iTunes, what a load of crap.

[SSSnail]

Sorry guys, but it is.

My cousin gave me an iPod because he's no longer using it, so I figure "What harm could it do?". After installing iTunes and plugged the iPod in, it's slow to see the device, then it asks me if I want to sync the iTunes' library with the iPod which would requires deletion of the current contents on the iPod. What genius came up with that freaking idea? I have NOTHING in the iTunes' library as I just installed it?

So, I can browse the device's contents, I can see the musics, but I can't do anything to them. Can't play them, can't move them, can't check, uncheck, etc... Everything is grayed out.

I don't want to sync the entire content of the iPod to the newly installed iTunes library, as that will take up space; something that I'm trying to avoid doing entirely if I can. From what I understand, I have to use iTunes to do anything to it. What a miserable concept.

What do I have to do to use this thing like any other innovative MP3 players out there? Besides chucking it in the trash.

 

[Capt Caveman]

/facepalm

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: SSSnail

What harm could it do?

That was your first mistake.

 

[aphex]

Works great in OSX. Sorry. And no, you don't need iTunes with an iPod, http://tinyurl.com/cmdtw7

 

[cheezy321]

I am pretty sure this type of thing was done as a prevention of piracy. So people cant just bring their ipod over to their friends house and transfer all of their music to their computer.

Blame the music industry, not apple.

 

[OCGuy]

Internet the to welcome.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Why would they let you transfer files that you theoretically purchased for your own use alone from the ipod to an entirely separate itunes account? That would hardly fit apple's MO. Put some of your own music in the itunes library and sync with that. It won't recopy your files to another part of your HD unless you tell it to consolidate your library. It'll just put them all in the list and play them from their current location by default, so you don't have to worry about it duplicating your music or anything. Forget doing anything with what's already on the ipod.

 

[Crono]

Manage it using Winamp or other 3rd party software.
iTunes is pretty crappy for Windows. I know some people love it, but it's mostly bloated and not exactly intuitive.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Text

 

[James Bond]

Why don't you just uncheck "automatically manage my music"? Then you can do anything you want - right?

 

[Kadarin]

This is more user failure than iTunes failure...

 

[SSSnail]

Originally posted by: Kadarin
This is more user failure than iTunes failure...

Pretty much , I'm used to just explore to the device, add/remove whatever I wish.

 

[jamesbond007]

Originally posted by: Crono
Manage it using Winamp or other 3rd party software.
iTunes is pretty crappy for Windows. I know some people love it, but it's mostly bloated and not exactly intuitive.

I just have to ask - what software do you find more intuitive? Personally, I think iTunes is ridiculously plain and simple to use. It's not perfect, but I have yet to find a media player that is. I still find myself juggling between Winamp and iTunes, but mostly using iTunes since it works with my iPod that I use sparingly. If you want to talk about bloating software, look no further than Winamp.

I still enjoy Winamp because it does nearly everything I could ask for, but it does require a lot of initial setup to get rid of the plethora of GUI boxes and isn't as lean as it use to be. (media library pane, media source selector pane, playlist pane, song/artist information pane, and the Winamp browser pane (not sure if this is on by default) but you get the idea. I sincerely miss the 1.41 days or even the early (albeit buggy) betas.

I use the 64bit version of iTunes (very snappy) on Vista 64bit Ultimate and couldn't be happer. Just my $0.02

 

[Crono]

Originally posted by: jamesbond007

Originally posted by: Crono
Manage it using Winamp or other 3rd party software.
iTunes is pretty crappy for Windows. I know some people love it, but it's mostly bloated and not exactly intuitive.

I just have to ask - what software do you find more intuitive? Personally, I think iTunes is ridiculously plain and simple to use. It's not perfect, but I have yet to find a media player that is. I still find myself juggling between Winamp and iTunes, but mostly using iTunes since it works with my iPod that I use sparingly. If you want to talk about bloating software, look no further than Winamp.

I still enjoy Winamp because it does nearly everything I could ask for, but it does require a lot of initial setup to get rid of the plethora of GUI boxes and isn't as lean as it use to be. (media library pane, media source selector pane, playlist pane, song/artist information pane, and the Winamp browser pane (not sure if this is on by default) but you get the idea. I sincerely miss the 1.41 days or even the early (albeit buggy) betas.

I use the 64bit version of iTunes (very snappy) on Vista 64bit Ultimate and couldn't be happer. Just my $0.02

Winamp is anorexic compared to iTunes. I don't know what other people use, but I use the Winamp classic skin and don't open panes I don't need. iTunes may be snappy on Vista 64, but it still uses more resources than any other media manager I have used.

Lately, I've been using foobar, and that's even better lighter than Winamp. I can understand using iTunes if you use the store, or for ipod management, but it's not the best for media playing and management. Sure, nothing is perfect, but I'm talking best, not perfect.

 

[gramboh]

iTunes does suck, I use it because I have an iPhone. What I do:

- Create read only directory on my PC "iTunes library" and copy the music from my main music archive into it (read only and separate directory so worthless iTunes can't ruin anything)
- Disable 'automatically manage my music'
- When I want to add/remove something I just copy or delete it from the iTunes library directory and resync

The software really does suck, it's retardedly slow to 'sync' (aka copy files over USB) even for a GB or two (could be slow iPhone flash memory, I dunno), also downloading iPhone OS updates takes forever, as does applying them.

I love my iPhone but I hate iTunes, refuse to use it other than to update my phone and sync music from my main archive.

I will never purchase from Apple unless they offer FLAC or VBR Lame v0 DRM free, I'd rather rip it myself.

 

[Howard]

What can you use with an iPhone?

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: cheezy321
I am pretty sure this type of thing was done as a prevention of piracy. So people cant just bring their ipod over to their friends house and transfer all of their music to their computer.

Blame the music industry, not apple.

yup a no shit sherlock type of thing.

bitching and moaning about itunes not letting you copy music back off a used ipod is pretty goddamned lame.

op = fail

anyways if u want itunes without quicktime
http://www.ajuaonline.com/custom-installers/

 

[NaOH]

Originally posted by: SSSnail
Sorry guys, but it is.

My cousin gave me an iPod because he's no longer using it, so I figure "What harm could it do?". After installing iTunes and plugged the iPod in, it's slow to see the device, then it asks me if I want to sync the iTunes' library with the iPod which would requires deletion of the current contents on the iPod. What genius came up with that freaking idea? I have NOTHING in the iTunes' library as I just installed it?

So, I can browse the device's contents, I can see the musics, but I can't do anything to them. Can't play them, can't move them, can't check, uncheck, etc... Everything is grayed out.

I don't want to sync the entire content of the iPod to the newly installed iTunes library, as that will take up space; something that I'm trying to avoid doing entirely if I can. From what I understand, I have to use iTunes to do anything to it. What a miserable concept.

What do I have to do to use this thing like any other innovative MP3 players out there? Besides chucking it in the trash.

This post has so much fail written in it. This is why I take other people's review of things with a grain of salt.

 

[CKent]

Don't sweat it, the price was right. First things first, uninstall Itunes and Quicktime. This will free up resources by eliminating ... what is it, 3? 4 running processes? You'll also be able to reset your file associations now that Quicktime isn't hijacking them (which it does even when it's set to not do that). Next, check if Rockbox supports your model ipod. If it does you're home free, install that and use it like any other portable player, drag & drop whatever files you want onto it in whatever format (flac, ogg, mp3) and it'll play them all, no proprietary shit. If Rockbox doesn't support your model, your choices are more limited. I suggest Ephpod, it's the least banal way of dealing with the player, but it still doesn't come close to giving you the functionality that Rockbox does.

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: gramboh
iTunes does suck, I use it because I have an iPhone. What I do:

- Create read only directory on my PC "iTunes library" and copy the music from my main music archive into it (read only and separate directory so worthless iTunes can't ruin anything)
- Disable 'automatically manage my music'
- When I want to add/remove something I just copy or delete it from the iTunes library directory and resync

The software really does suck, it's retardedly slow to 'sync' (aka copy files over USB) even for a GB or two (could be slow iPhone flash memory, I dunno), also downloading iPhone OS updates takes forever, as does applying them.

I love my iPhone but I hate iTunes, refuse to use it other than to update my phone and sync music from my main archive.

I will never purchase from Apple unless they offer FLAC or VBR Lame v0 DRM free, I'd rather rip it myself.

as long as you don't tell itunes to write id3 tag data, all that stuff is stored in the itunes library. I used to not have itunes organize, but just reference where my files were. worked fine. I make one giant playlist of music i want on my ipod, then others as actual playlists, and only sync those.

your added step of creating a separate library folder... are you just afraid itunes will write to the header info?

 

[OUCaptain]

Welcome to shit world that which is apple. Fuck you Steve Jobs. You are the anti-Christ

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: CKent
Don't sweat it, the price was right. First things first, uninstall Itunes and Quicktime. This will free up resources by eliminating ... what is it, 3? 4 running processes? You'll also be able to reset your file associations now that Quicktime isn't hijacking them (which it does even when it's set to not do that). Next, check if Rockbox supports your model ipod. If it does you're home free, install that and use it like any other portable player, drag & drop whatever files you want onto it in whatever format (flac, ogg, mp3) and it'll play them all, no proprietary shit. If Rockbox doesn't support your model, your choices are more limited. I suggest Ephpod, it's the least banal way of dealing with the player, but it still doesn't come close to giving you the functionality that Rockbox does.

http://www.ajuaonline.com/custom-installers/
skip the step
and use quicktime alternative as well

 

[evident]

Originally posted by: OUCaptain
Welcome to shit world that which is apple. Fuck you Steve Jobs. You are the anti-Christ

seriously i fucking hate their windows products. it's why i refused to get a mac in the first place

 

[episodic]

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=122101

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: episodic
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=122101

:thumbsup: