> As for iTunes, given that you really "need" those metadata (which is usually superfluous stuff, like people spending eons tagging their music collection and less time actually enjoying the music), the solution is quite simple for a hacker: write, or get (there are some on the internet) an Applescript that writes those metadata to the mp3 tags.
Honest question: which metadata does iTunes stores on proprietart files? Album covers and ID3 stuff go into the files, playlist can be exported to m3u...
I have an external drive with music that I lug around and I use the same files seamlessly between iTunes and foobar2000 at work.
> My experience of living outside of the Apple ecosystem is that Apple stuff is all or nothing. One can't choose to have some Apple gear without fully embracing it. The advertised benefits require one to buy into everything. Things like iPods and Ubuntu aren't seamless
I think you are overrating those "advertised benefits".
Sure, there are some conveniences when you use multiple Apple devices, such as iMessage, iCloud tabs, iCloud passwords, iCloud Storage. But it's nothing that you can't get with third party apps like WhatsApp or 1Password, or even Google Chrome.
iCloud Storage depends on apps implementing it. They could use any other solution, such as Dropbox or Box.net, but then you would have another kind of lock-in.
And yes, iTunes doesn't work on Ubuntu, but it's not like you need iTunes for a fully operational phone, nor you need a Mac for iTunes. I don't think I synced my iPhone to Mac in a few years. And it's been a while since I last used Linux, so I don't know if those still work, but if you had to sync MP3 music you could use Amarok or GtkPod... or even Wine...
So, yes, it's not really seamless but it's not like you absolutely have to buy a Mac to have all the advantages of having an iDevice...
And yes, I get it, it isn't open, etc, but my the point is that you absolutely don't need to "buy into everything" to have all the conveniences. Sure, you have to do a bit of legwork, but that was the situation before iCloud, and is probably the situation with most other platforms.
> and an iPad when your phone is an Android just means that you buy everything twice, have different versions of things running sometimes with different data profiles.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding you but... I don't see how this is Apple's (or even Android's) fault? I mean, if you buy Xbox games they won't be playable on your Playstation. How data is stored or if can be exported depends on App makers, not on Apple...
Again, maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but I still don't really see what the point was with this one, unless you're advocating a mobile OS monoculture...
I'm not trying to say that you're wrong or anything, I'm just giving my POV and trying to understand yours better, since you said you're living outside the Apple ecosystem...
And sorry for being defensive and posting this with a throwaway account, but it's because talking anything non-negative about Apple takes a huge toll on my Karma here, and I'm not even close to being a frequent poster.
Honest question: which metadata does iTunes stores on proprietart files? Album covers and ID3 stuff go into the files, playlist can be exported to m3u...
I have an external drive with music that I lug around and I use the same files seamlessly between iTunes and foobar2000 at work.