Topic: iTunes

[SteveWozniak]

Well, being a long time Mac user, and a somewhat obsessive one at that, heck I registered this name SteveWozniak, because he was one of the Co-founders of Apple computers, along with Steve Jobs. Now days i try as hard as I can to stay out of Mac Vs PC arguments, I'm happy using Macs, my personal opinion is that Macs are very much better than Windows. However, thats just my opintion. I use most of Apples bundled apps daily, iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iCal, etc. I love them all, just such useful Apps. iTunes remains as one of Apples best apps, though, while it may not support all the codecs that everyone wants, it supports the industry standard ones, the ones that are required, Apple to see the need the support codecs that won't be used alot, and that will only bog down the app. Apples goal for the most part, remains to keep things as simple as possibel, to make their software simple to use for new users, hence the blasted one button mouse, while I admint i prefer I enjoy my multi button mice better, I see many people get so very confused when they are using a computer for the first time, they have no idea that the other buttons are for, most think the buttons are ment to that the same function.

ok, now for some of the complains, first off. iTunes taking up too much room, well it does have a option to turn it into a basic remote, minimiseing space, and memory. Also, to save on more memory, turn off the iPod syncing, etc in iTunes prefrences, that'll make another big diffrence. Not happy with MP3 sound quality, well iTunes Music Store offers you the ability to listed to a 30 second clip of any song in thair range. Songs from the iTunes music store are not MP3, the are ACC. ACC is a form of MPEG4, designed specificly for audio, they have a higher quailty than MP3's at the same bitrate. Upto the standard of a CD, no I doubt it very much.

Anyway, good to see alot of people seem to like iTunes.

[Grey Ninja]

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it supports the industry standard ones, the ones that are required, Apple to see the need the support codecs that won't be used alot, and that will only bog down the app

Out of the box (download), Winamp supports MIDI, MOD, MP3, WAV, and not much else.  It's up to the user to choose what he/she wants to listen to.  Much like Mozilla Firebird, it only supports what's needed out of the box.  Anything else you have to have a plugin for.  Like I said, plugins are half the reason I love Winamp so much.

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Apples goal for the most part, remains to keep things as simple as possibel, to make their software simple to use for new users, hence the blasted one button mouse, while I admint i prefer I enjoy my multi button mice better, I see many people get so very confused when they are using a computer for the first time, they have no idea that the other buttons are for, most think the buttons are ment to that the same function.

I should certainly hope that people aren't so stupid that they think the left and right mouse button do the same thing, but experience tells me they are.  Which simply comes back to my point that Apple users care little for what's best, prefering what's simpler for them to use above all.  With that being said, I am just glad that the Macs have the least marketshare of all the major OS's.

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Now days i try as hard as I can to stay out of Mac Vs PC arguments, I'm happy using Macs, my personal opinion is that Macs are very much better than Windows. However, thats just my opintion.

It might surprise you and others that I can both accept and understand that.  But personally, I see absolutely no reason for Macs to even exist in today's world.  

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Well, being a long time Mac user, and a somewhat obsessive one at that, heck I registered this name SteveWozniak, because he was one of the Co-founders of Apple computers, along with Steve Jobs

I can also accept that.  I was once an Apple fan, until I got my 286, and started learning how much more flexible PCs were in nature.

[SteveWozniak]

and woah on there, settle down dude. Most Mac users, like me, buy a diffrent mouse, I wish Apple had a multi button mouse, simply, they don't. If I were to advise people on  buying a mouse, I'd almost certainly tell people to get a MS mouse (with logitech close behind). OSX (as with previous Mac OS's supported multi button mice out of the box, plug it in, it works.

No need for Apple, again I believe you underestimate Apple, it was Apple who first worked out the GUI was the was to go (firstly developed by Xerox), then later ripped off by MS (sorry, I couldn't help myself), Apple were the ones that shwoed the music execs that music on the internet can work, it just needed to be done properly. Apple was recently announced as the innovator of the last 30 years (http://www.computing.co.uk/news/1144441), Apple played a massive roll in the early development of Aldus (now knows of course as Adobe) Photoshop, Apple recignised that things like movie editing, etc has a place for home users, Apple work the first company with a successful computer in the world. I'm sure theres more, Apple are an innovator. The reasons for Apples massive failure is almost certainly linked to a previous CEO's decision, to Allow MS to develop a MacOS like product for PC's, in return, MS would develop Word, ect, for Macs. After a few years when this agreement rean out, and MS and Apple basicly didn't want to renue the agreement, MS just continued on developing and selling windows, Apple tried to sue, they failed. That was the mistake, letting MS develop windows, if they were to do that again, the very least they'd do would be to develop windows themselves, and allow MS no control over it, then again, is Jobs had his way, not even that.

[Pale]

I think apple would do wonders to convert their crap over to x86 architecture.  I admit that their laptops are the most kick ass of all laptops available, and some of their monitors, though ugly as sin (IMHO), are some of the greatest monitors out.  My gripe is that if I buy a mac laptop, I want to be able to do things on it.  OS X, though is just toooooo "user friendly."  They suffer from overly dumbing the product down.  When it first came out and I heard it was based on unix I almost crapped my pants.  It wasn't until I used it and realized it was nothing more than a dumb down version of unix where basically the only thing they stole was the command list, that I didn't really care anymore.  If they wanted to make a difference in the industry, they would join the x86 standard and actually give people a choice between two similars.  

[strat]

This iTunes thing is the smartest thing Apple has done.  All the nieve PC users are finally gonna be able to see how great Apple programs are (not saying all of you are).

The only problem is, everyone only thinks that iTunes is about buying songs...I tell people to download it and they're like
"I'm not gonna pay for music, yada yada yada".  It's an awesome program without the music store, and PC users should take note.   It might not have all the whistles and bells of all the Winamp plugins, but its elegant, powerful, and easy to use...that's what Apple and Macintosh is all about.

PS... why do you guys all hate QuickTime?  I don't get it.  Seems like 40 billion times better than Windows Media Player to me...

PPS through my "research" I've found that most people who use Macs and PCs equally prefer Macs.  A lot of people who say "Macs suck" etc have never used one or only used one once or twice.

I realize this was a badly thought-out and biased post, so may the flaming commence