[iDave]

Alright guys what is the best way to transfer my iPod/iTunes songs from my PC to my Mac?

[mdc]

* put them onto your ipod from the pc, ipod rip then back onto the mac.

* external firewire drive from the pc then into the mac

* network the computers and copy

[Captain Obvious]

Originally Posted by mdc

* put them onto your ipod from the pc, ipod rip then back onto the mac.

That is not the easiest or smartest way.
Easiest would be burning the files (as MP3s not AIFF) to DVD (or CD) and then copying them to the new computer. IF these are iTunes purchased songs and you are ditching the PC remember to deauthorize the computer first.

[Simon]

That would certainly be the most time consuming way.

[Mastrap]

Originally Posted by Captain Obvious

That is not the easiest or smartest way.
Easiest would be burning the files (as MP3s not AIFF) to DVD (or CD) and then copying them to the new computer. IF these are iTunes purchased songs and you are ditching the PC remember to deauthorize the computer first.

That would take forever. Networking, an external drive or grabbing the music off the iPod are all faster and cheaper options.

[Randman]

Apple.com/ipod has detailed instructions on the best and easiest way.

[Simon]

It would be more helpful if you just linked to the article so he can go and see for himself.

Randmann probably had this Apple iPod page in mind:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.h...um=60920#faq23

Where they link to this KB article:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61131

Where it says

So what if you have some songs on one computer and you want to--legally--copy them to another. Can you use iPod's hard disk for that? Sure.

1. Configure iPod as a hard disk as described above.
2. Locate the iTunes Music folder on your computer. Inside the iTunes Music folder are all the songs you've encoded or purchased. They're organized by artist in various folders.
3. Drag the song files you want to copy to the iPod disk icon in the Finder or in My Computer. The number of songs you can copy will depend on how much free space there is on your iPod's hard disk. The computer copies the songs to your iPod. Keep in mind that iPod can't play these songs. You have to copy songs with iTunes in order to listen to them with iPod.
4. Eject iPod before disconnecting it from the computer.
5. Connect your iPod to the other computer. iTunes opens and asks if you want to associate your iPod with the music library on that computer. Make sure you don't do that, unless you really want to.
6. Double-click the iPod icon in the Finder or My Computer. A new window appears.
7. Arrange the windows so you can see the contents of your iPod and the iTunes library.
8. Drag the songs from your iPod to the iTunes window. The computer copies the songs to the iTunes Music folder on this computer.
9. To free up space on your iPod, drag the songs you copied to the Trash or Recycle bin and empty it.
10. Eject iPod before disconnecting it from the computer.

[Randman]

Originally Posted by Simon

It would be more helpful if you just linked to the article so he can go and see for himself.

Maybe, but I didn't feel like fetching a web address for someone else when they have the start page and can find the details themselves.

Also, the Apple switch pages has info on it as well but sorry for Simon, no linkie provided.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Simon

It would be more helpful if you just linked to the article so he can go and see for himself.

Actually, I agree with Randman. Pointing someone to the precise article may be quicker, but what does that person learn? And at the same time, is it exactly the right article for that person?

By pointing him at the source, without a specific article, Randman gave the OP a lead and at the same time didn't limit him to Randman's personal understanding of the issue.

I have to admit I get the urge to post "RTFM," "STFW," and "Google is your friend" more often than is appropriate for someone in my role. This sort of thing is where you can either help someone with one issue or help them become self-sufficient. I like self-sufficient.

[Simon]

This is not elementary school. I assume I'm talking to adults here. I feel neither the necessity nor the urge to educate people about their use of google. The OP had a legitimate question and it's appropriate to answer it quickly on this board. In the time it takes some users to post snotty remarks (including RTFM or any other niceties) I prefer to offer a link to Apple's quick and easy solution to the OP's problem. After all these boards are about the exchange of helpful information. I'm mildly surprised that you - as a mod - rather take time to lecture me on how much other people should be required to google, than to just help out obviously less experienced users.

And by the way, learning self-sufficiency and accepting help by no means exclude each other.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Simon

This is not elementary school. I assume I'm talking to adults here. I feel neither the necessity nor the urge to educate people about their use of google.

You might be surprised at how "adult" supposed adults behave. I've dealt with people in person who, because they were dealing with something out of their own direct experience, became almost helpless. Not knowing much about a subject, they assumed they knew nothing about it and knew nothing about how to learn more. This is the point I was trying to make-that being clueless is fine, but acting like you need to be spoonfed and can't do anything on your own is not.

This does NOT in any way reflect the way I read iDave's question; I was dealing with generalities in my response, and I hope that was clear. I was just agreeing that sometimes I get frustrated with questions that I feel the asker could have answered for himself, and I am tempted to point such askers to the usual sources of information everyone else uses.

Originally Posted by Simon

And by the way, learning self-sufficiency and accepting help by no means exclude each other.

I'm not saying I don't help people with a direct link to the article I think will help them most. I AM saying that some questions from some people merit more direct support than others. In general, I pay attention to how long a user's been a member of our forums, so I give newbies some serious slack. But the attitude the poster uses in his/her question has a lot to do with how much slack I give anyone. I don't think iDave's question was off the mark, but it was pretty terse; had he tried looking anywhere else for a answer? Did he want to know what was more popular, or more troublefree or more flexible? Those questions come to mind when I see such posts.