http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/12/05/ipod_shuffle_top_chav_gadget/

"The sad part is that the shuffle is the worst player in the Apple range – more like some dodgy back street knock-off than the excellent other iPods. The fact it has no screen so you can’t program it or choose a track – it chooses the music for you"

Only if you use the shuffle mode. If you have more than one brain cell and can remember the name of the artist of the song you want to listen to and the way it starts, you can skip along alphabetically until you get to it, which takes no more time than scrolling. Personally I prefer things like this that don't bleep or flash lights at you or require you to spend hours setting up which songs are your favourites (if they're not favourites, why the hell put them on your ipod) or wearing out your thumbs by swizzling it around the too-sensitive circle thing.