iTunes on Ubuntu and all its official variants

[John Hupp]

On 12/20/2013 2:00 AM, Eric Bradshaw wrote:
> Ali, I feel for you. I managed to switch my whole family to *buntu 
> from Apple Macs, but my wife was by far the hardest to convince. I 
> ended up setting up Ubuntu for her like a Mac - with launcher(s), menu 
> placement, etc. that mimicked the Mac OS "look and feel" - which is 
> what it's all about. She's hooked on the Mac experience and that 
> experience comes through with many of Apple's core Apps (I don't know 
> if the names have changed now, but) like iPhoto, iWork, iLife, etc.
>
> My wife doesn't give a hoot about the underlying technology and 
> doesn't really understand what an MP3 is (much less an AAC file). I've 
> tried Banshee, VLC and several other media players on her own 
> computer, but she won't use them. She still takes photos, but has me 
> make copies, or changes, or prints because no matter what I put on her 
> computer, it doesn't work (look and feel) like iPhoto did. I can make 
> CDs of MP3s for her to play in any computer or DVD player in the 
> house, the car, etc. But, she'll still use her iPhone to listen to 
> music because it runs in iTunes.
>
> I used nothing but Mac in my home for many years, so I understand the 
> appeal. I also understand the frustration of trying to use *buntu 
> software with an iPod, iPad, iPhone, iTunes in general to appease my 
> wife. I've convinced myself (though have no proof) Apple purposely 
> releases another update to their iOS that breaks any significant 
> "breakthrough" Linux programmers make at "cracking" some of their 
> code. After all, they have share holders, artists and record companies 
> to answer to.
>
> I gave up the iTunes battle of *buntu long ago. I keep an old G4 
> PowerPC Mac around to back up my wife's iPhone. You can probably get a 
> G4, or G5 really cheap online or maybe at a garage sale. It's saved me 
> a lot of frustration.
>
> Eric
>
> PS - Search for the Mac application called Audion sometime - what most 
> Mac users back then (2000?) knew iTunes was based on when it came out. 
> It had hundreds of skins too, only they called them "Faces." Lots of 
> other neat features too. I miss it.
>
>

I'm not an iTunes or iThings user (OK, I currently have an older Mac 
laptop, but I'm not attached to it and just read eBooks and watch TV 
over the Internet on it -- easily done on *buntu. I plan to install 
Lubuntu on it eventually).

But I am very interested in Lubuntu as a Windows XP replacement, so I 
have been reading this thread with interest.

Enlighten me further about the nature of the objection that there is no 
iTunes support or replacement on Linux. The iTunes web site describes it 
thus: "iTunes is the easiest way to organize and enjoy the music, 
movies, TV shows, apps, and books you’ve already got — and shop for the 
ones you want to get."

Granted (perhaps?) that nothing on Linux has the scope, vertical 
integration (and polish?) of iTunes. Still, can't all the same functions 
be handled via a couple good players/readers + a web browser?

In other words, is this just a question of familiarity, and maybe adding 
a dash of single-interface convenience?

[I read earlier that the best work-around seemed to be iTunes in a 
Windows virtual machine or dual-booting with Windows, but both of these 
add a big chunk of security degradation, especially if the Windows 
choice is XP.]