Let's Talk Turkey

Okay, here are some specific problems I've got with iTunes. Many are also noted elsewhere, I'm sure, but perhaps someone else can add to the dialogue.

These are presented in no particular order:

• Downloaded podcasts simply disappear


• Smart Playlists don't work with podcasts downloaded from Apple


• Podcasts play one at a time and stop, not moving onto the next


• Can't sort podcasts by Time or Size


• Can't mark as "un-read" and podcasts don't get marked as played


• iTunes apparently counts a podcast that has only partially been listened to -- that is, merely sampled -- as PLAYED. Depending on your Preference settings, this could automatically delete unheard podcasts.


• There's no way to create a playlist of podcasts AND to change the order in which podcasts are played except by playing each one manually.


• Podcasts which show up as availabel for download in iTunes often will not DL except on the podcast website.


• Dave Winer's podcasts dont even show up!

Let me say before I go any further that I'm happy that Apple has suddenly run to the head of the parade and is offering its services as Podcasting Grand Marshal.

What I didn't expect was for Steve Jobs & Co. to rush to market a product as flawed as iTunes 4.9 seems to be simply to be the first really big player to join the fray.

Were they to have stuck to their original schedule and not released version 4.9 for another 3 weeks or so, the present problems might have been mitigated, reduced in number, or even eliminated entirely.

In short order, I'm sure, Apple will release iTunes 5.0 (or 4.9.1, 4.9.2 and 4.9.3) and most, if not all, of these problems will be corrected.

My question is, Why? Why release early and put users through a needless exercise in futility and frustration? Was there a chance of a competitor releasing their podcatching software prematurely and overtaking iTunes as the dominant audio delivery platform in a mere three weeks?

Anything is possible, I suppose, but it's about as likely as flying monkeys leaping from Hillary Clinton's butt and carrying her away to the White House.

Oh. Right. Bad analogy.

Let's just say that it wasn't very likely and leave it at that.

By the time the originally intended release date for v 4.9 is upon us, we'll have downloaded an update from Apple and all will be right with the podcasting world.

Then, we'll be on to something else to fill the Internet with blogs and podcasts about things that really don't matter in the long haul.