iTunes Bundling with Windows?

[MacRumors]

Peter Lowe, Apple's applications marketing chief, discusses the recent release of iTunes for Windows in an online interview. Lowe recaps the advantages of the iTunes jukebox software over the competitors and reports that the AOL account/iTunes Store integration will begin later this quarter.

While a MacWorld.co.uk article reports that Lowe "urged PC manufactureres to bundle iTunes for Windows", when Lowe was questioned (13min 40sec) about the possibility of other PC manufacturers bundling iTunes, Lowe simply suggests that any manufacturer should consider iTunes because of its distinct advantages, but refuses to speculate the possibilities of such bundling.

[phasornc]

Well compared to MusicMatch Jukebox iTunes is still kind of weak.

While iTunes appears to be a bit more stable and manages screen redraws better, MMJ has key features in File and ID3 management that I wish iTunes would ad. If I'm wrong on any of these please let me know, because iTunes is a much more elegant package.

1) SuperTagging
- Creating ID3 tags based off of file names

2) File Renaming
- Renaming files and placing files in folders (with customizable rules) based on ID3 tags

3) "Watching a folder" - MMJ can "watch" a folder for updated files and automatically add them to the library. This is great if you have two people in your household sharing a common music folder and both of you independently adding music to the folder. If I correct an ID3 tag on my computer and then go to my wifes computer, the old ID3 tag information still shows up.

That's really about it. While customizable rules for file naming after ripping would be nice, it's not something i really care about since I'm ID3 oriented.

[pilotgi]

I wonder what the fallout would be to the OEM's who are the first to start bundling iTunes on pcs. I can imagine the phone calls from MS to Dell if Dell decided to start doing this.

[Wash!!]

Originally posted by phasornc
Well compared to MusicMatch Jukebox iTunes is still kind of weak.

While iTunes appears to be a bit more stable and manages screen redraws better, MMJ has key features in File and ID3 management that I wish iTunes would ad. If I'm wrong on any of these please let me know, because iTunes is a much more elegant package.

1) SuperTagging
- Creating ID3 tags based off of file names

2) File Renaming
- Renaming files and placing files in folders (with customizable rules) based on ID3 tags

3) "Watching a folder" - MMJ can "watch" a folder for updated files and automatically add them to the library. This is great if you have two people in your household sharing a common music folder and both of you independently adding music to the folder. If I correct an ID3 tag on my computer and then go to my wifes computer, the old ID3 tag information still shows up.


That's really about it. While customizable rules for file naming after ripping would be nice, it's not something i really care about since I'm ID3 oriented.

Just created a smart playlist..see picture
with the "date Added at least 1 day old"

and every time you add tracks it will show up there..

[Wash!!]

here

[displaced]

One of the benefits of iTunes (for me) was that I could completely forget about the files.

I drag BadlyNamedUltraL33TMusiK.MP3 into iTunes, and it automatically copies the file into iTunes' organised folder structure, along with all my other music. 7 out of 10 times, the ID3 tags are virtually complete anyway -- a quick tidying of the info in iTunes and I'm done.

At least on the Mac side, there's dozens of iTunes-related AppleScripts (see here) and utilities. Replicating this functionality in Windows may be possible to a certain extent... but AppleScript is perfect for these sorts of tasks.

[Phil Of Mac]

Originally posted by phasornc
2) File Renaming
- Renaming files and placing files in folders (with customizable rules) based on ID3 tags

It's not customizable, but iTunes does do this.

[sethypoo]

This would be really neat. Imagine, a dell black box being shipped with and Apple software product inside! Wow!

[suzerain]

why the hell would dell want to bundle itunes when they are developing their own competitor, along with musicmatch?

[asphalt-proof]

I kind of doubt that Dell would bundle a competitor to their Mucis Match Jukebox. They are trying to position themselves as going head to head with the iPod and iTunes.
I would love to see Sony, Toshiba, et. al. do it though and I think that there is a strong possibility of them doing it.

[trose]

I doubt Dell would ever do it. Mr.Dell hates Apple, and besides, they have their own iPod ripoff and are working with MusicMatch.

Good riddens. iTunes is huge, and we have all been hearing of the success on college campuses.

The kids that leave those colleges are the next generation of tech heads and influencers of technology upon the standard Joe. If they warm up to Apple and like iTunes, then that is what will be increasingly accepted by the public.

[LethalWolfe]

Originally posted by displaced
One of the benefits of iTunes (for me) was that I could completely forget about the files.

My thoughts exactly. I've run into more than a few windows users who complained about no way to "refresh" iTunes when they add songs to their music folder(s) and I'm like, why are you still mucking around w/manually sorting files in folders? Just drag the song into iTunes. If you need to change/add/delete anything you can do it from w/in iTunes (that why it has the big, pretty interface ).


Lethal

[the_dalex]

Windows users aren't used to dragging files into applications, they're used to complex, multi-layered menu systems and extra steps. When I started using iTunes on my first Mac, I thought the same thing about refreshing the playlist. When I realized you could move your music folder anywhere and iTunes still knew where it was, I was very impressed.

If any PC manufacturer puts iTunes on their machines, Microsoft will definitely lean on them. Microsoft is out to control all DRM for music so they can be in the pilot's seat, and iTunes is the only thing in their way. Their file format even has "Windows" in the name, talk about proprietary! They're freaked out that there is an Apple app that runs on Windows, and is better than 99% of the programs out there. People can now start to question the Microsoft hegemony, and they'll wake up and wonder why they blindly put up with it all.

[Jerry Spoon]

Hard to convince anyone to bundle when the only player it will work with is the iPod.

[the_dalex]

Most of the Windows users I know use it for managing, playing, and burning music and don't own portables. They consider it the best Windows program for the task, and they all have internet connections so they don't care about time-delayed ID tagging, which I think is a minor feature. Let's be honest, there aren't that many people that are ripping CDs without an internet connection, unless you are at your friend's house and are doing some serious copyright infringement.

It's not just a syncing program. It would be a value-add for any system, except for companies like Dell who have their own musical agenda. It solves a computer manufacturer's software need, since they have to put in some sort of decent music program (Windows Media Player is crippled junk). If it's free, they save money, and the customer gets extra benefits by having a full-featured program that doesn't need to be "upgraded" to rip at more than 2x.

[krossfyter]

what the hell is ID3 tagging and what are its benifits? forgive my ignorance.

[rjstanford]

Originally posted by LethalWolfe
My thoughts exactly. I've run into more than a few windows users who complained about no way to "refresh" iTunes when they add songs to their music folder(s) and I'm like, why are you still mucking around w/manually sorting files in folders? Just drag the song into iTunes. If you need to change/add/delete anything you can do it from w/in iTunes (that why it has the big, pretty interface ).

Because, on Windows, if you put tunes into the "My Music" folder (hardly convoluted), all of your applications that deal with music will see the files. Games can play them. You can share them. Whatever. Apple has the "Only one application per process" attitude, which only works if there aren't any competitors. This is one of my biggest beefs with iTunes, and that's from someone who's an old-time UNIX-head (use best tool for the job, whatever it may be). On a Windows box, if you use one tool for ripping and another one for syncing and a third for interactive use, that's cool - they all share the same, standard, documented directory structure. When on Windows, iTunes should respect that standard.

-Richard

[phasornc]

Originally posted by LethalWolfe
My thoughts exactly. I've run into more than a few windows users who complained about no way to "refresh" iTunes when they add songs to their music folder(s) and I'm like, why are you still mucking around w/manually sorting files in folders? Just drag the song into iTunes. If you need to change/add/delete anything you can do it from w/in iTunes (that why it has the big, pretty interface ).


Lethal

Okay kids the reason I bring this up is that I want to forget about files, but iTunes won't let me. I have 500 CDs, I've started ripping from A on my computer, and my wife started ripping from Z on her computer, both with iTunes, to a shared folder on our file server. We also have about 1500 pre-existing MP3 that need ID3 cleanup. However my iTunes Library doesn't pick up the changes she makes on here computer. She adds a file to the folder, through her iTunes and it doesn't show up in mine. She changes an ID3 tag and I don't see the change in my Library. Why is this, we are both sharing the same folder. MusicMatch would automatically scan folders for changes.

Before you rip on me please attempt to understand what I am trying to do.

Also another reason for keeping files organized in one folder is for backups, when you pack your whole CD collection up and put it in storage, I'm not going to rely on one harddrive for my music. Keeping all my music in one folder makes it easy to backup to my 250gb Maxtor drive.

Basically all I'm saying is that iTunes is about 90% there to being perfect, if you , like me, are willing to buy into the iPod concept.

[Macco]

Originally posted by krossfyter
what the hell is ID3 tagging and what are its benifits? forgive my ignorance.

ID3 tagging enables you to assign your songs information, such as album, song name, artist, rating, etc. that do not have to be displayed in the file name. ID3 tags can be read by many different programs.

[krossfyter]

thanks man. so when you pop in a cd say of an album by system of a down, or any comericial cd, a box shows up saying it is quering the data base and the name of the band, album title, song names etc. show up after... this is using ID3 tagging?

[LethalWolfe]

Originally posted by phasornc
Okay kids the reason I bring this up is that I want to forget about files, but iTunes won't let me. I have 500 CDs, I've started ripping from A on my computer, and my wife started ripping from Z on her computer, both with iTunes, to a shared folder on our file server. We also have about 1500 pre-existing MP3 that need ID3 cleanup. However my iTunes Library doesn't pick up the changes she makes on here computer. She adds a file to the folder, through her iTunes and it doesn't show up in mine. She changes an ID3 tag and I don't see the change in my Library. Why is this, we are both sharing the same folder. MusicMatch would automatically scan folders for changes.

Before you rip on me please attempt to understand what I am trying to do.

Also another reason for keeping files organized in one folder is for backups, when you pack your whole CD collection up and put it in storage, I'm not going to rely on one harddrive for my music. Keeping all my music in one folder makes it easy to backup to my 250gb Maxtor drive.

Basically all I'm saying is that iTunes is about 90% there to being perfect, if you , like me, are willing to buy into the iPod concept.

Just so I make sure I've got this straight. When you add music to iTunes (either thru ripping a CD w/iTunes or by draging 'n droping the song into the iTunes GUI) it does not show up on your wifes computer (and vice versa)? That's really weird sense both iTunes are getting their music from the same file. What about you "iTunes Music library" files? Are they on are the networked drive as well or are they kept locally? If they are on the local HDDs that might be the problem.

I'm confused about the "keeping files orgainze in one folder" comment. By default iTunes keeps all your music in one folder. When I wanted to move iTunes storage from one HDD to another I just drug the iTunes folder over and then told iTunes to look at the new location.


Lethal

[bousozoku]

Originally posted by krossfyter
thanks man. so when you pop in a cd say of an album by system of a down, or any comericial cd, a box shows up saying it is quering the data base and the name of the band, album title, song names etc. show up after... this is using ID3 tagging?

That's true as long as the information is available in the database. You can also submit the information to CDDB, if it's not available.