Anyone else given up on Linux for a Mac?

[Rhakios]

iTunes, the application that changed all the folder and file names in my mp3 collection to something "better", so that none of my existing 64 m3u playlists worked any more

So, that must be why I keep back-ups.

Amarok simply indexed the lot as they are, all the playlists still work.

[jer1ch0]

In Suse 9.3, I use Amorak, but it doesn't work. It sees all my music and organises it but won't play it. Drag a song and click on play, does not work. Browsing to the folder and clicking on the song opens the default Suse music player - Real Player and the song plays. However open it in Amarok and hit play. Nothing happens

[sandyman]

Amarok is about three times better than iTunes

You jest
I've said it before, when it comes to interface Amarok and Juk should be renamed Hoover and Dyson. They suck. Each to their own. If I'm in the attic with the laptop and I want to listen to my MP3 collection which sits on an external Firewire Drive iTunes streams it for me. God knows I tried it with Ubuntu/Kubuntu et al and got nowhere

My other comments were meant to be a bit tongue in cheek. I suppose I should use emoticons more but most of the time I can't be bothered. It's bit like me refusing to use "TXT" or reply to texts which do use it. I prefer good old fashioned English (or in my case Scots)

I'll stick to my "walled garden" on the desktop.

For example when I want to do something as simple as synching my mobile with my desktop via bluetooth I don't want to have to go through hoops to do it.

When I want to use WiFi and other hardware I expect it to work. I don't expect to muck around with Ndis wrappers or recompling the kernel. I know about the closed drivers issues but as a user I don't care. I buy a computer of whichever sort and expect it to work. With a Mac ( perhaps because of the Mac tax) it does. No hiccups, no messing around, it just works.

[davecs]

Which only goes to show that the system that is right for you depends on what your needs are. Though I do agree that AmaroK is overrated, I prefer the simple tabbed interface of Kaffeine, which, though a video player, does Audio with no problem. I just don't need all the bells and whistles...

[andychannelle]

If SUSE doesn't play MP3s properly, go into YaST and select YaST Online Update, then choose Multimedia Pack 1 (I think) and install it. All your MP3s will play.

Why Amarok is 3 times better than iTunes. An Essay by Andrew Channelle.

Wiki.
Lyrics.
MusicBrainz.
Dynamic playlists (Air + B52s = Flaming Lips)

Library management is far easier and, as has been mentioned, the back end of iTunes does unspeakable things to a collection of files.

[sandyman]

the back end of iTunes does unspeakable things to a collection of files.

Depends if you choose
1. To let iTunes manage your collection
2. Manage it yourself.
It's in the preferences
Also depends if you're using an iPod or not.
I use an iPod and let it manage my collection, then make my playlists inside iTunes. never had a problem.
Still don't want to use Hoover or Dyson

[phil_m]

Come on people, iTunes messes with your files only if you're silly enough to let it manage your collection. I think that renders the "the back end of iTunes does unspeakable things to a collection of files" argument null and void.

[andychannelle]

I'm not sure. The 'feature' is turned on by default. How many average joe users mess with the preferences?

[Rhakios]

Ah, but iTunes didn't manage my collection. My collection included the playlists, which it imported but didn't change to match the other changes it made. I don't seem to recall reading anywhere in the preferences or dialogs that it would only be capable of doing half the job.
Amarok manages my collection without messing it up and it works just fine on all three machines I use it on. As for the playing mp3s issue, I found that after installing the SuSE updates to KDE3.4 that I had to install amarok-xine and then select that as the engine for playback.
Let's not forget, amongst all the bickering, that Linux is about choice: if you don't like it don't use it.

[Flea]

The post is directed incorrectly. If you find irritations with a distros implementation, thats an issue with the distro. Like ... there are other wms' around. Just cause there not provided by default ...... oh well, who cares anyway jm

What?

roflmao my sentiments exactly! Don't worry, I can never understand a word of it either, you are not alone

And the open countryside can be very rough around the edges, pretty unsophisticated in many ways but quite robust. It is also not a very welcoming place to people who have not lived there all their lives or who like a greater degree of comfort

The last time I was in the countryside it was twisty quiet roads and old men's pubs, the only thing remotely unwelcoming was the persistent smell of horse shit

As for Amarok, it's the best (quite literally) music app available on Linux for Audioscrobbler/Last.fm integration, Rhythmbox just plain sucks at that as does Xmms and for that reason alone it will always get my vote! Not to mention Musicbrainz support, lyric searches etc.

Dave.

[sandyman]

I'm not sure. The 'feature' is turned on by default. How many average joe users mess with the preferences?

Stangely enough it isn't turned on by default when you install iTunes under Windows. The installer gives you a choice but the default is off. For most Mac users it comes pre-installed

[phil_m]

I'm not sure. The 'feature' is turned on by default. How many average joe users mess with the preferences?

I don't think it is. Certainly, I've installed iTunes in Windows and on a Powerbook and I've always been given the option to turn off this feature the first time I start up iTunes.

[sandyman]

This has all gotten bogged down with an argument about the Pros and Cons of iTunes.

IMHO the real discussion on this topic should be about comparisons of, ease of use, user friendliness, and the UI.

[paulhoy]

<snip>...Granted WinXP is only for my daughter to play the BBC's Dinosaur World, but it has its place. <snip>

Windows and dinosaur: coincidence?

Cheers.

[ggsinclair]

To answer the question - No - principal reason is that I cannot afford a Mac!

Is it much better than (free) Linux though? As a graphics - CAD - computer it certainly had the upper hand - and the aesthetics are great too, but are the everyday packages any better?

Gordon