How to get your iPod to sing in tune with Linux
I want to get one of Apple's new iPods or iPod minis, but I have a problem. I have an Intel-based computer but I do not run a Microsoft operating system. I run Linux but I am not exactly a 'geek' or computer boffin. I do not mind 'playing' with the machine - it is a kind of hobby - and I have a lot of patience, but I cannot write software or anything like that. How can I get the iPod to talk to my Linux machine? I would really like to use something like iTunes, but that may be asking too much. Any suggestions?
Name and address supplied
When you consider that Apple is still not able to make the iPod or the iPod mini fast enough to supply Hong Kong (or anywhere else), you will have plenty of time to exercise your hobby to find an answer before you get your little music maker.
Some promising news has just come out. A company called CodeWeavers is working on precisely this problem. They have a product called CrossOver Office that is intended to be an alternative to Microsoft's Office. (Well, 'alternative' is probably not the right word when you consider that MS Office does not exist on Linux, but you get the point.)
I have not used CrossOver Office, but assume it may be similar to OpenOffice or Sun's StarOffice. If you get CrossOver Office, you will be eligible to test the iTunes-like software they are working on. It will be a part of CrossOver Office 3.1 (the present version is 3.0).
If you want to try something immediately, there are other possibilities.
It is quite complex, but does not require any programming, although if you have an older version of Linux, you may need to recompile the kernel (if you do not know what that means or entails, I suggest you think of another solution).
As you quite rightly point out, there are two problems.
The first is simply connecting the iPod to the Linux machine and having the Linux machine recognise it. After that, moving data should not be too difficult, although it may well not be quite so easy as on the Mac or even Windows.
The second problem is playing the music from your Linux machine. Some of the solutions above handle both, others do not. If you want both, read the documentation carefully before committing yourself.
