SO you'd rather have one app for movies, one for books, one for movies, one for the store, one for apps, one for podcasts, one for syncing - you think that's a more efficient way of doing things? Just turn off those features you don't like in preferences....
Thanks for the over-simplistic and presumptuous interpretation of my comment.
Turning off the features in the preferences is pointless because all that heavyweight code still exists, and it makes iTunes clumsy, bloated and awkward. A light-weight player that only loads all the extra crap when it's actually needed would be preferable. This could be done easily enough without bogging down the entire app with everything all at once. Besides, even if they were separate apps, what would be so wrong with that? We use separate apps constantly on our Macs and iPhones. Why should iTunes be any different? It could be a suite of apps with modules that are only launched when called. That would leave the basic player to actually do what its name implies: play tunes instead of trying to be everything to everybody all at once and in the process become a bloated resource hog that requires a large download just to update, which is done regularly.
I mostly agree with you on that, especially since 10.x is by far the fastest version of iTunes ever, especially when accessing media from network storage. iTunes still has its flaws, not being able to easily play back video on a second screen remains one of my most-hated annoyances, but bloat is not really one of them.
Still, I would definitely love a separate app for transferring data between the Mac and iPhone/iPod touch/iPad apps. File transfer as a function of a media player really makes no sense (to me). And I know several people who simply do not use it, because they can't even remember where to find it (on low resolution screens the file transfer section is not even in view by default), and then downrate applications that do not support alternate means of transfer. Apple's design choices are normally a lot better than that.
Simple answer here is to shift your attitude toward the app - is it a "media player" or is it a media organisation tool? - seems to be both to me. I'd suggest that apple have used iTunes for this purpose because it already has a massive install base, so why not use the app that people already have installed across windows and mac? Plug in phone/pad and it just syncs. If my 64 year old dad can do it, anyone can do it.
Simple answer here is to shift your attitude toward the app - is it a "media player" or is it a media organisation tool? - seems to be both to me. I'd suggest that apple have used iTunes for this purpose because it already has a massive install base, so why not use the app that people already have installed across windows and mac? Plug in phone/pad and it just syncs. If my 64 year old dad can do it, anyone can do it.
Well, not trying to disagree for the sake of it, but even if I call it a "media organization tool" that does not really bring the syncing of mind maps, business diagrams or financial reports to mind ? at least I do not normally refer to these things as "media".
People, and especially those with little computer know-how, somehow associate actions involving files with the Finder (or the Explorer, if they can't afford a Mac) and media buying / organizing / playback with iTunes. As a long time user, I still remember iTunes being part of the iLife package - it was always positioned far away from anything looking like "business". All of a sudden it is right in the middle.
Another quibble is the fact that sometimes I just want to transfer one small file, but thanks to the automatic back-up and sync being initiated, as soon as I plug the device in (I know that this can be turned off, but I don't really want to, as I would hate to not have my most current podcasts etc. on the device when I commute), the transfer can easily take 10-15 minutes to finish. Not good.
I have high expectations when it comes to Apple, and normally they live up to them, but this file transfer concept is a mess (especially when you use iDevices for business, having people learn how to wade through all the different screens in iTunes, when file transfer is the only thing they need - everything else syncs over the air - is not ideal). Why can't these transfer enabled apps just mount as folders in the Finder? Would be so easy...
SO you'd rather have one app for movies, one for books, one for movies, one for the store, one for apps, one for podcasts, one for syncing - you think that's a more efficient way of doing things? Just turn off those features you don't like in preferences....
Get rid of Genius and Ping for starters- Apple spyware.
Get rid of Genius and Ping for starters- Apple spyware.
Yeah, that's exactly what spies normally do... Force you to read their terms and conditions and ask you several times, if you really want to activate them. And they all come with a menu item to turn them off anytime you like...
Why, oh why, do countries invest billions into counterintelligence, when lack of intelligence seems to be the much bigger problem?
Comments
SO you'd rather have one app for movies, one for books, one for movies, one for the store, one for apps, one for podcasts, one for syncing - you think that's a more efficient way of doing things? Just turn off those features you don't like in preferences....
Thanks for the over-simplistic and presumptuous interpretation of my comment.
Turning off the features in the preferences is pointless because all that heavyweight code still exists, and it makes iTunes clumsy, bloated and awkward. A light-weight player that only loads all the extra crap when it's actually needed would be preferable. This could be done easily enough without bogging down the entire app with everything all at once. Besides, even if they were separate apps, what would be so wrong with that? We use separate apps constantly on our Macs and iPhones. Why should iTunes be any different? It could be a suite of apps with modules that are only launched when called. That would leave the basic player to actually do what its name implies: play tunes instead of trying to be everything to everybody all at once and in the process become a bloated resource hog that requires a large download just to update, which is done regularly.
I mostly agree with you on that, especially since 10.x is by far the fastest version of iTunes ever, especially when accessing media from network storage. iTunes still has its flaws, not being able to easily play back video on a second screen remains one of my most-hated annoyances, but bloat is not really one of them.
Still, I would definitely love a separate app for transferring data between the Mac and iPhone/iPod touch/iPad apps. File transfer as a function of a media player really makes no sense (to me). And I know several people who simply do not use it, because they can't even remember where to find it (on low resolution screens the file transfer section is not even in view by default), and then downrate applications that do not support alternate means of transfer. Apple's design choices are normally a lot better than that.
Simple answer here is to shift your attitude toward the app - is it a "media player" or is it a media organisation tool? - seems to be both to me. I'd suggest that apple have used iTunes for this purpose because it already has a massive install base, so why not use the app that people already have installed across windows and mac? Plug in phone/pad and it just syncs. If my 64 year old dad can do it, anyone can do it.
Simple answer here is to shift your attitude toward the app - is it a "media player" or is it a media organisation tool? - seems to be both to me. I'd suggest that apple have used iTunes for this purpose because it already has a massive install base, so why not use the app that people already have installed across windows and mac? Plug in phone/pad and it just syncs. If my 64 year old dad can do it, anyone can do it.
Well, not trying to disagree for the sake of it, but even if I call it a "media organization tool" that does not really bring the syncing of mind maps, business diagrams or financial reports to mind ? at least I do not normally refer to these things as "media".
People, and especially those with little computer know-how, somehow associate actions involving files with the Finder (or the Explorer, if they can't afford a Mac) and media buying / organizing / playback with iTunes. As a long time user, I still remember iTunes being part of the iLife package - it was always positioned far away from anything looking like "business". All of a sudden it is right in the middle.
Another quibble is the fact that sometimes I just want to transfer one small file, but thanks to the automatic back-up and sync being initiated, as soon as I plug the device in (I know that this can be turned off, but I don't really want to, as I would hate to not have my most current podcasts etc. on the device when I commute), the transfer can easily take 10-15 minutes to finish. Not good.
I have high expectations when it comes to Apple, and normally they live up to them, but this file transfer concept is a mess (especially when you use iDevices for business, having people learn how to wade through all the different screens in iTunes, when file transfer is the only thing they need - everything else syncs over the air - is not ideal). Why can't these transfer enabled apps just mount as folders in the Finder? Would be so easy...
The Mac App Store submission guidelines requires that apps conform to Apple's Human Interface Guidelines.
Curious have you read the interface guidelines.
I have. And no where does it outlaw the vertical placement.
SO you'd rather have one app for movies, one for books, one for movies, one for the store, one for apps, one for podcasts, one for syncing - you think that's a more efficient way of doing things? Just turn off those features you don't like in preferences....
Get rid of Genius and Ping for starters- Apple spyware.
Get rid of Genius and Ping for starters- Apple spyware.
You have to activate them so if Apple is spying on you it is because you left the curtains open and told them they could
Get rid of Genius and Ping for starters- Apple spyware.
Yeah, that's exactly what spies normally do... Force you to read their terms and conditions and ask you several times, if you really want to activate them. And they all come with a menu item to turn them off anytime you like...
Why, oh why, do countries invest billions into counterintelligence, when lack of intelligence seems to be the much bigger problem?