3 ms·

There are some good points in this comment. Still, have you watched over the shoulder of a non-techie trying to use a recent version of iTunes? Accomplishing ma

by al3x 17y ago

There are some good points in this comment. Still, have you watched over the shoulder of a non-techie trying to use a recent version of iTunes? Accomplishing many goals, like configuring what content ends up on your iPod, is remarkably confusing for several people I've observed (and then helped). I'd just suggest that the number of installs of iTunes doesn't necessarily correlate to user satisfaction. If you own an iPod or iPhone, you have essentially no choice but to use iTunes, particularly if you're not technically inclined enough to investigate alternatives. Apple has a captive audience for iTunes.

Perceval 17y ago
I think you're right. Apple is daisy-chaining each one of its products to get more and more users. The iPod/iPhone requires iTunes, which requires Quicktime and Webkit, and which (on one occasion) was bundled with Safari. Because Apple has a captive audience, their usual aesthetic of hiding everything complex and letter the power user discover things has given over to the profit motive. Apple has an incentive to showcase features like the Genius Sidebar right off the bat, because Genius links into the iTunes Music Store. I read an interesting article on Steve Jobs and the original design of the iDVD application: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/01/28/idvd_hung_out_to_dry_as_apple_pushes_movies_online.html http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/01/28/idvd_hung_out_... The key bit for me was in this quote: Evangelist and a group of Astarte developers described pitching the simplified app concept to Steve Jobs. "Jobs never glanced at their presentation," the article noted. "Instead, he walked up to a whiteboard and drew a square. This is the program, he said. Users will drag their movies here to create DVD menus. Then they'll click 'burn.' That's it. 'I don't want to hear anything about drawers or pop-out' windows, he said." Seems like Steve needs to take his own hypercritical hatchet to iTunes. (http://arstechnica.com/staff/fatbits/2009/05/hypercritical.ars http://arstechnica.com/staff/fatbits/2009/05/hypercritical.a...). It would be just in time for iTunes X (pron. iTunes ten).
- joubert 17y ago
  That is because all these devices center around media. Note, iMovie, iPhoto, Garage Band, Final Cut, are separate, because they would not make sense as part of iTunes (but they do integrate beautifully with iTunes).
ironkeith 17y ago
It honestly took me 10 minutes to figure out how to create a "Genius Mix" yesterday. Somehow I don't feel that going "Store > Update Genius" is the most usable way to activate a new feature... I really doubt my Mom would have ever figured that one out.

by al3x 17y ago

Perceval 17y ago

I think you're right. Apple is daisy-chaining each one of its products to get more and more users. The iPod/iPhone requires iTunes, which requires Quicktime and Webkit, and which (on one occasion) was bundled with Safari. Because Apple has a captive audience, their usual aesthetic of hiding everything complex and letter the power user discover things has given over to the profit motive. Apple has an incentive to showcase features like the Genius Sidebar right off the bat, because Genius links into the iTunes Music Store. I read an interesting article on Steve Jobs and the original design of the iDVD application: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/01/28/idvd_hung_out_to_dry_as_apple_pushes_movies_online.html http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/01/28/idvd_hung_out_... The key bit for me was in this quote: Evangelist and a group of Astarte developers described pitching the simplified app concept to Steve Jobs. "Jobs never glanced at their presentation," the article noted. "Instead, he walked up to a whiteboard and drew a square. This is the program, he said. Users will drag their movies here to create DVD menus. Then they'll click 'burn.' That's it. 'I don't want to hear anything about drawers or pop-out' windows, he said." Seems like Steve needs to take his own hypercritical hatchet to iTunes. (http://arstechnica.com/staff/fatbits/2009/05/hypercritical.ars http://arstechnica.com/staff/fatbits/2009/05/hypercritical.a...). It would be just in time for iTunes X (pron. iTunes ten).

joubert 17y ago
That is because all these devices center around media. Note, iMovie, iPhoto, Garage Band, Final Cut, are separate, because they would not make sense as part of iTunes (but they do integrate beautifully with iTunes).

ironkeith 17y ago

It honestly took me 10 minutes to figure out how to create a "Genius Mix" yesterday. Somehow I don't feel that going "Store > Update Genius" is the most usable way to activate a new feature... I really doubt my Mom would have ever figured that one out.