They also introduced a number of new features and promotions, such as iTunes Music Store gift accounts and allowances, a promotion with Pepsi to give away 100 million songs free, and other stuff.
iTunes is free, try it out. Browse around the music store a bit (all the previews are free) and consider buying a track or two to try it out.
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That advice only applies if you run windows 2000, or you intend to import your tunes into iTunes (and if iTunes' behavior on importing is acceptable to you, then go ahead).
Read the link, then decide.
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I read the link. And I don't want it changing my directory structure (which it does to all versions), screwing up my metadata (which it does in all versions), and only working with an iPod that I can't afford (right now, for all versions of Windows) for mobile music outside of burning CDs. I don't use CD players any more, and if it can't be made mobile (compatible with my current mp3 player), then it's a waste for me to bother. I have read, and I made my decision. When Apple can fix those things (though I doubt they'll have anything but their AAC support, which I dislike), then it'll be worth a try. Until then, it's just a bunch of jumping through hoops that ultimately makes it easier to just buy the CD and rip it through MusicMatch, EZCD, or even WMP.
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And if you read it, you'll notice it only changes your directory structure if you tell it to (though apparently it does not adequately warn about that, but it is turned off by default).
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I'm warning people from having a "what the hell" moment with their install (as most people click "yes, yes, next, yes" to install), and then realize that they can't really uninstall it without firm knowledge of the operating system (and what normal person needs to know how to edit their registry?). All accounts from regular Windows users that I have read have either been iffy or bad. Since this is a first-run of it, I'm sure Apple will fix the glaring problems with it. However, this version does not seem very friendly to the casual user, and is absolutely useless to the user who wants to download songs for their mp3 player.
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I fully agree with a warning. I fully support that you should think before you install. However, you specifically suggested that people shouldn't download and install it, instead of suggesting that people take a look at the possible issues so they can avoid them.
And you have read at least on positive experience with the windows version. In that very article you linked to, despite the flaws, the reviewer says "I'll come clean here: I really like iTunes for Windows, and I find iTMS to be the most elegant and attractive service out there." Of course, you might not consider him a regular windows user, but I can point you to a good number of glowing accounts, including 7 or 8 on the front page of this thread: http://arstechnica.infopop.net/OpenTopic/page?a=tpc&s=50009562&f=99609816&m=8590986095
Yes, a number of people had problems and posted them. For a first release, I expect this. But there are lots of extremely positive accounts out there as well.
And iTunes is a perfectly useful jukebox even for people who have other music players, it's just "absolutely useless" for syncing. It still plays, and more importantly, organizes music just fine, or if you listen to a couple of the people on that Ars thread, better than anything else (even if you don't let it rearrange your directories).
My annoyance is at your suggestion that everyone dismiss itunes as something they shouldn't install because it doesn't meet your needs.
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If you want to bring the songs with you but own an mp3 player other than an iPod, this program is not for you.
If you you do not have a CD writer, this program is not for you.
If you are picky about where you put your files, then this program is not for you (yet... it will be fixed).
If you do not at least know how to control how and where defaults are installed when putting the program on the computer, this program is not for you.
Basically, fugu, I'm looking at it from the perspective of someone who gets tired of going in and "fixing" programs for people thanks to the crappy job the default install does. I loathe it with RealPlayer (which falls under the category "spyware" and "virus" in my book now), I don't like it with Quicktime (though the pay version is quite nice), and even MusicMatch can be a pain in the butt. The idea of iTMS to sell songs and have the large availability is great, but the program is limited in ways that make it sensible only for people with a) an iPod and b) that are "power users" in Windows. I expect that revisions will be less intrusive and more compatible, but the current release is not refined enough for the typical end-user.
Ceasar likes the program not because he thinks it's good for Windows, but because with some fiddling, he has it working very well between his G5 and his Windows machine. He was already somewhat aware of what to expect, as are many of the posters in the forum (it's a power-user forum, for crimeny's sake). Aunt Thelma isn't going to have as easy a time installing it, and it's not simple enough to recommend installing it (yet). Wait for version 2 (or 1.1.4.3, or whatever), when they fix the glaring issues. It's not worth gambling to see if everything works or not. Let the power users work out the bugs (since, apparently, someone couldn't do that before-hand... c`est la vie)
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Actually, the most praise I have heard for itunes (from pure windows users) has been for two things: rendezvous and the organizational abilities. iTunes is really, really good at sharing music on a local network (with zero configuration), and at organizing music (it has very good smart playlists and an intuitive set of controls for managing normal playlists).
I do own a cd burner, but I've never burnt a music cd with iTunes, and I use iTunes (the mac functionality is almost entirely the same). I don't have an ipod, and I use iTunes.
And yes, there are plenty of other music players for the mac, many comparable to winamp and other popular windows programs.
If you are picky about where you put your files, then when it asks you if you want it to find and organize your music, say no. I agree that during the install it should put a big warning up about that, but the warning you've put up isn't about the question, it's about the program.
I'm going to put up my own suggestion: if you run windows xp, and either don't care if it rearranges your collection (sorted into folders by artist by album), or know to just answer no when it asks you about importing your existing music (and then turn off the import in the preferences and specify your music folders afterwards), then give iTunes a try: it has NO OTHER KNOWN EXTERNAL ISSUES (I am leaving it's slight memory inefficiency and the occasional processor usage spike on window resizing, as I consider those things that need optimization, not fixing), despite being a first release of a port of a program developed for one platform to a completely different platform, and has many VERY NICE features, particularly if one is on a network, even if one does have a non-ipod music player, or is missing a cd burner.
It all depends on what you want to do with it. Try it yourself, instead of listening to other people.
BTW, since iTunes' coding clearly isn't up to your standards, Leto, I'd love to see the list of programs you regularly run on your machine. I bet I could find similarly large or larger problems with most of them.
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Which machine? I have enough software to sell retail, and I will agree that there are programs that suck that I own. Guess what? I don't use them, and find better alternatives.
Make as many excuses as you want for iTMS, fugu. This first revision is less than workable for the typical end-user. Make sure you start a thread here for anyone who installs it and needs help working out the issues that come up. Make sure you explain to anyone wanting to download songs for their RIO player why they won't play. Make sure you explain to anyone who has Nero installed how to get it working properly again.
While you're at it, stop taking this issue personally. It's a first-run. It'll get better, just like all first-runs typically do. This version is just highly buggy and causes conflicts, which is why I don't suggest it. Those reasons I listed above—especially the mp3 player issue—are going to be among the largest gripes. Even Ceasar on Ars agrees that this service is totally an iPod promoter as far as mobile music. Either mp3 player makers are going to add AAC support (thus raising the cost of the player), or iTunes for Windows continues to be Apple's engine for getting more iPod sales. S'all about the benjamins, baby.
[edit to add] Oh, I tested out an install of it, and it effing RUINED my entire mp3 library, moving all 1,000+ files to new locations, thus ruining my organization. Did I mention that it changed file associations even though I explicitly selected that it not? And no, it did not ask me if it wanted to move my files, it did it of it's own accord when I set the folder for iTunes music separate from where my mp3s were located. On top of this, it decided that my current settings on Quicktime were not good enough, and changed a few of them, as well (which I wouldn't have noticed except for seeing it load in the taskbar). How nice of them to change my already placed settings on a program that should not even be touching my music files.
If it were not for the fact that I have my structure backed up twice over, I would be seriously pissed off at Apple right now.
[ October 20, 2003, 12:43 AM: Message edited by: Leto II ]
Posts: 6907 | Registered: Nov 2001
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So I got a free song today, I entered the code, and it accepted it. But how do I buy a song? Do I just do it as I normally would? The price is still next to the song, so I'm not sure if there's something more I need to do for it to use my credit.
Posts: 2292 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Yeah I have q's about this too...I downloaded the platform today...still want to find out more before actually downloading.
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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:sighs: I'm a hardcore PC user, I generally loathe Apple computers. But man. I Do love my iTunes Jukebox. I guess that makes a little bit of a traitor-lite.
Posts: 2689 | Registered: Apr 2000
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Hardcore PC user? I assume you've tried foobar2k? I'm a Media Jukebox guy myself, but that's what all the geeks seem to like.
Posts: 1839 | Registered: May 1999
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Okay, for anybody else wondering about the Pepsi thing: yes, you do buy it like normal, and it will automatically check to see if you have any credits.
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