Hey Apple: let people hack the iPod

While I still like working on OSX, I have been moving almost entirely using Linux on the desktop (actually KDE and GNOME, two of the main GUIs for Linux). I have many reasons why i have been making the move, I can run GNOME on Solaris which is what I use at work, Linux can run on much, much wider range of hardware then OSX and thus allow me to have the same GUI (and the same troubleshooting steps) on almost any hardware.

However I have been becoming increasingly annoyed at Apple over their way or the highway mentality. I think Apple makes great hardware (except the damn one button mouse) and a great OS but the fact that Apple won't allow anyone to do anything interesting outside of their control (i.e. hack) is really starting to piss me off. Hacking is about the only way that new stuff is making it to the general public. Apple, please knock it off and let people and companies do what they are going to do and as long as it is label as being modified then what the hell is the problem?