TLDR; Anyone using a really good alternative to iTunes? I need a product that includes basic functions like a column view, as well as good, reliable, library-management functions and preferably the ability to rip directly to Apple Lossless. Anyone have any good suggestions?
RANT: Well, Apple delivered on their promise in Catalina (beta) of a "more consistent" app experience by once again deciding to simply feature-delete in at least one key area: The ability to view your music collection by column appears to be finally and truly gone.
I have a tremendous and meticulously curated music collection, including quite a bit of stuff from friends and colleagues who are recording artists (unreleased tracks etc) or ripped from otherwise completely unavailable analog sources, including some extremely rare recordings from an old crank-phonograph and considerable collection of old 78 records. There is simply no way I can manage this collection without decent tools, and while iTunes had become crap, at least it still more-or-less functioned for me. The new "Music" app is out though, it won't do the job.
So if I want to remain current on MacOS I'm either going to have to run Mojave and iTunes in a VM (even though the Mojave version of iTunes was a sack of bloated protoplasm), or I'm going to have to replace iTunes with some other product that *will* actually do the job (thank you, new Apple, for proving once again that you don't know what the hell you are doing).
I Worry, Worry, Worry that I'll be forced into the "no more MacOS Updates for me" category eventually.
RANT: Well, Apple delivered on their promise in Catalina (beta) of a "more consistent" app experience by once again deciding to simply feature-delete in at least one key area: The ability to view your music collection by column appears to be finally and truly gone.
I have a tremendous and meticulously curated music collection, including quite a bit of stuff from friends and colleagues who are recording artists (unreleased tracks etc) or ripped from otherwise completely unavailable analog sources, including some extremely rare recordings from an old crank-phonograph and considerable collection of old 78 records. There is simply no way I can manage this collection without decent tools, and while iTunes had become crap, at least it still more-or-less functioned for me. The new "Music" app is out though, it won't do the job.
So if I want to remain current on MacOS I'm either going to have to run Mojave and iTunes in a VM (even though the Mojave version of iTunes was a sack of bloated protoplasm), or I'm going to have to replace iTunes with some other product that *will* actually do the job (thank you, new Apple, for proving once again that you don't know what the hell you are doing).
I Worry, Worry, Worry that I'll be forced into the "no more MacOS Updates for me" category eventually.
