iTunes 11, good or bad?

[Mackilroy]

Originally Posted by OGmaC

PS to the fool that claims search is acceptable in terms of speed -- i have a 43k song library on a NAS and in iTunes10 search would be INSTANTANEOUS whereas now it is deathly slow. Perhaps there is a caching indexing glitch in iTunes11 = BETA RELEASE!

Bugs, whether real or imagined, do not equate to a beta release. There will always be bugs–if you demand absolutely perfect software, you'll never get any software.

Your argument stems down to this: yadda yadda I'm right because I'm mad you're wrong because you're not having problems, I can't possibly be wrong in my self-righteousness blah blah.

Just as my experience isn't universal, neither is yours. Do you think the thousands and millions of satisfied iTunes users are going to come here and post? No. People tend to post when they're dissatisfied.

Apple under Jobs wasn't perfect either. Do you remember the Cube? Taking Firewire out of the MacBook? Antennagate? MobileMe? Jobs was very, very good at what he did, but he wasn't this magical fairy that sprinkled fairy dust on every Mac shipped to consumers. Even he made mistakes (and big ones).

[OGmaC]

Originally Posted by Mackilroy

Bugs, whether real or imagined, do not equate to a beta release. There will always be bugs–if you demand absolutely perfect software, you'll never get any software.

Your argument stems down to this: yadda yadda I'm right because I'm mad you're wrong because you're not having problems, I can't possibly be wrong in my self-righteousness blah blah.

Just as my experience isn't universal, neither is yours. Do you think the thousands and millions of satisfied iTunes users are going to come here and post? No. People tend to post when they're dissatisfied.

Apple under Jobs wasn't perfect either. Do you remember the Cube? Taking Firewire out of the MacBook? Antennagate? MobileMe? Jobs was very, very good at what he did, but he wasn't this magical fairy that sprinkled fairy dust on every Mac shipped to consumers. Even he made mistakes (and big ones).

The proof will be as Apple slides under $500 share. And the proof will be over the next few years. Jobs would have never let iTunes11 out, just like he would not have released Maps.. And the happiness of the LCD don't make it right, never did, never will.

[Lvivske]

Originally Posted by OGmaC

The proof will be as Apple slides under $500 share. And the proof will be over the next few years. Jobs would have never let iTunes11 out, just like he would not have released Maps. And the happiness of the LCD don't make it right, never did, never will.

itunes 11 isnt buggy at all, can it

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Originally Posted by OGmaC

i agree, you'd be better off sticking with Winamp. and i'll wait for the next update before i decide on downgrade rigmarole.

Nobody uses Winamp. This isn't 2002.

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Originally Posted by OGmaC

iTunes11 is BETA. No argument can disprove this.

Actually, no argument can "prove" something is beta when it literally isn't.

[OGmaC]

Originally Posted by Lvivske

itunes 11 isnt buggy at all, can it

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Nobody uses Winamp. This isn't 2002.

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Actually, no argument can "prove" something is beta when it literally isn't.

sure thing power user. iTunes11 is released official but it don't mean it ain't still beta. just peruse the criticism flowing in. winamp was a joke, but you have no sense of humor. it is buggy as **** : try searching with a 43k song library now. slow as hell. iTunes10.7 was instantaneous. other glitches and bugs: please read through posts genius!

[Mackilroy]

Originally Posted by OGmaC

The proof will be as Apple slides under $500 share. And the proof will be over the next few years. Jobs would have never let iTunes11 out, just like he would not have released Maps. And the happiness of the LCD don't make it right, never did, never will.

My primary computer is a Windows 7-based PC. Does that mean I'm a Windows fanboy?

I don't see why you're so personally invested in this. I don't care whether Apple's stock goes up or down, as I'm not a shareholder–it doesn't affect me. I use technology because it fits my needs, and iTunes 11 fits my need for a music player. It doesn't fit yours–so be it. But as you're not prepared to accept anything that doesn't fit your narrow view, I'll take my leave and let you stew in your own rage.

[OGmaC]

Originally Posted by Mackilroy

My primary computer is a Windows 7-based PC. Does that mean I'm a Windows fanboy?

I don't see why you're so personally invested in this. I don't care whether Apple's stock goes up or down, as I'm not a shareholder–it doesn't affect me. I use technology because it fits my needs, and iTunes 11 fits my need for a music player. It doesn't fit yours–so be it. But as you're not prepared to accept anything that doesn't fit your narrow view, I'll take my leave and let you stew in your own rage.

you miss the point once again.

those that are unhappy please keep the comments flowing.

[mackandproud]

Originally Posted by OGmaC

Agreed. 11 is Beta at best. The above replies are moronic (e.g. command-M). I guess taking out a global feature but leaving in yellow min button or command-M is okay? Idiots! Fanboys/girls! If Jobs were around you think he'd say, "yeah it's okay we've forgotten some basic functionality..." Jobs would tell Cook et. al., "you ****ing morons get to work and make it right!"

I'm not even going to get into all the other missteps of this beta release.

Just like last time when Jobs wasn't around, the inept have taken over the company and they will do their very best, but it will never be enough...as evidenced by Maps, iTunes11 and some basic aesthetic missteps in iOS. remember folks: apple is co predicated on aesthetics = GUI/ease of use/functionality.

PS to the fool that claims search is acceptable in terms of speed -- i have a 43k song library on a NAS and in iTunes10 search would be INSTANTANEOUS whereas now it is deathly slow. Perhaps there is a caching indexing glitch in iTunes11 = BETA RELEASE!

Yes, Jobs' successors mean well, but they don't have the fire, the attention to detail, or the vision to live up to Jobs' lofty standards.

I predict a lot of infighting for power, and a gradual, perhaps even abrupt, decline into mediocrity, for apple.

It's even obvious in the apple stores. They used to be swamped with applications from hipsters, cool kids who loved apple products and wanted a cool job while paying their way through school.

Now, the "cool kids" have all abandoned ship. Apple stores are raiding senior citizens centers for part time shift employees, who obviously don't know jack about these products, and a bunch of semi-literate, dazed looking teenagers these days. It's sad.

I don't like samsung/android products, which means I'll just sit out the tech revolution altogether.

[paulsalter]

Lots of negative comments, but the poll shows more people as liking it

If you like it, what does it do now (or does better) than the previous version, apart from a cleaner look

example, why is up next better than dj?

in previous version I could queue songs, choose to play next or add to the end of the queue, i could also rearrange the items, why is up next better?

[OGmaC]

Originally Posted by paulsalter

Lots of negative comments, but the poll shows more people as liking it

If you like it, what does it do now (or does better) than the previous version, apart from a cleaner look

example, why is up next better than dj?

in previous version I could queue songs, choose to play next or add to the end of the queue, i could also rearrange the items, why is up next better?

The poll was prematurely closed. More people hate this POS beta as official release as evidenced by the comments.

[Lvivske]

Originally Posted by OGmaC

The poll was prematurely closed. More people hate this POS beta as official release as evidenced by the comments.

Convenient excuse.

iTunes 11 has been overwhelmingly well received. Just because you found the odd quirk with it doesn't mean the sky is falling for Apple.

and I have to laugh at you folks with 43,000 song libraries, bitching about all your pirated music you never even listen to being somehow wronged by the application

[BRLawyer]

Originally Posted by Lvivske

Convenient excuse.

iTunes 11 has been overwhelmingly well received. Just because you found the odd quirk with it doesn't mean the sky is falling for Apple.

and I have to laugh at you folks with 43,000 song libraries, bitching about all your pirated music you never even listen to being somehow wronged by the application

How do you know it's "pirated" music? Not to mention that in MANY jurisdictions, copying music for personal use is PERFECTLY legal.

Face it, iTunes 11 is a train wreck for anyone with relatively large and well tagged libraries...a software catastrophe, indeed.

[mackandproud]

Originally Posted by Lvivske

Convenient excuse.

iTunes 11 has been overwhelmingly well received. Just because you found the odd quirk with it doesn't mean the sky is falling for Apple.

and I have to laugh at you folks with 43,000 song libraries, bitching about all your pirated music you never even listen to being somehow wronged by the application

So says the brainwashed minion. Go stand in line for your next piece of icrap at the apple store.

[OGmaC]

Originally Posted by Lvivske

Convenient excuse.

iTunes 11 has been overwhelmingly well received. Just because you found the odd quirk with it doesn't mean the sky is falling for Apple.

and I have to laugh at you folks with 43,000 song libraries, bitching about all your pirated music you never even listen to being somehow wronged by the application

how do you come off accusing anyone of using pirated music? and why use that to distract from the real issues of this entire thread? it's about what a POS iTunes11 is, not your erroneous conjecture.

[balamw]

Originally Posted by paulsalter

in previous version I could queue songs, choose to play next or add to the end of the queue, i could also rearrange the items, why is up next better?

I haven't upgraded my main machine with my large library, but I just tried all of those things with Up Next and was able to do them all. What am I missing?



B

[zhenya]

My immediate reaction, as a power use of iTunes since about 2003 was that I was missing a lot of things I'd come to rely on. Now after a week or so of using it, I'm finding that most things are still there, just accessed a little bit differently (and generally via a more modern interface).

I never used any views with much cover art before, but the albums view is actually useful now for scanning for something to listen to - I never used Cover Flow, fwiw, and while it seems 'dumbed down' in reality most settings are still there, just different.

I did have to turn off 'search entire library' in order to make search work in a sensible manner for me.

[mackandproud]

I disagree that everything is still there just accessed differently.

Take the mini player. Is the song info still there just accessed differently? No, it's just not there, period.

Take the search function, please. Is the same song info still there? No, you can't access detailed info such as date, bit rate, etc. as before. It's just not there.

It's an inferior program with less functionality and with less ease of use.

It's also the first mac app I've ever uninstalled.

Nice job failing, apple. Keep up the crappy work.

[paulsalter]

Originally Posted by balamw

I haven't upgraded my main machine with my large library, but I just tried all of those things with Up Next and was able to do them all. What am I missing?



B

I am trying to find out why up next is better, I keep reading it's a big improvement

iTunes DJ did these things, up next does these things also

Why is up next better

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by mackandproud

I disagree that everything is still there just accessed differently.

Take the mini player. Is the song info still there just accessed differently? No, it's just not there, period.

Take the search function, please. Is the same song info still there? No, you can't access detailed info such as date, bit rate, etc. as before. It's just not there.

It's an inferior program with less functionality and with less ease of use.

It's also the first mac app I've ever uninstalled.

Nice job failing, apple. Keep up the crappy work.

I clearly said 'most things'. Please don't transpose that to 'everything' in order to support your opinion.

Yep, the Mini player looks different. They took away some info, and added a lot more. They may well continue to refine it over time.

What, exactly can't you do in the new search? I had a lot of trouble with search as well at the beginning until I figured out what it was doing differently. Like I said, turning off 'search entire library' restores it to the old-style search function for me.

[mackandproud]

Is this a joke? Mini player doesn't add any new info, only subtracts.

IT10 search brings up all relevant track info as listed in songs. Including length, bitrate, yada yada yada. Now, you get a stupid icon only, song and length. Tons of useful/necessary info lost.

I don't know why I'm even replying. It just reminds me of apple's descent into stupidity.

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by mackandproud

Is this a joke? Mini player doesn't add any new info, only subtracts.

IT10 search brings up all relevant track info as listed in songs. Including length, bitrate, yada yada yada. Now, you get a stupid icon only, song and length. Tons of useful/necessary info lost.

I don't know why I'm even replying. It just reminds me of apple's descent into stupidity.

From the Mini player you can now Search, look at and manipulate the Up Next listing, click on the album art to get a larger view including track time, etc, access Airplay devices, rate the track, add the track to playlists, start a genius playlist, view Genius suggestions, get taken directly to the track, artist or album in your main library, and get taken to that artist in the Store. That's a TON of added functionality.

If you turn off 'search entire library' you get exactly the same search experience as before if you go to the Songs view. Yes, including length, bitrate, last played, whatever columns you choose.

It sounds like the one struggling here is you.

[Irishman]

Originally Posted by mackandproud

Is this a joke? Mini player doesn't add any new info, only subtracts.

IT10 search brings up all relevant track info as listed in songs. Including length, bitrate, yada yada yada. Now, you get a stupid icon only, song and length. Tons of useful/necessary info lost.

I don't know why I'm even replying. It just reminds me of apple's descent into stupidity.

Visually, the mini player reminds me of some of the skins that were available for the Soundjam music player (the application that Apple bought and which became iTunes).

[mackandproud]

Originally Posted by zhenya

From the Mini player you can now Search, look at and manipulate the Up Next listing, click on the album art to get a larger view including track time, etc, access Airplay devices, rate the track, add the track to playlists, start a genius playlist, view Genius suggestions, get taken directly to the track, artist or album in your main library, and get taken to that artist in the Store. That's a TON of added functionality.

If you turn off 'search entire library' you get exactly the same search experience as before if you go to the Songs view. Yes, including length, bitrate, last played, whatever columns you choose.

It sounds like the one struggling here is you.

LOL, you mad? Like I said, 11 is a POS, a pain in the you know what to use, and I don't care anymore since it's deleted. I'll let others suffer. And suffer they will.

Also forgot to mention that I can't add songs to IT11. Further confirming it's a POS. There's a thread dedicated to this topic. Also, others can't add movies with an accompanying thread.

It's sad when people like yourself defend something as stupid as software. This is how cults stay in business. Brainwashed much?

I'm going to laugh as apple goes down the toilet. Enjoy the ride!

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by mackandproud

LOL, you mad? Like I said, 11 is a POS, a pain in the you know what to use, and I don't care anymore since it's deleted. I'll let others suffer. And suffer they will.

Also forgot to mention that I can't add songs to IT11. Further confirming it's a POS. There's a thread dedicated to this topic. Also, others can't add movies with an accompanying thread.

It's sad when people like yourself defend something as stupid as software. This is how cults stay in business. Brainwashed much?

I'm going to laugh as apple goes down the toilet. Enjoy the ride!

I have to laugh when people like you keep using tired memes to try and make your point while not being able to focus on one task long enough to figure out how a relatively simple piece of software works. As usual, the problem lies between the chair and the keyboard.

[tperhai]

Here's just a sample of what Apple forum reviewers think of iTunes 11:

https://discussions.apple.com/message/20436499#20436499

Hysterics and threats aside, we've been posting on the Apple Feedback page requests for bringing back certain features and fixing the bugs. Apple already says they are working on the bugs. That's a good thing. However, they're being a bit stubborn on the artwork issue. Perhaps they'll never bring back Coverflow. OK I might be able to live with that but we've got to have more alternatives in version 11.

The MacRumors poll, I now realize, closed after only 441 votes. That's not a good sampling of users. For example, I did not get to vote, and I'm wondering if the values would be different if people like those on the Apple forums had seen it.

For those of you who do like it or are defending version 11, I just want to know: how big is your library; what features did you use in iTunes 10; and how you use iTunes.

Things I like about iTunes 11: the structure of its remote streaming features between computers, and its underlying engine. But that's all I like about it. If Apple would only listen to our requests and implement some or all of them, I might feel not so disenfranchised in the Apple community.

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by tperhai

The MacRumors poll, I now realize, closed after only 441 votes. That's not a good sampling of users. For example, I did not get to vote, and I'm wondering if the values would be different if people like those on the Apple forums had seen it.

For those of you who do like it or are defending version 11, I just want to know: how big is your library; what features did you use in iTunes 10; and how you use iTunes.

Things I like about iTunes 11: the structure of its remote streaming features between computers, and its underlying engine. But that's all I like about it. If Apple would only listen to our requests and implement some or all of them, I might feel not so disenfranchised in the Apple community.

Itunes user since at least 2003. Consistent library metadata from that time with about 7k songs/80GB. Main iTunes library is on my iMac at home that acts as the media server for the house, and all idevices sync to it (2 phones, 2 iPads, assorted older iPods). The iMac is connected directly to my high-end headphone system and also distributes music and content around the house via AirPlay. I also subscribe to Match both for portable devices and to have access to my entire library from my work computer.

As I say, I'm extremely picky about metadata, so I've always used the basic list view. Match doesn't do a good job of keeping that in sync, but otherwise I'm very happy with the service.

Itunes 11 was a big shock at first because so many things I'd done for so many years were changed or removed. Overall it's not a huge step forward, but I'm basically ok with it. Turning off the Search Entire Library option went a long ways towards making it usable to me. I do now find myself using the Mini player at work, which I never used before, because I can now rate songs, see what's coming next, manipulate that list, etc. I also use the album view because I find it better than coverflow ever was for scanning my library, and the graphical view still gives me access to most of the features I'd want.

I think the loss of some things is odd - the ability click on the status bar on the bottom to change the detail view, find duplicates, loss of album art in Songs view, etc. But I also know that most early reactions to change are extreme, so I'm willing to work with it. I've found a bunch of positives and only a few negatives so it's overall a slight net improvement for me.