Given Windows is suggested as an option on their machines, maybe they will write a driver. Either way I'm sure someone will write one for Linux.

The iPod didn't support Windows when it was released. Maybe Apple are doing the same thing here; I'm sure by not supporting Windows, they're able to get a better product out much quicker.

Fair point. It would be nice if they would at least commit to bringing Windows support in the future.

I can't imagine this would affect actual sales though, just another of example of when Apple's secrecy can be irritating for some of us.

For Apple to commit to anything in advance, let alone Windows support for a brand-new peripheral, would be evidence of takeover by pod people, and thus not nice at all.

Windows support for the original iPod arrived two years later.

Again, they were testing the market with the true believers. The music industry viewed the 2-3 million mac users back then as a nice microcosm they could experiment on. If it failed, it wouldn't get much press because back then nobody used macs.