You lost me at “alias”...I hope users don’t have to know anything about UNIX file systems to create shortcuts or back up :-p I sure don’t know anything about them.
On a side note, do you know anything about iTunes? I got an iTunes gift card for Christmas ‘06 and it’s just been sitting on my desk. I thought I’d seen somewhere that they expire after six months, but I can’t find anything on the Apple web site or by a Google search. I’d like to know one way or another if the card is still good.
OS X Alias = Windows Shortcut. That's all the average user needs to know.
The rest is pretty technical stuff, but the hard links with Time Machine are basically how Apple can get away with doing a "full backup" of 200 GB of data every hour and not fill a one terabyte hard drive in five hours.
On a side note, do you know anything about iTunes?
Just as a regular user. I've used most of the media apps out there, and it's my personal favorite, although others strongly disagree. A matter of personal taste I guess. I've never bought anything at the store, but my wife did once. You have to establish an account (which you already have if you've registered an iPod), takes under a minute, then I guess just try to load up your gift card and see if it works. Can't hurt to try.*
The help in iTunes tells you how to easily back up your purchased music with DRM (playing and transfer restrictions) in case your computer ever dies. The restrictions of the DRM are pretty loose, but I'd still stick with non-DRM music, especially if you have a portable player other than an iPod.
* Alternately, you could send me the gift card. :)