Could this be a viable alternative to iTunes at last? Maybe, but only from the independent music farm of course. After all, its mission is that of a DRM-free music selection. But for many AmaroK users, the real question is “why?” Simple, it’s called a shot over the bow to the application known as Songbird.

At this very moment a number of you might be thinking that this could not make any sense considering the fact that each application has Open Source code that the other might decide to use for their own needs. But even with applications that are free to use, there is still the matter of making sure that “their” app is the preferred choice so that they can maintain a decent level of user adoption.

Remember, it’s not just a matter of dollars. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of offering a reason for an application’s continued existence. Offering new ideas and services to compete against up and coming competition is a good example of this.