[shifuimam]

Dear Apple,

I am not your bitch. Do not design your software to make me your bitch or to make me its bitch. I get to decide how my music is organized on my computer - not you. I get to decide how my music is imported to my computer - not you. Please design a music management application that has some actual features. Do not make me iTunes' bitch. Do not make the latest version of iTunes so bloated and overcoded (while miraculously lacking so many useful features found in the excellent Windows Media Player 11) and "pretty" that I am forced to downgrade to iTunes 4.

Apple, your operating system is very pretty, and I'm sure it's pretty stable because it's based on the FreeBSD kernel, but please do not make me your OS's bitch. Give me a damn file manager that is actually useful. I decide what columns are displayed - not you. If I want to view my files in a detailed list that shows not only the date modified and the size, but the artist and album title, or the date the picture was taken, give me an option to do that. I decide if I want to view my files in a tree view (your so-called list view doesn't count, and you know it) - not you.

Maybe, for once in your life (ahem), you should take a leaf out of Microsoft's R&D files. Your Finder sucks. It doesn't just suck; it's pathetic. Take five minutes to play with Windows Explorer. I know you want to dummy down all your applications, but if you want to pick up a bigger user base, maybe you should throw a bone to power users once in awhile. For the love of all that is good and holy, I never thought I would say that Media Player is better than another audio application (except, perhaps, RealPlayer, which has always sucked), but guess what? It is. I like being able to view my movies, music, and photos in one slick application. Not only that, but Microsoft managed to make an application that has power features and is simple enough in its interface to let me show a computer-retarded college freshman how to import and listen to CDs on his computer in under ten minutes.

Grah. I am tired and I am sick to death of Finder and iTunes. I tried Path Finder, and it didn't appear to be *that* much better than Finder. I want my Windows Explorer back, dammit. GIVE ME SOME ADVANCED FILE MANAGEMENT PLEASE.

Sincerely,

shifuimam.

/rant

[James L]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

Dear Apple,

I am not your bitch. Do not design your software to make me your bitch or to make me its bitch. I get to decide how my music is organized on my computer - not you. I get to decide how my music is imported to my computer - not you. Please design a music management application that has some actual features. Do not make me iTunes' bitch. Do not make the latest version of iTunes so bloated and overcoded (while miraculously lacking so many useful features found in the excellent Windows Media Player 11) and "pretty" that I am forced to downgrade to iTunes 4.

Apple, your operating system is very pretty, and I'm sure it's pretty stable because it's based on the FreeBSD kernel, but please do not make me your OS's bitch. Give me a damn file manager that is actually useful. I decide what columns are displayed - not you. If I want to view my files in a detailed list that shows not only the date modified and the size, but the artist and album title, or the date the picture was taken, give me an option to do that. I decide if I want to view my files in a tree view (your so-called list view doesn't count, and you know it) - not you.

Maybe, for once in your life (ahem), you should take a leaf out of Microsoft's R&D files. Your Finder sucks. It doesn't just suck; it's pathetic. Take five minutes to play with Windows Explorer. I know you want to dummy down all your applications, but if you want to pick up a bigger user base, maybe you should throw a bone to power users once in awhile. For the love of all that is good and holy, I never thought I would say that Media Player is better than another audio application (except, perhaps, RealPlayer, which has always sucked), but guess what? It is. I like being able to view my movies, music, and photos in one slick application. Not only that, but Microsoft managed to make an application that has power features and is simple enough in its interface to let me show a computer-retarded college freshman how to import and listen to CDs on his computer in under ten minutes.

Grah. I am tired and I am sick to death of Finder and iTunes. I tried Path Finder, and it didn't appear to be *that* much better than Finder. I want my Windows Explorer back, dammit. GIVE ME SOME ADVANCED FILE MANAGEMENT PLEASE.

Sincerely,

shifuimam.

/rant

There's a message in there somewhere I think. If only we could figure out what you were trying to say....

Next time, don't hold back so much, k?

[Dark Helmet]

Well that was gay.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet 

Well that was gay.

-t

[kmkkid]

I agree in the fact that the Finder needs to be more advanced.

I love iTunes however.

[iranfromthezoo]

okay....go buy your dell now!

[besson3c]

Doesn't iTunes provide the option to keep your music organized yourself?

I agree about the Finder, it needs work.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

I agree about the Finder, it needs work.

But still, Windows File Explorer is no way better...

-t

[Dark Helmet]

The finder doesn't need work. it needs to be scrapped and totally re-thought.

[Nebagakid]

Apple doesn't design for the small niche people who want crazy things. Power users will always find ways to do things. 20% of computer users can do crazy customize things. 80% just want it to work.

[Nebagakid]

what is wrong with iTunes?

[Jim Paradise]

With the exception of speed and other fixes, I don't see what's wrong with the Finder given that I can find everything and anything very quickly in a multitude of different ways.

[CheesePuff]

You can turn off the option in iTunes for it to organize your music for you...

[TheoCryst]

I understand your complaints about the Finder (though I disagree that Windows Explorer is better), but I don't see what's wrong with iTunes. The only real complaint you mentioned is simply a option that can be enables or disabled. Out of genuine curiosity, what "useful features" does WMP 11 boast that iTunes lacks?

[larrinski]

He has snapped.

What kind of mac do you own? Maybe we can work out a deal for you to get back to the Windows a little quicker...

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by larrinski 

He has snapped.

What kind of mac do you own? Maybe we can work out a deal for you to get back to the Windows a little quicker...

She. Maybe it's PMS.

-t

[exca1ibur]

Dear Apple,

I just want a decent laptop power supply. Mine caught fire last week and the bastards still have me waiting for a replacement. I got a $2000 paper weight right now.

Sincerly,

5th power supply in the last 3 Power/MacBook Pro

// Rant over

[Jawbone54]

I'm sho'nuff glad I didn't read that whole thing.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

I'm sho'nuff glad I didn't read that whole thing.

You should, it's entertaining

-t

[larrinski]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

She. Maybe it's PMS.

-t

My bad... You know what happens when you assume...

[ShortcutToMoncton]

This girl doesn't have a clue what she's talking about. She's a "power user" and yet loves Media Player because it does music, movies and pictures?! Jesus H. Christ, my iTunes music is all ordered in Column view with Artist, Album, and file names.

The day Apple starts copying Media Player and the Explorer Finder is the day I say **** that and stop upgrading. Sure, the Finder needs a lot of work in its current incarnation, but Explorer? Step off.

greg

[Jawbone54]

I love iTunes, and anyone that prefers Windows Media Player 11 over iTunes doesn't need to be allowed anywhere near a Mac.

Do NOT give me Explorer-like crap in place of the Finder. It needs a little work, but c'mon...

[Kevin]

[Face Ache]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

She. Maybe it's PMS.

-t

Pro Tip: Never, EVER say "PMS", because even if it is, you. can't win.

[himself]

How can you not be able to easily import and listen to CDs in iTunes? You have to be deaf, dumb, and blind to not be able to do that...

All of your complaints seem to come from a so-called power user that doesn't even know how to access the options that are available.

[Kerrigan]

Dear Steve's Job,

I want a 30th anniversary Newton widescreen tablet Mac iPhone with a downscaled version of OSX, scalable GUI, and a 6ghz Cell processor. I want it designed in collaboration with Nintendo so that it can play Mario Sausage Party 10. Lastly, I want it snappy and under $300.

Your affectionate uncle,

Screwtape

[Face Ache]

Originally Posted by himself 

All of your complaints seem to come from a so-called power user that doesn't even know how to access the options that are available.

Pro Tip #2: 90% of "Power Users" aren't.

[voodoo]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

Dear Apple,

I am not your bitch. Do not design your software to make me your bitch or to make me its bitch. I get to decide how my music is organized on my computer - not you. I get to decide how my music is imported to my computer - not you. Please design a music management application that has some actual features. Do not make me iTunes' bitch. Do not make the latest version of iTunes so bloated and overcoded (while miraculously lacking so many useful features found in the excellent Windows Media Player 11) and "pretty" that I am forced to downgrade to iTunes 4.

Apple, your operating system is very pretty, and I'm sure it's pretty stable because it's based on the FreeBSD kernel, but please do not make me your OS's bitch. Give me a damn file manager that is actually useful. I decide what columns are displayed - not you. If I want to view my files in a detailed list that shows not only the date modified and the size, but the artist and album title, or the date the picture was taken, give me an option to do that. I decide if I want to view my files in a tree view (your so-called list view doesn't count, and you know it) - not you.

Maybe, for once in your life (ahem), you should take a leaf out of Microsoft's R&D files. Your Finder sucks. It doesn't just suck; it's pathetic. Take five minutes to play with Windows Explorer. I know you want to dummy down all your applications, but if you want to pick up a bigger user base, maybe you should throw a bone to power users once in awhile. For the love of all that is good and holy, I never thought I would say that Media Player is better than another audio application (except, perhaps, RealPlayer, which has always sucked), but guess what? It is. I like being able to view my movies, music, and photos in one slick application. Not only that, but Microsoft managed to make an application that has power features and is simple enough in its interface to let me show a computer-retarded college freshman how to import and listen to CDs on his computer in under ten minutes.

Grah. I am tired and I am sick to death of Finder and iTunes. I tried Path Finder, and it didn't appear to be *that* much better than Finder. I want my Windows Explorer back, dammit. GIVE ME SOME ADVANCED FILE MANAGEMENT PLEASE.

Sincerely,

shifuimam.

/rant

V

[iMOTOR]

Am I the only person that doesn't think that Finder is so bad?

What exactly do you folks think needs to be improved?

[CharlesS]

[siflippant]

Originally Posted by kmkkid 

I agree in the fact that the Finder needs to be more advanced.

I love iTunes however.

[shifuimam]

lolz...wow. Lots of responses. I posted and went directly to bed...call me crazy.

Windows Explorer is superior to finder if only because it (a) has a two-pane tree view and (b) the details view is infinitely more useful. It takes me seconds to organize some files (say, my music), because the details view allows me to show and sort columns for everything. You can show columns for EXIF data, ID3v2 tags, the custom properties of your Office documents...it can be very useful when you are a data packrat such as myself.

UNIX (and the parts of GNU/Linux that pull from UNIX) has some very valuable and powerful file management and searching abilities. I'd like to see OS X dip into that a little more and provide a more powerful interface for viewing and managing all the crap that I keep on my computer. Some things are a quite nice - no registry and all that. When I wanted to organize my applications into subfolders - after I installed a bunch of them - all I had to do was drag 'n drop. However, once the files are there, there's not *that* much I can do with them.

Not only that, but Windows Explorer has a much more useful context menu, and while I know Apple has resisted the Evil Right Mouse Button for the longest time ever (and still is with the bizarrely-engineered Mighty Mouse), I (as, yes, a power user) use my context menus frequently and gleefully. Finder won't let me do a whole lot. In Windows, I can send files to be burnt to a CD (which, by the way, is also better than OS X, since using Burn on a CD finalizes it immediately, rendering it useless even if there's only a PowerPoint file on it). I can send files to a new compressed folder. I know that you can create an archive of an entire directory, but what if I want to do a bunch of files in different locations? I can also do little things like create a new blank text file immediately; something useful when I'm testing something I'm working on or need to create a new file such as an .htaccess file or something else weird.

I'm not just saying that windows is better because it's one app for multiple types of files (although that is a nice feature of it). It allows me to tell it how I want my files named when I rip music, and exactly where I want them to go, and how I want them organized. I really wish that iTunes had some more options when it comes to importing music. "Keep organized" on or off just doesn't cut it for me. WMP11 also allows for mutlilevel playlists instead of just one long list, which I really like. Now, this may have been fixed in iTunes 7 (I don't recall 6 having the ability), but iTunes 7 sucks ass on my iBook G3. It's way, way, way too slow and bulky and bloated. I tested each version, 1-7 (and still have them all in a folder, just in case), and 4 was the latest version I could use that was fast enough and behaved and looked the way I wanted it to.

And, yes, I know I'm just one user. But recall that I posted in the lounge....

Also, don't get me wrong. I love my iBook. I use it whenever I can. My desktop is mostly a big file repository now, and I still use it for editing my photos (my 2.8GHz HT P4, for obvious reasons, blows my 466MHz G3 out of the water), but I use my iBook for watching movies, surfing the internet, journaling, and doing basic document creation. I have found freeware applications to cover just about everything I need - an alternative to StuffIt, lots of icon management stuff, text editors, journaling software...but I can't find a decent iTunes or Finder replacement for the life of me. I don't use photo stuff on my iBook, but if I did, I can guarantee you it would be less than a day before I was looking for a replacement to iPhoto. I don't like how it deals with file locations and names when it imports pictures. Too much goes on that is in the background or out of my control. I like control over my stuff.

//rant really over now

[Kevin]

I gotta say I shif, you don't know much about OS X. Or haven't used it thoroughly. You can do ANYTHING with OSX's contextual menus you wish.

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by himself 

How can you not be able to easily import and listen to CDs in iTunes? You have to be deaf, dumb, and blind to not be able to do that...

I never said I couldn't, I just said it was a pain in the ass in some regards. It doesn't give me any control over how my music files are named and where they're put.

All of your complaints seem to come from a so-called power user that doesn't even know how to access the options that are available.

...Yet I've carefully looked at every option in Finder and iTunes. I can let iTunes rest - some people love it, some people hate it, some people don't care. I personally dislike it greatly. Every time I have tried to use my iPod with it, it's killed my iPod in one way or another.

Finder is another story. There are few options and few features. Amazingly enough, some other people here agree with me. While I am more of a power user in Windows than I am in OS X, I'm no slouch, either...

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

I never said I couldn't, I just said it was a pain in the ass in some regards. It doesn't give me any control over how my music files are named and where they're put.

Named? They name them they way they are supposed to be named VIA CD. And yes you can choose where your mp3s are on your system. Unless you are wanting a scattered folders all over your HD full of mp3s. Which would be absurd.

...Yet I've carefully looked at every option in Finder and iTunes. I can let iTunes rest - some people love it, some people hate it, some people don't care. I personally dislike it greatly. Every time I have tried to use my iPod with it, it's killed my iPod in one way or another.

Oh I am sure.

Finder is another story. There are few options and few features. Amazingly enough, some other people here agree with me. While I am more of a power user in Windows than I am in OS X, I'm no slouch, either...

No, others agree the Finder needs work. It does. So does Windows Explorer. Even much more so. It's a bloated POS.

I've talked to many people that went to using a Windows environment to a Mac one to EASILY adapt and actually prefer OS X over Windows over the years. Our office is Mac only.

Windows is too dodgy. I wont even get into the spyware/adware/virus crap.

[Kevin Dunahee]

I love it when people get all riled up and start whining before they know what they are doing.

n00b!

If you're in love with Windows so much, just go back. Nobody is stopping you, and nobody will miss a whiner around here.

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by Kevin Dunahee 

I love it when people get all riled up and start whining before they know what they are doing.

n00b!

If you're in love with Windows so much, just go back. Nobody is stopping you, and nobody will miss a whiner around here.

Wow...that wasn't rude at all.

I'm not a n00b, newbie, or new user. I think that the general consensus IS that Finder could use some serious improvement/enhancements.

It's people like you that keep others from wanting to switch to Apple - when they have problems or complaints, they get criticized, flamed, slammed, and mocked.

It's the forum's LOUNGE. It's a forum for random posts, rants, and anything else.

I DO know what I'm doing. I HAVE spent enough time with iTunes to know that it doesn't satisfy my needs in music management. Until I can find a good alternative, I will continue to use CDex to rip my music on my Windows machine and MP3-tag Studio to manage the ID3 tags. I KNOW that Finder is sorely lacking in some advanced features, and will be thrilled to no end when Apple comes up with a better file manager/explorer.

Please thread crap elsewhere.

[invisibleX]

This is fantastic. Someone criticizes Apple and half the people here go ballistic.

I suggest mailing your suggestions straight to Apple.

[andi*pandi]

WIndows Explorer is not a thing to be emulated, but despised. It really is.

[Dakar²]

I have to say, I'm impressed no one on NN has bitched about his ridiculously oversized sig.

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by Dakar² 

I have to say, I'm impressed no one on NN has bitched about his ridiculously oversized sig.

and...




Unless people have been bitching about YOUR "ridiculously oversized sig", you probably shouldn't be complaining about it.

[Y3a]

It's just a matter of re-learning AWAY from the backwards, clunky, buggy, virus/adware magnet Windows nonsense. You'll soon learn how easy the Mac environment is to live in. I guess it's that left brain-right brain thing.

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

Named? They name them they way they are supposed to be named VIA CD. And yes you can choose where your mp3s are on your system. Unless you are wanting a scattered folders all over your HD full of mp3s. Which would be absurd.

It's not that I want them scattered everywhere - of course not. I just want more control over the directory and file structure. I prefer to store my music by album, with the structure artist [album]/track-title.mp3. I re-tag multi-artist albums (sountracks and the like) with the album title as the artist name, and the title of the song as artist - title. This way, I can browse under "Artist" on my iPod and find every album more easily. If iTunes simply gave me the option to tell it the directory structure and file naming conventions I preferred, it really wouldn't irritate me that much.

I have looked through all the options in iTunes 4 and the Finder...there doesn't seem to be a lot of advanced stuff there. Maybe I am missing something? If I am, please please tell me - I love my iBook, and the more advanced features I can use, the better!

I think that Windows Explorer probably is bloated and overcoded, but it definitely has features I'd like to see in Finder (or a Finder replacement) - a two-paned tree view, more options for displaying columns, and a more fleshed-out context menu. I remember even my old Packard Bell DOS 3.1 box from 1989 had a text-based tree view like Windows Explorer that used ASCII characters instead of graphics. It was primitive, but provided a good view of files.

The spyware/adware/virus debate is one that will never die. Is OS X free from such things because of its small market share, or because it's really that secure? Has UNIX been compromised less because most hackers are more concerned with how widespread their attack is? Is OS X as secure as UNIX, since it's actually based on the open-source FreeBSD kernel? The only way we're going to know is if people start deliberately targeting Apple computers, which just hasn't happened yet.

[Dakar²]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

and...




Unless people have been bitching about YOUR "ridiculously oversized sig", you probably shouldn't be complaining about it.

Uh...

[starman]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

Unless people have been bitching about YOUR "ridiculously oversized sig", you probably shouldn't be complaining about it.

Um, wrong.

[andi*pandi]

did they change the sig rules recently to allow 308 pixels wide?

(I guess I'm old skool with 200x50 and one line of text. )

[shifuimam]

Ah, see, width and height are two entirely different things.

Nobody had ever mentioned it to me before. I've posted in threads where mods have seen my posts, and I wasn't reprimanded. If it's that bad, I can change it. On 800x600 on my iBook, though, it's not too long.

[Dakar²]

I'm so confused as to where they pulled those weird ass numbers from.

[voodoo]

Clearly tooki has left the building

As for the thread starter, PathFinder is actually capable of being like Windows Exploder. Tree and all.

You're just not very good with Macs or anything. iTunes is damn fine. Yet some people decide to hate it.

A mild dislike would be the most iTunes deserves.

V

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by Dakar² 

I'm so confused as to where they pulled those weird ass numbers from.

What?

Originally Posted by voodoo 

Clearly tooki has left the building

As for the thread starter, PathFinder is actually capable of being like Windows Exploder. Tree and all.

You're just not very good with Macs or anything. iTunes is damn fine. Yet some people decide to hate it.

A mild dislike would be the most iTunes deserves.

V

Jeez! Sup with the personal attacks? I did download PathFinder, but it was late and I didn't spend much time with it yet. I'll look more tonight when I have more time.

Why is it that I suck at using a Mac simply because I'm dissatisfied with parts of the OS and the software that comes with it? Could it be that I merely like to do things a different way - not because I'm brainwashed or a "n00b" or a moron, but because I am allowed to prefer to do things a specific way that makes sense to me?

iTunes is dummied down. It's fine for playing music. It's not that great for advanced organization in my opinion. I don't care whether or not anyone else likes it. I'm sticking with Audion on my iBook and Winamp or WMP11 in Windows. I think I'm allowed to do that without getting lambasted by someone who prefers iTunes. Not liking iTunes doesn't make me stupid or ignorant or inexperienced with a Mac (or any other computer, for that matter).

I'm actually surprised at the personal attacks. I, until now, have really liked this forum and the people who use it, because most of the users refrain from insulting people who happen to have something negative to say about a Mac or an Apple OS. It's too bad that such attacks are the way people feel they must respond.