Dropping them onto a CD-R will not work in a normal CD player. They have to be converted, and you need a program for that. And I hate Windows Media Player (almost as much as Real Player). In iTunes I make a playlist, click a button, and the CD is burned. And even if you're using Amazon, you can just drop the songs onto iTunes.
Correct me if I am wrong but he did say he has mp3 playback free already installed in his cd player, either way his OS came with a great free and easy to use program called WMP, and if he isn’t using drm tunes he can use that. WMP does everything that itunes does except sell you the songs. I know you are anti-everything MS but WMP is not that bad nad is very easy to use.