WTF Is This New iTunes SHITE!? DIE VILE ABOMINATION!

[Dead kate moss]

So I bought a new computer, and then updated iTunes to 11 and got something that looked like a blind contestant of The Apprentice designed it, they'd made loads of horrible changes and as usual, you can't say 'Oh thanks but no thanks for this update, it's a pile of shit, sack whoever designed it, cheers.'

Luckily I was able to reinstall my old version 10.6 and all is well (apart from losing all my playlists etc). Phew eh readers?

So an 'iTunes in general' thread, specifically what the fuck do they think they are doing with iTunes 11? Or are you mental and actually prefer it?

[BlodwynPig]

It took some time, but I am used to itunes 11 now. No going back.

Still slow as fuck. I have nearly 2 years of music on it though, so that's probably why.

The loss of the album artwork ribbon thing was poor form as well.

[Beep Cleep Chimney]

Not a fan.

I was always a defender of iTunes previously as a lot of people I know have never got on with it and were very anti. But I've always thought it was pretty good and easy to use.

However, this latest version's a real dog's dinner.  Don't really know why they've felt the need to make such big, unnecessary design adjustments, and it's sooooooo slow.

[rudi]

Never liked it, never will.

So there,

[Ignatius_S]

It's often argued that Windows, Apple would most likely break down the software's functionality into different apps – like they've done with iOS. For example, there's an App Store app, Music Store app, Music app, Video app. As iTunes has evolved, more and more functionality has been added and it's not the most elegant solution. However, it's often argued that whereas it's relatively easy to get Windows users installing a single app compared to several ones.

There  are quite a few articles online about this – not something I care to discuss!

So I bought a new computer, and then updated iTunes to 11 and got something that looked like a blind contestant of The Apprentice designed it, they'd made loads of horrible changes and as usual, you can't say 'Oh thanks but no thanks for this update, it's a pile of shit, sack whoever designed it, cheers.'

Luckily I was able to reinstall my old version 10.6 and all is well (apart from losing all my playlists etc...

Personally, before updating to a new version of anything, I tend to look at what it actually is – which is something I would tend to recommend. As for not having the option to downgrade to an older version, Apple doesn't do it with other apps so it's not surprising that it doesn't with iTunes – particularly, as sooner or later, version 10 will be no longer supported. However, for what it's worth, anyone can download iTunes 10 from Apple's website.

....However, this latest version's a real dog's dinner.  Don't really know why they've felt the need to make such big, unnecessary design adjustments...

Because of various negative feedback, bringing it more in line with other design changes and the way that iTunes evolved from being simple MP3 player to kitchen sink?

[NoSleep]

Here's some old versions of iTunes for Windows & Mac:

http://www.ihackintosh.com/2009/06/download-all-versions-of-itunes-for-windows-mac/

I still use 7.7.1, initially because later versions reacted so sluggishly when I tried to cast on CaB Radio, but I really have no need of any of the extras that have been added, nor am I interested in the iTunes shop (which I can no longer access via 7.7.1). Slightly sad that podcasts seemed to have ceased functioning recently, but they can be accessed elsewhere easily.

[El Unicornio, mang]

iTunes (I'm on 10.6) does seem to be very sluggish. At least half the time I use it it will literally freeze (but still be playing) for well over a minute. Mediamonkey ftw.

[BlodwynPig]

I have foobar and winamp, but the iTunes interface is still the best most familiar and that is why I use it.

[glitch]

Is everyone here using iTunes on Windows? I found it absolutely dogshit on Windows. My housemate reckoned it was due to the number of mp3s I have. Supposedly if you have more than a few thousand, Windows iTunes just starts behaving really sluggishly.

Now I'm running it on a Mac, don't have half the problems. Not sure if this is related to the massive upgrade I got when buying a Mac, the change from NTFS to HFS or iTunes in general.

[Dead kate moss]

Personally, before updating to a new version of anything, I tend to look at what it actually is – which is something I would tend to recommend. As for not having the option to downgrade to an older version, Apple doesn't do it with other apps so it's not surprising that it doesn't with iTunes – particularly, as sooner or later, version 10 will be no longer supported. However, for what it's worth, anyone can download iTunes 10 from Apple's website.

iTunes updates automatically, even if you are careful and refuse all offers of updates, as I did, it managed to sneak in an update last year, which buggered up all my songs for some reason. And most people assume - and you are right, they should not - that the new improved itunes will actually be an improvement. Or that they will get used to ch-ch-changes after a while.

Once updated, going back to an earlier iTunes from 11 is not as simple as downloading 10. You get error messages and it tells you to fuck off. You have to delete some hidden file, not that Apple will tell you that.

And an anyone recommend a good album artwork finder that actually works?

[Johnny Townmouse]

I have almost 31,000 songs and I can assure you that the new iTunes doesn't know what the fuck it's doing anymore. It locks up every time I try to use the search playlist function.

Speaking of which, you used to be able to just do a word search for something like 'winter' or 'drugs' and you would get a filtered list of every occurrence of that word. I found that very useful. Now you get a drop-down menu that doesn't work properly.

Not a fan.

Not. A. Fan.

[NoSleep]

Now I'm running it on a Mac, don't have half the problems.

If only there were none. I'm running on a Mac, and so is the OP.

[hedgehog90]

I was going to start a topic about this myself, because it's not just iTunes I've noticed this with, it's Windows 8, Outlook.com, and many other cunty UIs that have been making my life a misery recently.

Let's start with iTunes. I fucking hate the UI update more than any other UI update in my life. It's a travesty.

Firstly, The artwork for your music is now almost a hidden feature, the only way you can get it is if you PLAY THE FUCKING SONG, and then tap the icon of the artwork near the playhead. What the fuck!? How difficult is it to add a View Artwork button to the context menu? FUCKING DIE APPLE!
And you decide to remove the cover flow? What the fuck were they thinking in deciding to remove the most attractive feature of recent updates! It actually made me feel like a record collector!
But I guess I was fooling myself, so thanks for the reality check you cunt-apples.

Secondly, the new search thing sucks fucking balls, it takes a fucking AGE to load any results, and it presents them in such a way that it's confusing which filter to click, every fucking time!

Thirdly, changing info. It takes EVEN longer to add music or change its info. If i want to look at the song order of an album, the only way is through the album list which is WAY over simplified and the colour thing with text and the artwork is a JOKE! A FUCKING JOKE!!!

Fourthly, podcasts. Fucking WHY did they remove so much!? The podcasts are a nightmare now. I'm subscribed to loads and I have fuck loads of archived stuff, and the only way of viewing them is through a fucking list, which is no wider than a gnat's chuff. Cunts!

Fifthly, hiding the sidebar by default? GREAT IDEA! Why not present every iTunes user with a fork to stab their eyes out, because the results are pretty similar. You can't see fuck!

Sixthly, while writing this and looking at the new iTunes to remind me what has changed... after around 2 months of using this soiled cunt of an application... I've just realised the search box has a drop down button where you can set it back to the default search settings from previous iTunes.
Couldn't put that in the preferences anywhere or inform me of this could you? You cunts!

Seventhly, and by far the worst thing about iTunes 11 is this...
I installed iTunes 11 and used it for a few weeks, maybe a month, and over this time I added fuck loads of music to my library, and listened to fuck loads of it also. I had new podcast subscriptions, new podcast downloads, etc...
So when I finally decided I hated iTunes 11 (because it was such a pain to edit info for lots of things quickly), I looked at getting the old iTunes back.
After so many hours of fucking around online, it turned out the only way I was going to keep my old library was by going back to a backup that was made when I installed iTunes 11, so this large amount of activity and added albums would be lost, and I'd have to re-add the music, update play counts, download new podcasts and so on.
If I tried installing the old iTunes, it would tell me it couldn't load an iTunes library from a new version of iTunes.
Why? Because a number went from 10 to 11. The way the library works didn't change a fucking bit, so why can't I load my iTunes 11 library in iTunes 10!?
So like a mother with a changeling child I have to carry around this burdensome little cunt that I'd rather see dead, against my own WILL! ...until the LAPD offer me a new one, but he'll probably be worse than the old one, and by that point I think I might just kill myself.
Steve Jobs, I hope you can hear me. You and your company are all cunts!

I don't think I've ever been this angry before.
TBH, I only read the thread title before launching into my tirade. I saw red and 10 minutes later I woke up. I just needed to get this off my chest.

Oh, and as for Windows 8 and Outlook.com and all the other shit "modern" UI offenders that I can't remember, wtf is going on?
Why is it that UIs are getting fatter, uglier, and much more time/click consuming, and so difficult to interpret I feel like I'm playing with some 10 year old's first Flash game.
Stop designing software for stupid cunts and start designing them for people with fucking brains!

You see the fat/sparse designs online a lot, but it hasn't reached the insane degrees of Microsoft and Apple. Big fat buttons, fat text, html 5 animations everywhere.
All style and no substance.
There I said it.

The virtual world is becoming more and more like the real world. (ie - complete shit)

[Johnny Townmouse]

That rant makes me feel a lot better.

I also wish they had a better and more intelligent 'show duplicate items' list so I can prune back my many duplicate uploads.

I mean, there is a big difference between a fully duplicated file, and a song with the same title from a live album.

[BlodwynPig]

Is everyone here using iTunes on Windows? I found it absolutely dogshit on Windows. My housemate reckoned it was due to the number of mp3s I have. Supposedly if you have more than a few thousand, Windows iTunes just starts behaving really sluggishly.

Now I'm running it on a Mac, don't have half the problems. Not sure if this is related to the massive upgrade I got when buying a Mac, the change from NTFS to HFS or iTunes in general.

146000 mp3s, but I still don't get the sluggishness - must be continually indexing or something.

[BlodwynPig]

The hedgehog is on the button.

[Puffin Chunks]

Mediamonkey ftw.

This.

And an anyone recommend a good album artwork finder that actually works?

Mediamonkey.

I also wish they had a better and more intelligent 'show duplicate items' list so I can prune back my many duplicate uploads.
I mean, there is a big difference between a fully duplicated file, and a song with the same title from a live album.

Mediamonkey.

[23 Daves]

It's a pile of shit, to be blunt. After it had finished upgrading it dumped a number of my mp3s into some still mysterious location - I'm sure I'll find a bunch of others missing shortly - and also erased a lot of album artwork as well.  Then, as if that weren't enough, the iTunes DJ option which I used to use regularly doesn't have half the functionality.  You can't refresh the list and reshuffle it around yourself easily, which used to be a habit of mine.

The list goes on, really.  It's a mess.  I'll stick with it for now, but I can't help but think that a lot of Apple's "upgrades" have involved backwards steps of late.  Even the newer MacBooks have functions missing which were included on the older models. What's the point?  Surely you add more to new machines and software updates, not subtract?

[small_world]

This.

Mediamonkey.

Mediamonkey.

Er, this Mediamonkey guy, does he play Flac files straight off or does he have to ocnvert them first.

What's the difference between stanadard and gold (payable) versions. Like, does the standard have ads or anything?
Is it a good replacement for Windows Media Player (which I actually really like, but it does lose some art sometimes and isn't that proactive about naming files, and can be a bit slow now I've added all of my music to it)?

[Puffin Chunks]

Plays Flac straight off.

It will also autoconvert to MP3 (or any other specified format) when syncing your device if your device doesn't support the original format, whilst the original format remains in your library.

Dunno about the difference. I have the Gold version. After playing with it at my friends for an hour or so I leapt straight in and never looked back.

____
Edit:
Just to expand a bit on why I love Mediamonkey so much, it's basically what music library/management software should be like... BUT I can see why it may not be for the faint-hearted as whilst it works straight off the bat, there are a tonne of customisable options under the hood.

Not least: being able to customise how it manages the storage of your songs (i.e. you can specify how it structures directories and filenames on your hard disk). A plethora of options for finding information on misfiled/tagged items. Autosyncing album art and tags from a variety of locations. Being able to sync with pretty much any and all devices (including the iPod). A very active userbase who develop extendible plugins for it that are not supported out of the box.

One of the features I particular like is being able to re-encode files for syncing to your device on the fly. For example, I have a large library of FLAC and high bit-rate MP3s. I have a 60GB iPod Video. I cannot get anywhere near all my music on it. I have therefore chosen to make the tradeoff  to set options for files over a certain bitrate (160kbps MP3 in my case) to be re-encoded as 130kbps VBR MP3s when syncing to the device, meaning that I can fit a lot more of my music on my iPod whilst not having to store 2 copies of them in my library. I am happy to take the lower quality encodes on my portable player and keep the high quality originals on my computer.

This only really skims the surface of what Mediamonkey is capable of. I made the switch from iTunes about 3 years ago and have never looked back.


*This post was brought to you by Ventis Media.[nb]it wasn't[/nb]

[hedgehog90]

Eighthly...
I just remembered one more things that fucks me off. It's such a small thing but it drives me nuts to think they removed this option. I know everybody that has seen iTunes 11 will relate to me on this crucial lacking feature:

In the album list view, there is no longer a separator/title between years.

Lord oh fucking lord. Again, it made me feel clever! I learnt the release dates of my music automatically thanks to that thing! And it was always fun seeing how 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982 competed with each other to have the most albums in my collection! I can't describe to you what a thrill I got as each one crept over 100 albums. I celebrated these lovely moments.
Now that they've removed this option, I know fuck all about my music without clicking on the thing and seeing it's ugly text/artwork colour trick expand into existence. It's like iTunes thinks I'm a typical music retard who doesn't care about release dates or eras or the historical significance of music. What year was Terry Callier's 'What Colour is Love'? I don't fucking know! All I know is that it has a nudy lady on the front. But what if I want to check for a slight hint of muff on the nudy lady[nb]I did this literally every time I scrolled past it on the old iTunes[/nb]? Oh, I have to play it first? FUCK YOU! I DON'T EVEN LIKE TERRY CALLIER I JUST GOT IT COS OF THE NUDY LADY!

This application has been designed for cunts that don't like music or close ups of vaginas.

[Dead kate moss]

Like I said, I dumped it as soon as I saw what a lump of shit it was, but am I right in thinking you can no longer browse the albums in album view, with the artists having their own heading, and you could have the size of the album covers whatever size you liked? And now you can't? Like this (you may notice the Box Tops heading should really be 'Big Star, etc' buy I could never figure out how to make that work)



But the above viewing option is GONE in iTunes 11?

[Hank Venture]

iTunes on Windows always were a sluggish pile of shit. On a mac it functions a lot better, and I've gone from hating it to finding it perfectly acceptable. Even though I have 460 gb of data loaded up in it I never find it to be annoying. I actually quite like the new version, although I had to tweak it a bit (reset the search, enable the sidebar etc) in order for it to be of any use at all. It found a lot of album art it couldn't find on the earlier version, even.

The one thing that angers me is that they've removed the album art thing from the sidebar. Terrible and pointless decision.

[Dead kate moss]

ANSWER THE ABOVE QUESTION HANK! please.

[Hank Venture]

ANSWER THE ABOVE QUESTION HANK! please.

It seems so mate. I'm afraid I never used that look before so maybe I'm doing it wrong, but the closest I can make it look is this:

[Johnny Townmouse]

I'm going to give it a couple of months and then I think I'll make the switch to Mediamonkey.

In response to the tag below, I have actually found each iTunes update to be practical and well-thought through. But this new version seems to be making the worst mistake of all in terms of how we approach digitally stored music. It is making it even more impersonal and lacking in the special quality of buying a vinyl LP. It has taken a huge mental leap for me to get to the point where I am prepared to download music rather than buying the CD and then importing it. But I really cling onto the individuality of each album - and I care about the artwork and the year of release, and so many other things.

The layout that DKM has capped above is the one I tend to use - with a lot of focus on album art and the individual 'feel' of the album, as well as cataloguing my collection by things like date of release.

[The Masked Unit]

Haven't used it for years myself but...

My girlfriend has an iTunes voucher to use. The laptop her iPod is linked to isn't in use any more (e.g. it takes about 2 hours to start up if you're lucky) and so the obvious fix is to install iTunes on her current laptop and transfer the tracks she's bought over to her iPod, e.g. what should be the most simple thing in the world. However, it would appear that the only way she can add to her iPod is to over-write everything that's on there already. Surely there's a simple work around, anyone?

[Hank Venture]

Move the tracks from her iPod to the computer, add it to iTunes and then move the whole thing back the the iPod?

[The Masked Unit]

Oh, I thought you couldn't do that as an anti-piracy measure?

[Johnny Townmouse]

In the past I have done it by closing down iTunes. plugging in my iPod, accessing the files in it manually, copy the files into a folder on my PC, and then add that folder into iTunes. Then synch with the iPod overwriting the previous files.

You can synch in a far easier way if your files on the iPod are all purchased legally.