Since the iPod’s release people having been bitching about the headphones that have shipped with them. At first, people were stoked for the white and wore them because it was a status thing. I even remember hearing about people getting mugged because people saw the white and knew they had an iPod. Shortly after though people realized they didn’t sound that great, or they simply fell out of their ears because of their “superior” ergonomic qualities.
I understand people’s issues with them, but they’ve always worked great for me. They fit perfectly in my ears, sound good enough, they’re free, and I like the white. Having something fit, out of the box, is such a pleasant surprise. I’m never the default, except when it comes to my ear canal shape apparently.