Vista purchases a lot of music from iTunes, and I'm quite sure Apple knows that.