Unpredictable. Unfocused. Just like life.

I agree with you that people need more common sense; certainly the ones with automatic-litigation-response reflexes do. So I won't defend their behavior.

However, on an iPod, I can see why an volume limit setting would be a good idea. I certainly have a very eclectic collection of music. And when the iPod is on shuffle mode, I could easily go from a quiet Debussy piano piece, which I might have to increase the volume on while I'm on the train, to a screaming Nine Inch Nails track, which would have to be turned down. Even if I resort to ripping the headphone buds out of my ear (that hurts, BTW), there's still a second or two where my eardrums have been punished.

I do NOT want volume compression (also known as Automatic Volume Leveling) because it tends to ruin the finer points of good music, and because it also takes a half-second or two to kick in. So I thing the Volume Limit is a good idea.

Or think of it this way. Whether Apple adds that feature or not, the automatic-litigation-responders aren't going away. And you don't have to turn it on if you don't want it. And I don't see it dramatically affecting the price of an iPod anyway.

There's my $1/50,
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