Its official, I HATE iTunes

[funkybass]

I bought a new computer last month and had to transfer my iTunes to a new computer.it took 4 days to get my new computer to recognize the files on my new iTunes. None of my playlists transfered over but it finally recognized all the files. I downloaded transcribe tonight and I tried to drag 3 songs over but transcribe wouldn't load them, and now iTunes won't recognize the 3 songs I tried to drag to transcribe. The 4 songs I purchased on iTunes did work in transcribe. It makes me want to buy a non apple mp3 player.

[odin70]

Originally Posted by funkybass

I bought a new computer last month and had to transfer my iTunes to a new computer.it took 4 days to get my new computer to recognize the files on my new iTunes. None of my playlists transfered over but it finally recognized all the files. I downloaded transcribe tonight and I tried to drag 3 songs over but transcribe wouldn't load them, and now iTunes won't recognize the 3 songs I tried to drag to transcribe. The 4 songs I purchased on iTunes did work in transcribe. It makes me want to buy a non apple mp3 player.

I feel the same way. But whats the alternative?

[VanillaThundah]

Originally Posted by odin70

I feel the same way. But whats the alternative?

Napster has redesigned their business model and now operates legally. What they offer is every MP3's price is $1 (instead of how iTunes will jack them up to $1.29 or w/e) and you can pay a little extra to do unlimited streaming (listen to music on an internet connected device or phone like youtube does with video).

There are many different services besides Napster to use, but what you want to look for is something that doesn't have excessive DRM restrictions. Apple does EVERYTHING they possibly can to control your content and give you almost no real ownership over it, all while charging you a premium price. Anything that gives you a straight-up MP3 should alleviate your tech ailments.

[Spectrum]

I don't use iTunes, but I buy CDs and rip them with Windows Media Player, or I buy tracks off of Amazon. As long as I'm online when ripping MP retrieves the track data and stores it all neatly on my computer in the proper folder. I use a Sandisk Sansa mp3 player and I don't play any of Apple's games. Apple makes good stuff but their terms of service and our-way-or-no-way philosophy is too constrictive for my taste. Apple fan flames in 3...2...1...

[OldDog52]

RIP Napster--again | Digital Media - CNET News

Amazon and Google are giving Apple and iTunes some worthy competition in the online music market but I don't think they can beat iTunes Match: Your music lives in the cloud so it never gets whacked by operator error or a drive failing.

[Stilettoprefer]

I only use iTunes as a storage device. I rip all of my music from YouTube videos and transfer them to Mp3's via a website that does it moderately quickly for Mac users. Works well and iTunes recognizes them and even let's me edit the track names and artist and add album art or lyrics if I desire.

Then I just backup everything to a terabyte external hard drive!

[avvie]

Take it from a happy Apple fan: iTunes sucks. Hate it. I have it, but I hate it.

[avvie]

Originally Posted by OldDog52

I don't think they can beat iTunes Match: Your music lives in the cloud so it never gets whacked by operator error or a drive failing.

Huh? Amazon has cloud... probably google too. It's not much of a service. Apple has changed the name from .mac to iCloud, but
it's still not 'all that' and it's still pricey.

[avvie]

BTW, one thing I've learned NOT to do is to buy anything from the iTunes Store. Amazon FTW!

[OldDog52]

Originally Posted by avvie

Huh? Amazon has cloud... probably google too. It's not much of a service. Apple has changed the name from .mac to iCloud, but
it's still not 'all that' and it's still pricey.

With iTunes Match, they analyze your iTunes collection. If you already have a song that's available from iTunes, they flag the cloud version as "yours" and you can then download it. Your original copy of the song does not need to be uploaded to the cloud first. So if you have 10,000 songs and 9,500 of them match the same thing already on iTunes, you only have to upload 500 songs. You have cloud access to all 10,000 though.

Amazon and Google require that your entire collection of 10,000 songs be uploaded to the cloud.

I think I have that right.

[Ric5]

Originally Posted by funkybass

I bought a new computer last month and had to transfer my iTunes to a new computer.it took 4 days to get my new computer to recognize the files on my new iTunes. None of my playlists transfered over but it finally recognized all the files. I downloaded transcribe tonight and I tried to drag 3 songs over but transcribe wouldn't load them, and now iTunes won't recognize the 3 songs I tried to drag to transcribe. The 4 songs I purchased on iTunes did work in transcribe. It makes me want to buy a non apple mp3 player.

I completely avoid apple products because of itunes. It is cumbersome and clunky. I use non-apple mp3/wma players.

[OldDog52]

Forgot to mention, in my example only 500 songs count against your iCloud quota. All 10,000 count on Amazon and Google.

[Journey55]

My friend uses Media Monkey and works for iPods and all that goodness that Apple does

[electracoyote]

I was a Napster user and I've carried non-Apple players with me for years. The iPod user interface is extremely intuitive and convenient, but I have had to help my kids with too many issues with their iPods to ever go iTunes. Now that Napster merged into Rhapsody, I was able to transfer my entire (huge) library without a hitch. I also have no problems moving songs back and forth with Windows Media Player.

Another great thing about services like Napster and Rhapsody is the small monthly subscription fee that gives you access to the entire library, full songs and releases. I like being able to program my own listening preferences or listen to an entire band release before purchasing--for one low monthly fee. Thirty-second sound bites suck.

There is a world beyond iTunes.

[hover]

This is why I use Spotify now. I have everything linked virtually through my Media Player on my computer, and stream through my smartphone. I haven't touched my iPod in months. AND, I share my library with friends, and vice versa, so we have built a practically limitless music network, and suggest new things to each other this way. It's really pretty unreal.

[erock0138]

I love zune so much more, Screw iPods, for what you pay for them, they aren't worth it. I got a 120 gig zune for the price of an 8 gig iPod touch. Why people keep buying them is beyond me. Plus, Zune's software is wayyyy better.

[younggun]

Amazon's cloud service does not count music files toward your storage space. You can also use their cloud service to stream your songs anytime you're connected to the internet (in other words, your music doesn't have to live on your device). Amazon's cloud service is also 1/2 the price of Apple's. I use Apple devices for everything because in my experience they're superior products. But yeah, Apple's iTunes store is quickly becoming surpassed by other services in service and price.
BTW, ripping music from Youtube and not paying for it is stealing...but that's a whole other discussion.

[s3lggiW]

That's not how it works. You don't hate iTunes, you hate yourself for not understanding how computers and computer programs work.

[Menno]

Originally Posted by s3lggiW

That's not how it works. You don't hate iTunes, you hate yourself for not understanding how computers and computer programs work.

To obvious in trolling, try again.

[OldDog52]

I don't find iTunes to be very intuitive, but a couple hours of quality time spent working it out took care of my initial dislike of it.