I had a very similar experience with the ipod and avoid everything apple ever since.

ITunes did install on my windows laptop (wondering why i had to do that tho, why couldn't i just drag my mp3's to the device folder??), but it was still an instant locked-in experience. Whatever went into iTunes/ipod seemed near impossible to get back out. Mp3 in, gibberish out. Encoded to some apple (c) tm format, lost into the void. Coming from a normal mp3-player that was very unexpected and unpleasant.

The only thing I liked about it was the (hardware) wheel.