iTunes 7 -- major step backwards?

DaveF · 09-13-2006, 12:00 AM

I've just installed iTunes 7 for my PC, and my impression after 30 minutes of playing is that this is a major step backwards in usability. Perhaps it takes more time? How's it working for you?

The new music organization / browsing systems are terrible to me. The previous system was a nuisance, but this is worse. I still find Windows Media Player the best: a simple list of album titles is all I really want.

Artwork. Again, I'm amazed that WMP is still lightyears ahead of iTunes for album artwork. It just downloads the artwork when you rip a CD. iTunes has not done that before, requiring manual labor to add artwork. Now, it purports to provide artwork, but first I had to create an iTunes account. That took some creativity and luck to accomplish without surrendering a credit card number. And then, it auto-retrieved artwork for maybe 30% of my CDs. I manually forced it to download for another 10-20%, perhaps. But there are still albums that are know by iTunes, but it won't download the artwork. Or other cases where the ripped album info, generated by iTunes, differs from that in the music store, so it can't connect my files to the store files. How weird. And it's missing many "basic" albums, like all Disney Soundtracks.

Ugh. For the company behind the "it just works" ideology, I'm impressed by how mediocre iTunes is. I like PodCasts feature a lot, but beyond that, I wish I could synch my nano via Media Player. I just like it better.

Adam Lenhardt · 09-13-2006, 01:46 AM

Anyone else finding the new versions of iTunes and QuickTime to be major resource hogs? My system's choking like it never did with v6 and below.

drobbins · 09-13-2006, 02:56 AM

I can't believe they could make itunes worse! I am still using v6, and I never understood why you aren't able to drag-n-drop songs into the ipod. Each time my daughter wants songs added, she has me do it because she can't figure it out. Considering that adding songs into the ipod is one of itunes primary reasons for existing, they really need to make it more user friendly. Sound like I should avoid the upgrade.

Patrick_S · 09-13-2006, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveF

I've just installed iTunes 7 for my PC, and my impression after 30 minutes of playing is that this is a major step backwards in usability. Perhaps it takes more time? How's it working for you?

The new music organization / browsing systems are terrible to me. The previous system was a nuisance, but this is worse. I still find Windows Media Player the best: a simple list of album titles is all I really want.

Artwork. Again, I'm amazed that WMP is still lightyears ahead of iTunes for album artwork. It just downloads the artwork when you rip a CD. iTunes has not done that before, requiring manual labor to add artwork. Now, it purports to provide artwork, but first I had to create an iTunes account. That took some creativity and luck to accomplish without surrendering a credit card number. And then, it auto-retrieved artwork for maybe 30% of my CDs. I manually forced it to download for another 10-20%, perhaps. But there are still albums that are know by iTunes, but it won't download the artwork. Or other cases where the ripped album info, generated by iTunes, differs from that in the music store, so it can't connect my files to the store files. How weird. And it's missing many "basic" albums, like all Disney Soundtracks.

Ugh. For the company behind the "it just works" ideology, I'm impressed by how mediocre iTunes is. I like PodCasts feature a lot, but beyond that, I wish I could synch my nano via Media Player. I just like it better.

Dave you can set up the new version just like the old one. While I kind of like flipping through the artwork I’ll stay with the browser that shows Genre, Artist and Album.

I had most of my artwork already in iTunes but for some reason it failed to bring over some the covers I already had.

I haven’t checked to see if this is a resource hog, I'll have to do that one Wednesday.

Craig S · 09-13-2006, 08:01 AM

Quote:

I am still using v6, and I never understood why you aren't able to drag-n-drop songs into the ipod.

Uh, you've always been able to drag-n-drop onto the iPod, if that's really what you want to do. Just turn off the auto-sync feature.

To me it's easier to just use auto-sync. Just dock the iPod, and wait. Updated automatically. What could be easier?? Why hassle with drag-n-drop??

**HTF Ads**

DaveF · 09-13-2006, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Dave you can set up the new version just like the old one.

Thanks, I'll look for that. I only played with the three view selection buttons.

Quote:

I can't believe they could make itunes worse! I am still using v6, and I never understood why you aren't able to drag-n-drop songs into the ipod. Each time my daughter wants songs added, she has me do it because she can't figure it out.

I believe you can. In iTunes preferences, set the iPod for manual music management. Then drag the music from within iTunes library to the iPod icon (when it's connected).

However, after struggling to understand the iTunes way of life, I found the secret is using PlayLists. To keep new music on the iPod use the most recently added playlist (I believe there's an auto playlist for new music). Have the iPod preferences set to always update that playlist, and the iPod should keep up to date whenever she synchs.

Most of my music management problems derive from PodCasts. iTunes is not smart enough to delete before trying to add.

RichP · 09-13-2006, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drobbins

I can't believe they could make itunes worse! I am still using v6, and I never understood why you aren't able to drag-n-drop songs into the ipod.

You can, and have been able to since version 1. I don't understand how after 6 revisions, some folks still don't understand how to use iTunes.

Yumbo · 09-13-2006, 09:51 AM

It's brilliant, faster, better cache.

Scott Merryfield · 09-13-2006, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Why hassle with drag-n-drop??

Try fitting a 50GB music collection onto both a 40GB ipod (mine) and a 6GB ipod mini (wife's) without drag-n-drop. The only other option is two playlists auto-synched to each ipod, but you still need to move music in and out of those playlists, which is no simpler than just drag-n-drop directly to the ipod.

I downloaded version 7 but have not installed it yet. I was waiting for feedback from others. It sounds like I may want to wait awhile for Apple to release some patches.

Craig S · 09-13-2006, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Try fitting a 50GB music collection onto both a 40GB ipod (mine) and a 6GB ipod mini (wife's) without drag-n-drop. The only other option is two playlists auto-synched to each ipod, but you still need to move music in and out of those playlists, which is no simpler than just drag-n-drop directly to the ipod.

Simple!! Just upgrade both of your iPods to the new 80GB model, and you'll be good to go for quite some time.

Kidding.

I do feel your pain. I actually have a similar situation, with a 90GB+ music library (and growing) and two iPods. I use auto-synched Smart Playlists, and separate the music between the two pods based on genre. So it all happens automagically. I realize that's probably not an option with you & your wife.

To me, the value of using playlists vs. d-n-d direct to the iPod is you can add/delete music out of your playlist at any time, and it will all get synched when you drop the iPod into the cradle.

All that said, we're all different. iTunes is pretty much a "my way or the highway" app (like much of what comes from Apple). For those that prefer not to work with the iTunes paradigm, there are alternatives. Anapod Explorer is the best known and is supposed to be quite good.

Adam Lenhardt · 09-13-2006, 10:45 AM

I think it's quicktime that's fucked up. It seems like it isn't preloading enough of the movie into memory, so once it catches up to the point where it's preloaded, it starts to choke. The same thing happens to movies that played fine in the previous Quicktime (Quicktime 7.?).