France today passed a law forcing online music stores to allow interoperability with any music player. This essentially means that (a) Anyone--not just iPod users--can buy music from the iTunes Music Store, (b) iPod users can buy music from any music store, not just iTunes, and (c) Apple now has to choose between losing control over the whole iPod/iTunes package, or pulling out of France altogether.

It's difficult to argue with this from a consumer point of view, though its ultimate ramifications are unknown. More choice is good, but if the law means Apple takes their ball and goes home, that will mean less choice, not more.

The thing that concerns FreeiPodGuy more about this bill is that it also outlaws P2P file sharing software. I'll readily admit that P2P sharing is done illegally more than legally, but the principle that a useful technology will be unavailable to all because some users might use it illegally is abhorrent to me.