[Web4lib] Public Computers and iTunes[Scanned]

[Andrew Hankinson]

On 21-Apr-07, at 2:59 PM, Darryl Friesen wrote:

> Excellent post by Andrew Hankinson.  One clarification though
>
>> The iPod purposely encumbers audio transferring because Apple  
>> doesn't want the labels to come down on them for selling a device  
>> that people  can use to share music.  That's why you can only sync  
>> your iPod to  one computer.
>
> You use your iPod with any number of computers if you use the  
> "manual" mode. See http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html? 
> artnum=61675 for details. Basically, it enabled the iPod for use as  
> standard USB device and turns off the auto sync feature.  It means  
> you need to manage what music goes on the iPod by hand (something I  
> like any way).  I use my iPod with both my home and work computers  
> almost daily.

There's a difference between the way iTunes 6 and iTunes 7 handles  
transferring, and I wasn't aware of that - mea culpa.  iTunes < 6  
will only allow one way transfers (i.e. from the computer to the  
iPod) for one computer only.  I don't have a 'big' iPod to test the  
way iTunes 7 works, but it seems that you can now attach it to any  
computer and just copy the files from said any computer to the iPod?   
Can you go the other way? (i.e. from iPod back to your home  
computer?) Is that correct?  Do the record labels know about this?

Also note the "important" note at the bottom of that Knowledgebase  
article:

Important: Synchronization generally occurs only in one direction,  
from your computer to your iPod. However, if you are legally allowed  
to transfer song files, you can use your iPod as a hard disk. An  
exception is the transfer purchases feature, which allows you to  
restore purchased iTunes content to an authorized computer from your  
iPod.

Note: iPod shuffle is intended for use with a single computer. You  
cannot load music from multiple computers or iTunes libraries onto  
iPod shuffle like you can with other iPods.
>
> Sharon Foster said:
>
>> We've had one or two patrons who were dismayed to see that synching
>> their iPod with the public Mac had the effect of wiping out anything
>> they had loaded the iPod with from another computer.
>
> That's what happens when the iPod is NOT in manual mode.  Enabling  
> it -- it is NOT the default mode -- will solve the problem.

AFAIK, they will also be warned by iTunes that their iPod would be  
wiped, and are given the option to cancel it.  If they still click  
OK, then that's their fault.

>
> One other important bit of info to keep in mind is that Windows  
> formatted iPods CANNOT be used on Macs, and vice versa.  This,  
> coupled with the above problem of wiping iPods not in manual mode  
> makes supporting iPods on public machines extremely unattractive  
> (in my opinion).

I don't think this is the case anymore.  The reason this happened  
previously is that 'Mac' iPods were formatted HFS+, and 'PC' iPods  
were formatted FAT32.  Starting with 4G iPods, all iPods come  
formatted for Windows. (A Mac can read FAT32, but Windows can't read  
HFS+)

>
> Plus, I don't see the point.  I can't see students making iTunes  
> purchases from public machines.  And I don't think iTunes has that  
> much useful free content that the student couldn't possibly wait  
> until they were at home to sync.  Ripping Library CDs seems like a  
> violation of copyright.  Using the iPod as a USB storage device is  
> about the only thing I can think of that might be of use, but the  
> hassles with format and synchronization mode don't seem to make it  
> worthwhile.  Or am I missing some compelling argument?

What's violation of copyright to one person is academic freedom /  
fair use to another. ;)  Also, there isn't really that much hassle  
with the HD mode at all: Rip the CDs into iTunes, drag and drop them  
from iTunes onto your iPod HD.  When you get home, do the opposite:  
iPod HD -> iTunes.  Works a charm on my shuffle.


>
>
> - Darryl
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>   Darryl Friesen, B.Sc., Programmer/Analyst    Darryl.Friesen at usask.ca
>  Information Technology Services Division,     http://gollum.usask.ca/
>  University of Saskatchewan Library
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>   "Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes"
>
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