Full Version: Please, please, please OSX iTunes Alternative
I am using Cog right now, but after using foobar2k on windows and messing with amarok on Linux, I need something. I have been waiting for ~18 months or so since my powerbook became my main machine. I saw a complicated process on compiling Amarok for OSX, but I was unsuccessful. I had never compiled anything and well, it didn't work. Anybody get Amarok successfully or have any other alternatives? I have mostly flac and ogg.
did you try the fink project?
have fun!
QUOTE
Q1.1: What is Fink?
A: Fink wants to bring more Unix software to Mac OS X, which results in two main goals:
Goal number one is porting software to Mac OS X. That means we take commodity Open Source Unix software and fix whatever is necessary so that it will compile and run on Mac OS X. Sometimes that's easy, but it can also be very hard or even impossible for some packages. We're trying to provide tools and documentation to make this easier.
Goal number two is making the results available to casual users. For this, we build a distribution using package management tools ported over from Linux, namely dpkg and apt-get, written by and for the Debian GNU/Linux project. The binary distribution uses the .deb package format. For building packages from source, we have our own tool, named fink, which creates those .deb package files.
A: Fink wants to bring more Unix software to Mac OS X, which results in two main goals:
Goal number one is porting software to Mac OS X. That means we take commodity Open Source Unix software and fix whatever is necessary so that it will compile and run on Mac OS X. Sometimes that's easy, but it can also be very hard or even impossible for some packages. We're trying to provide tools and documentation to make this easier.
Goal number two is making the results available to casual users. For this, we build a distribution using package management tools ported over from Linux, namely dpkg and apt-get, written by and for the Debian GNU/Linux project. The binary distribution uses the .deb package format. For building packages from source, we have our own tool, named fink, which creates those .deb package files.
have fun!
QUOTE(neomoe @ May 28 2006, 01:10) 
Yeah, I tried that. ~26 hours of d/l and compiling and something happened at the end and since I am not familiar with *nix command line and had never compiled anything before, I was lost.
QUOTE(haze @ May 28 2006, 09:56)
QUOTE(neomoe @ May 28 2006, 01:10)
Yeah, I tried that. ~26 hours of d/l and compiling and something happened at the end and since I am not familiar with *nix command line and had never compiled anything before, I was lost.
I understood the approach of "fink" in the way that they try to provide pre-compiled packages.. is it not that way?
edit:
hm, read again the faq and it seems to me that they provide apt-get which fetches precompiled packages similar to apt-get in the linux world.
when you have apt-get installed, it is quite easy - as easy like :
"apt-get install 'package-name'"
so... after reading the faq once again:
note: this method descrbes how to install binary-packages. no building from source or something.
QUOTE
#
Use apt-get. Apt-get will fetch and install binary packages for you, saving compiling time. You should either use this method or the Fink Commander binary method (above) if you don't have the Developer Tools installed.
To update fink open a Terminal.app window and type sudo apt-get update ; sudo apt-get install fink
Once you've updated fink, you can install other packages, using the same syntax, e.g sudo apt-get install gimp to install the Gimp. Note, however, that not all fink packages are in binary form.
#
Install from source (requires the XCode Tools [Developer Tools on 10.2] to be installed). To update fink run fink selfupdate. When prompted, select option (1), "rsync". This will automatically update the fink package.
Once fink is updated, you can use "fink install" to fetch and compile from source code. For example, to install the Gimp, run fink install gimp.
Use apt-get. Apt-get will fetch and install binary packages for you, saving compiling time. You should either use this method or the Fink Commander binary method (above) if you don't have the Developer Tools installed.
To update fink open a Terminal.app window and type sudo apt-get update ; sudo apt-get install fink
Once you've updated fink, you can install other packages, using the same syntax, e.g sudo apt-get install gimp to install the Gimp. Note, however, that not all fink packages are in binary form.
#
Install from source (requires the XCode Tools [Developer Tools on 10.2] to be installed). To update fink run fink selfupdate. When prompted, select option (1), "rsync". This will automatically update the fink package.
Once fink is updated, you can use "fink install" to fetch and compile from source code. For example, to install the Gimp, run fink install gimp.
note: this method descrbes how to install binary-packages. no building from source or something.
You might want to check out Audion 3. Development for it has now been retired, but its a free download and I believe it supports FLAC and OGG.
QUOTE(underground_sound @ May 28 2006, 22:00)
You might want to check out Audion 3. Development for it has now been retired, but its a free download and I believe it supports FLAC and OGG.
yeah, Audion is outdated and misses some stuff I like. I have been reading aout more geeks moving to osx for unix + mainstream capabilities and there have been some great new program recently. Except for iTunes alternatives. I have no coding skills or I would make my own foobar/amarok for osx.
Pay attention to Songbird. I am desperately waiting for it though I have Win+fb2k.
VideoLAN is an awesome audio player for OS X.
It supports every format I've thrown at it (mp3 FLAC mpc/musepak ogg), hierarchical playlists, and behaves in the way you would expect an audio player to (not like iTunes).
Video LAN is just as good at audio as it is at movies!
It supports every format I've thrown at it (mp3 FLAC mpc/musepak ogg), hierarchical playlists, and behaves in the way you would expect an audio player to (not like iTunes).
Video LAN is just as good at audio as it is at movies!
A big part for me on OS X with audio players is last.fm support, and only iTunes really has it. And iTunes isn't cool.
Cog might be worth a try(sorry if it's been mentioned allready).
QUOTE(Hamman @ Jun 21 2006, 10:21)
LOL look at the initial post.
QUOTE
yeah, Audion is outdated and misses some stuff I like. I have been reading about more geeks moving to osx for unix + mainstream capabilities and there have been some great new program recently. Except for iTunes alternatives. I have no coding skills or I would make my own foobar/amarok for osx.
I am guessing the reason behind that based upon my observations is due to the fact that's easier to compile open-source software for both platforms due to the similiarities between OS/X and Unix. If I find another open-source OS/X player or a similiar one I will add it to the wiki. It stinks that a lot of OS/X and Linux software get's put on the back burner, because of the fact the surplus population uses power-house Windows applications, but that's why were beefing up the wiki to make the playing field more level
QUOTE(neomoe @ Jun 21 2006, 21:24)
QUOTE(Hamman @ Jun 21 2006, 10:21)
LOL look at the initial post.
I can't believe I missed that. I actually re-read the first post carefully, or so I thought.
Silly me.
Anyway, it seems a bit strange that there are so few audio players on OSX. There must be at least two douzen different ones on Linux, and OSX's marketshare on the desktop is higher.
I guess most people simply are satisfied with iTunes.
@HotshotGG: "surplus population" ?
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@HotshotGG: "surplus population" ?
As in most people use Windows and dump applications left and right into wiki, that are extremely disorganized. We are going to have to fix that. I have some free time so it's not a problem for me. Most people are always asking why there aren't any programs to use on other platforms? A person who is on a MAC or Linux platform isn't going to be able to use EAC, so they are going to be looking for other applications? otherwise you just aliented a good percentage of the population, as small as they may be.
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