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[isthisthingon]

Personally I'm in favor of taking iTunes out back to be shot, as I frequently rant.  But for those so inclined this tool looks like it might be nice: http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,83553/description.html?tk=nl_ddx_h_dlfeat

[perkiset]

That looks pretty strong. There were a couple things like that for the Mac as well, until home networks became popular.

I guess the iTunes experience on the PC is pretty bad ... Never actually seen it myself.

[nutballs]

itunes is the same on the mac and pc. Not sure whats so bad about it, other than that itunes is a beast to begin with on any platform.

[perkiset]

@beast - I don't get that. Works fine for me and I have no argument with it, except that it certainly seems to have scope creeped WAY outside its original mission.

[nutballs]

That's all I meant. But same experience on either os.

[nop_90]

don't even get me started 
itunes is a prime example of apple's BS
A bloated POS that needs to be updated every fuking week

The none syncing between multiple puters.
The need to use itunes to move songs/audio tracks onto your ipod/iphone.
Lack of support on itunes/ipod for other audio formats.

Like most apple shit, it is good if u do not do anything complex.
But the more u use it, the more u see what a POS it is.

Pisses me off, since apple has really good hardware, then they lock u into BS.

[perkiset]

don't even get me started 
itunes is a prime example of apple's BS
A bloated POS that needs to be updated every fuking week

An interesting assertion. The only updates I get are when there are new features. Reasonable to me.

The none syncing between multiple puters.

Incorrect. Works wonderfully.

The need to use itunes to move songs/audio tracks onto your ipod/iphone.

There are other mechanisms, but none that do such a good job of handling everything on the pods / phone. It handles syncing quite well.

Incorrect. Perhaps not all formats, but many. What is it that you a missing?

Like most apple shit, it is good if u do not do anything complex.
But the more u use it, the more u see what a POS it is.

I'm intrigued about just how complex your music management must be. I'm no rookie, and it certainly takes care of what I need quite well. The feature set les me manage my music library quite effectively. 

Pisses me off, since apple has really good hardware, then they lock u into BS.

This is such an annoyingly topical post. Beyond what you've stated that is factually inaccurate, what makes iTunes any more of a POS than any other music library manager? Oh yes, its got the Apple logo on it. 

[nutballs]

nop might mean syncing your iphone with 2 computers.

Like everytime I reinstall my desktop, i have to wipe and reinstall my phone because it "is synced with a different computer" and requires me to wipe it. Annoying as hell since it nukes all your data from your apps as well...

[isthisthingon]

perks remember, there's Windows iTunes.  I'm not sure about nop, but I have used Windows iTunes, not the Mac version, and it does exhibit all the issues nop was complaining about.  About once a week some meaningless, featureless update is pushed to your PC.  The most evil aspect of this pop-up is that it plays nice with Quicktime but sends a Window Restore message to Windows video players like Media Center and MS Video.

The net result if you're using this PC as a movie watcher, as I have been for years, and you have it on full screen, is that your window is reduced to small (restore) during the middle of your movie.  Now imagine you're snuggled in with your girl and the keyboard/mouse are just out of reach when this happens.  Your girl admires your amazing technical prowess in general and it really excites her to witness your seeming mastery of all things digital.  Then you're rendered impotent by Steve Jobs who inserts himself into your living room uninvited.

Time and again you tell Steve Jobs to stop interrupting you by deselecting the Auto-Update "feature."  Doesn't work.  So then you go into msconfig (Run/msconfig) and disable it from the startup section, along with it's annoying little friends that installed themselves as well - without your permission.  (Easy to do since they are services associated with something that you did approve - iTunes).  Then all is harmonious in the universe again as you watch movies and proudly discuss how you protected your world from the wrath of Steve.  Your girl is once again your biggest fan, cautiously optimistic.

Then one day you decide to do a manual update of iTunes since it's been a while.  Hell, everyone raves about Apple's features so I simply must be missing out!!  All is well until the grim reaper returns and this time your hands aren't exactly close enough nor clean enough to operate your keyboard and mouse.  As Steve Jobs glares at your girl from the wide screen, posing as a friendly iTunes update reminder, she groans loudly - not happily - and covers herself quickly.  I tell her Steve can't possibly be watching us through the webcam but as I say this I realize I'm not 100% confident about that either

Then upon further investigation you realize that not only did the Auto Update selection get reset to "Yes!!" but those damn annoying start up apps are also on again.  So if you just unchecked the Auto-Update box again, like 99.999% of humanity would, you're SOL and the master of nothing.  Rinse and repeat. 

And don't forget that ever changing, disgustingly complex EULA that you should read on a weekly basis as well.  Otherwise you might be playing Neil Diamond in the reception area of your home business and wind up "breaking the law," even after paying for your DRM delight.

 

[isthisthingon]

That's all I meant. But same experience on either os.

 

Then I'm completely at a loss as to why anyone would use it on the Mac.  That's abusing your own people!  But honestly I think you're off on this nuts.  Although the interface looks the same, the interaction between other Windows apps compared to other Mac apps simply can't be the same.  The difference between G-Force on the Mac and the PC in iTunes is noticeable.  For one thing the window can go completely full screen on a Mac and in Windows iTunes you have to stare at the annoying border even in full screen mode.

iTunes constantly screws up the Windows z-order as well.  Every time you alt-tab after minimizing the iTunes window, it pulls up iTunes again as if that's the window you really want to be looking at.  Minimize any other window in Windows and it falls to the last place in the z-order.

Library sharing on your network?  DRM says "no."  Choppy sound when playing non-Apple file formats on a laptop or a less-than-monster-powered PC.  Boo.

[nutballs]

ive had none of those problems?

The only thing I do agree with completely is the virus that is AppleUpdate. You cant turn it off. no matter what. You can kill it in msconfig, but the next time any apple product launches, the damn thing is up and running again.

Adobe does the same thing.

[isthisthingon]

>Adobe does the same thing.

True, though Adobe asks you if you want to update only when you launch an outdated Adobe app, not when you might be typing fast and accidentally click the "I Accept" button agreeing to the terms and conditions of iTunes.  But yes exactly, Adobe's bandwidth hogging RAM bandits are the same and just as annoying to have to kill with a scalpel, again and again. 

But I've never seen anything like iTunes that demands visual control of your desktop on its schedule, which when combined with the issue of viral always on behavior, becomes especially annoying.  Even a virus alert, which does the same thing to your screen, happens only when triggered by a suspected virus, not when some narcissistic megalomaniac chooses to cut to the front of the visual line.  Even the unkillable NetFlix popup has the common decency to remain behind other windows when you're full screen movie-mode.

Hmmm... what does a virus alert have in common with AppleUpdate.....

[nutballs]

Thats weird. I only get asked when I launch an Apple product? Never had anything pop on me. Unless you always have it up and running?

[isthisthingon]

Nope you don't need it up and running at all, or at least the main iTunes app or Quicktime.  Just the Apple Software Update deamon that nobody would even know is running.

Comes complete with security concerns as well: http://dcunningham.net/2008/03/25/disabling-apple-software-update-items/

[nop_90]

The original MP3 players where nothing besides flash disks with a MP3 player built in.
I bought one way back when. I think around ~2000. It was advertised as flash disk with the bonus of a MP3 player (ok sounds stupid now).
Anyway it mounted as a drive on ur puter, you copied mp3s on it, and you could copy other files on it.
And it would play the mp3s. Retard proof. No need for fancy software etc. Any puter and any OS with a USB supported it.

After that I got a pocketpc (ipaq). It was not designed as a MP3 player. But you could use M$ shitty player on it. Or you could install a 3rd party media format player. Because u could install any player it could play any format, audio or video.
Under windoze u had to use sync. But under linux you could mount it as a drive. And yah u just copied the media on it. It played.
Pretty retard proof.

Then I had 2 samsung. The where pretty good. Supported MP3,OGG etc. It came with a itunes like clone. Or guess what u could just mount it, copy files on it, and it played them. Retard proof.

You can mount iphone if u jailbreak it.
Again itunes is just a POS designed to spy on ur music and make ur life miserable