Jayboard,
I was never able to find a "dumb ethernet hub", which the people at the Apple help line said I would have to use instead of a switch or router. It would have worked to run an ethernet cable directly from out of the computer to the Airport Express, but then I would have to physically change the cables at the back of the computer to listen to music or be on the internet--unacceptable. So I returned the switch and cable to OfficeMax (who gave me a refund no questions asked, God bless them), and got the Airport Extreme card from Apple, snapped it in place (very simple and easy to do), ran the software that came with the AE, and voila!, I've got iTunes playing on my main system. Using Apple Loseless we can't tell a difference between the original CD and the iTunes copy (so far--more listening necessary). As the Slim Devices people explained it, Apple is not eager to license the ability for a third party device to be able to play downloaded iTunes. Short term they will have people go my route and buy an Airport Express to be able to play downloaded music, so it appears to be a good strategy, but longterm this reluctance to license technology explains why the arguably best computer operating system and hardware has a worldwide market share of less than 2%. Apparently it is the Sony Betamax case study all over again. Being best and first doesn't mean you'll win in the end. Apple will face increased competition for the iPod, iTunes, and Airport Express, will slowly lose market share and by the time they change their strategy to try and regain lost market share it will be too late. The good news is that I'll have another example of what not to do to use in my classes (I teach graduate marketing courses at a state university).
