[jawang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aimlink /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm supposed to learn some basic programming. I see. I don't think you're being practical... but that's just me. I agree that if you choose to learn some programming or can program, then OSS is a very appealing and productive prospect. However, I ask that you consider the majority who have the rest of their lives and interests that either deny them from programming or have them preferring to invest their spare time in other pursuits. I'm a mix of both. I now have to use software. I don't know if you can now see my point of view. How many who use OSS software are able to programme well enough to customize the software? You could take a poll here as well and I'm confident what the results will show. This is grossly off track and on a very beaten road anyway. I wish to end it here. This is my last comment on this particular aspect of the discussion.

That's a fair opinion, but how important is customization for you?

Open source at least gives you the opportunity to build your own features (whether or not you choose to take advantage of this opportunity is irrelevant). With propriety software, you have no choice but to deal with official developers, even if you are willing to take the time to learn.

There's a fundamental difference between these two development practices, because one of them presents you with an unmovable ceiling, while the other presents a cliff that can be scaled if you put in the effort.

Also, the programming knowledge needed to customize an open source application is trivial compared to the knowledge needed to build an application from scratch. The latter requires a college degree or years of experience, while the former can be learned in 1-2 days (with no prior experience).



Anyway, to stay on topic, I take back what I said earlier. There are legitimate reasons to use iTunes over foobar if you run Mac OS. That doesn't change my opinion that foobar is superior to iTunes on Windows/UNIX machines.

 

[aimlink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jawang /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's a fair opinion, but how important is customization for you?

It's nice to be able to do so, but basic and reliable functionality takes overwhelming precedence. I long stopped putting up with basic functionality issues on the background of sexy customisability. For example, I now use Google Apps for email, and I can recall my days of using The Bat! I now use iTunes and a Mac, while I can remember my days of running 4 OS's on the same machine.

But life moves on and things change, as I'm sure it will for you too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jawang /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, the programming knowledge needed to customize an open source application is trivial compared to the knowledge needed to build an application from scratch. The latter requires a college degree or years of experience, while the former can be learned in 1-2 days (with no prior experience).

That sounds interesting. I actually didn't know this and am skeptic about what you say. We often undervalue the foundation knowledge required that will then lead to a 1-2 day preparation for reasonable competence. I may be wrong, but I do wonder if you're exaggerating there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jawang /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyway, to stay on topic, I take back what I said earlier. There are legitimate reasons to use iTunes over foobar if you run Mac OS. That doesn't change my opinion that foobar is superior to iTunes on Windows/UNIX machines.

I would never, ever challenge a point of view put forward in this way.

What raises my hackles and makes a call for time out etc., are claims about Mac users being on leashes, Apple taking on a 'my way or the highway' policy, and similar generalisations. They're simply not true, are based on a very biased, partisan perspective, and which only serve to scare potential users away from the platform or application. Mac users do this with Windows as well and they're just as culpable. I used Windows for years and had to listen/read the dribble from Mac Zealots. Now I'm on the other side of the fence and seeing the same thing.

Once you mention an app, hardware from Apple, it's now about Apple.

 

[Vandal]

Proprietary crap, bloated, slow, no FLAC, un-reliable for backing up and restoring iPods. You'd think Apple would make useful changes other than rounded activity and drag bars.

 

[shaunybaby]

 
Quote:

Proprietary crap, bloated, slow, no FLAC, un-reliable for backing up and restoring iPods. You'd think Apple would make useful changes other than rounded activity and drag bars.

well i try not to steal what other people say but yep what vandal says is so true!! no flac no good.

 

[Roller]

Quote:

Proprietary crap, bloated, slow, no FLAC, un-reliable for backing up and restoring iPods. You'd think Apple would make useful changes other than rounded activity and drag bars.

Nicely said sir

I love how backing up libraries and iThings can be quite the catastrophic events. Because it would kill Apple not to sell more hyper inflated priced cables and overall nonsensical gimmicky stuff. After all, the mere thought of handling an iPod on a computer as a mass storage device is pure heresy!

 

[sterling1]

I run the latest version of iTunes on my Dell Inspiron 14. I do not perceive there is anything wrong, but, I've heard ignorance is bliss. I've also tried Media Monkey, specfically to download/store flac files. Experiments do not reveal a better sound from these files; and, with hard drive space not an issue, plus, not recognizing 24/96 HD Tracks sound better than iTunes 256k downloads, I'm satisfied with iTunes. Music at 256, as well as 16/44 sounds as good as SACD to me. My route to listening is: USB to X-FI HD to S/PDIF at DVD input on Sony TA-E9000ES to Sony TA-N9000ES to JBL L100t3's.

 

[emak212]

My few grievances:
 
-It takes up too much memory... especially with a huge library... I have ~15000 songs.
-I've found album art to be an utter failure and a waste of memory
-It does not support FLAC; it's quite a pain to convert every file that I download to WAV or AIFF.
-Perhaps I'm biased since I don't like apple anyways.
 
Just my 2 cents.

 

[smuh]

Quote:

Installs bloat.
Hogs CPU.
Doesn't organize library very well.
No plugins.
Not customizable.
Baed.

x2

And even if my comp has enough ram why should I support an app that is just wasting resources? But my main reason is that I just don't like the interface and the limited options.
 
I am either using Windows or Linux and there are good alternative players that allow me to use my flac and mp3 collection on a fileserver.
 

 

[Snow_Fox]

Quote:

What raises my hackles and makes a call for time out etc., are claims about Mac users being on leashes, Apple taking on a 'my way or the highway' policy, and similar generalisations. They're simply not true, are based on a very biased, partisan perspective, and which only serve to scare potential users away from the platform or application. Mac users do this with Windows as well and they're just as culpable. I used Windows for years and had to listen/read the dribble from Mac Zealots. Now I'm on the other side of the fence and seeing the same thing.

Once you mention an app, hardware from Apple, it's now about Apple.

I dislike apple with a passion. I respect mac users decision because, it is their decision to make.
 
That doesn't change the fact that you are still exceedingly limited on mac. When you have an actual apple mac running sli 570's or xfire 6970's I will retract my statement.
 
I absolutely hate mac zealots.
 
Now, don't think I'm a blatant windows fanboy. I hate windows zealots..
 
For that matter as much as I love android I hate android zealots and open source zealots.
 
Every platform has ups/downs.
 
Mac zealots make a lot of noise... and it bugs me because, as someone who is heavy into comp sci/programming and tech. Nothing bothers me more than some peon who was just sold a mac talking crap about "PC" (which btw a mac IS a pc) and they don't know the FSB from the mobo, Ram from HDD.
 
In other news, I hate itunes for a plethora of reasons. When I got my first ipod (they were popular then but, I was 16 many years ago and the first kid on my block to get one.) Drag and drop was standard procedure for pretty much everything.. I was horrified to find out that I couldn't just drag and drop my folders over and call it a day. Also while people tell me it has gotten better.. I got so tired of using that program it wasn't funny.  Everything about itunes felt in some way backwards to me..
 
To be honest.. I am surprised this thread even exist though.. I thought I was alone in my hatred of itunes.. it seems like everyone loves itunes. I have found that people who like it is in the majority...
 
Also keep in mind I see a lot of "haters gonna hate" type things..To that all I can say is there are mac zealots, pc zealots..

Then people who stand and the middle and pick and choose what they don't like about all of the above. Don't confuse those in the middle with valid reasons, logical arguments and good points for hate baiters. 
 
Sadly most people I think just want to dismiss the other sides arguments.. they hate to think they are somehow "wrong" for picking whatever they picked if they see the other persons logical point.

 

[craig134]

I dislike bloated inefficient software that installs various components which slow down my system. Something basic like vlc is much more efficient. And I don't keep a large library of music so I have no need for sophisticated ordering of my music. And I dislike apple as a company because they generally sell products that have identical or worse specifications than something 1/2 the price. If you love wasting money, hooray for buying apple. They have nice aesthetics I suppose. Objectively, I find little else to recommend an apple computer over windows. Perhaps OS X being somewhat more stable?

 

 

[Dreaming Of A Better ...]

...

 

[Roller]

Quote:

I dislike bloated inefficient software that installs various components which slow down my system. Something basic like vlc is much more efficient. And I don't keep a large library of music so I have no need for sophisticated ordering of my music. And I dislike apple as a company because they generally sell products that have identical or worse specifications than something 1/2 the price. If you love wasting money, hooray for buying apple. They have nice aesthetics I suppose. Objectively, I find little else to recommend an apple computer over windows. Perhaps OS X being somewhat more stable?

 

 
For a second I thought you were talking about Monster, with all the similarities... my bad

 

[thuantran]

Because it's something ppl can hate. Personally I don't hate it, just don't use it after trying it out and found myself unsatisfied with its UI and feature set.

 

[FloconsDeMais]

You can play ogg files in iTunes with the Xiph plugin. You can play flac files as well if you put them in ogg containers.

There used to be a plugin (mplugin) available for itunes 6/7 that would allow you to use Foobar as the playback engine but it wasn't updated for iTunes 8+.

 

[Roller]

Quote:

You can play ogg files in iTunes with the Xiph plugin. You can play flac files as well if you put them in ogg containers.

There used to be a plugin (mplugin) available for itunes 6/7 that would allow you to use Foobar as the playback engine but it wasn't updated for iTunes 8+.
 

Because that's how people want to use flac