Arrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggg!

[nfpgasmask]

You do have to install iTunes to manage the music library on your PC.

Thats all I really need to know. No matter what, I don't want iTunes on my machine. I have seen the software and messed around with it several times, and quite honestly, I hate it. I have absolutely no issues managing a rediculous amount of music without it. ID3 tags and all, its done simply and quickly, the way I want it.

It will ask if you want it to check, (balance) the sound levels of your files, and it will ask if you want Gapless added to your sound files(before and after silence removed).

Wow, that sounds like iTunes actually modifies your existing files. That's no good.

It will ask if you want it to download album art if you want it to, You can look for artwork on the net and paste it into your files manually if you like.

No need for that, I just want the music.

Print this up and ask them to demo these features at an Apple store, if you have any doubts or questions.

No more questions, just doubts. I think you helped me understand again, that iTunes is not for me, and thus, neither is the iPod. This is the whole problem with most software today, even alot of the more consumer based MicroSoft stuff. The software wants to "automate" and control everything. I can't stand that. If I am not in complete 100% control of what I want it to do, then I don't want it. This is why I have always hated MACs. I know they have come along way since, but the lack of customizablity and tweak-ability always turned me off. To me, it just seems like everything gets completely dumbed down for people who don't know jack about using computers, which is fine, they need to market and sell, but man is it annoying! PCs have always been the advanced way to go, imo. MACs were like the Speak & Spell and PCs were like the TI-80 Graphing Calculator. I say "were" because I know newer MAC OSes are much more "advanced" than they used to be, but still...

When you have iTunes on your computer you can hook it up to your home stereo and have an awesome jukebox or listen to your music as you surf, I do. I also use it as my alarm clock

My computer is my home stereo, and why do I need iTunes to listen to music on my PC? I use WinAmp with no overhead whatsoever. No DRM. Just an EQ and a Volume slider. Perfect. Playlists, Windows shell integration. I couldn't ask for more.

Thanks for the input though, its good to reaffirm sometimes!

Bart

[CrnCnn]

My only chime in here is that my Creative Zen Micro was a POS. I had it for six months and it slowly declined. Never dropped it. All of the sudden my power switch, you know the slider, stopped working. So every time I wanted to turn it on I had to connect it to a computer, because Creative labs would not give me any real assistance for repair, I wasn’t interested in paying 30 dollars for them to just look at it. I am an electronic technician so I asked them to send me a replacement component since the parts were still under the year warranty, and I would fix it myself. NO NO NO is all I got.

I purchased an iPod a couple months ago and like it, I don’t have any issues with itunes. I use mine all day 5 days a week and then at the gym. So we will see if this one lasts longer than the Creative.

Any way, a co-worker bought one that I think is a Dell. I know Toshiba makes some large size hard drive styles. I think their 60 gig was around 150. don’t quote me on that.

I am not interested in the Zune until a few revisions happen because you know the way things work, in 6 months or less there will be new features.

Happy hunting.

Clint