iTunes 4.5
May 7th, 2004
A few suggestions for the recently released iTunes 4.5.
- Command- or Option-clicking on the status display’s new “reveal song in playlist” arrow should reveal it in the library. I frequently accomplish this task manually using the search field, but I’d love to have a way to do it with a single click. I’ve toggled the iTMS link arrow behavior to point to my local library by default (thanks, Sven!), but accessing the arrow requires first using the status display reveal to show the song in the playlist in which the song is playing.
- When Option-clicking (or clicking for those of us who have toggled the behavior) on the arrow next to an artist’s name, the artist browser column should scroll to reveal that name as close to the top of the list as possible.
- Users should be able to use the Play Next in Party Shuffle and Add to Party Shuffle contextual menu commands to add genres (theoretically useful), artists (somewhat useful), and albums (very useful) to the Party Shuffle from the browser. This can currently be done with drag-and-drop, but many users (especially current/former Windows users, it seems) look in the contextual menu first.
Hi, you’ve probably seen by now that your first suggestion; “…Option-clicking on the status display’s new “reveal song in playlist” arrow should reveal it in the library”, is actually how it works — Option-click the arrow to show just that artist in your list — which is quicker than finding the artist in your browse list.
I tend to agree with (2), though as it stands now, not moving the list means you can quickly click ‘All’ artists, to reset the list, which esentially operates as a ‘back to previous state’ command.
Finally, you can permanently invert the behaviour of the arrows, via the following Terminal command:
defaults write com.apple.iTunes invertStoreLinks -bool YEScheers
Hmmm, helps to fully read a post, before replying! Sorry about that! ; )
:) By the way, I’m enjoying your del.icio.us feed. I too might have to buy NearTime Flow.
Huh, thanks. : ) I’ve wondered, once or twice, if there was anyone reading mine… : ) I’ve got your feed subscribed, and of course, it’d be quite interesting to see the relationships, networks, reputation, power law… blah, blah. There’s a lot more potential in there, waiting to be explored. Josh has plans for that type of stuff, but not sure when he’ll get around to it.
Re Near-Time, yeah, it does look interesting. I’m still interested in the idea of Tinderbox, but have never taken the plunge… Curio seemed interesting to begin with, but it lacks the depth I’m looking for… I think..! : )
cheers
Re social aspects to del.icio.us…. although, having said that, there is a certain comfort/value in the sense of anonymity possible, that currently exists… the flip side of exposing the relationships and networks could be to instil a sense of hierarchy, and competition to the system.
As things currently work, I could be bookmarking for just myself, or an avid set of readers (tho I don’t think I am, think Clay, or Joi or other ‘celebrities’), and not know the difference, and therefore, not ‘fall victim’ to that outside consideration…
Just to counteract my previous statement, I think there’s a lot of strength in the individual user’s being entirely equal, and the value of the system being drawn from the data itself, either by directly following an individual, or particular topics.
…and of course, ‘popularity’, or reputation, are inherently possible anyway, simply by users bookmarking, rather than (or as well as), subscribing to a feed, since that would introduce a user’s list into the ranking system, as a number have been.
BTW, seen the ‘delicious linkulator’, it’s another handy tool: http://negatendo.net/delicious/linkulator.cgi