[OPLINTECH] iTunes/iPods on public computers

Wes Osborn wosborn at clcohio.org
Thu Dec 20 08:30:51 EST 2007 

I think that this topic has been pretty well covered, but I didn't see  
anyone mention the solution of using something like Floola.  It's a  
software package that a patron could load and run from the iPod itself  
(without altering the factory firmware) that would allow them to  
manage their iPod from any computer (think http://portableapps.com/).   
You wouldn't be able to get music from the iTunes store onto the  
device, but with more and more sites offering DRM free and legal  
downloads these days, it's conceivable that a patron could download  
music from one of those sites and then move it onto their iPod with  
something like Floola.

I haven't used it myself, but you can find out all the details  
here(this site also lists a couple of other similar programs):

http://preview.tinyurl.com/2f6npy

-Wes Osborn
Central Library Consortium

On Dec 18, 2007, at 4:06 PM, Ed Liddle wrote:

> 2 solutions for i-pod using library patrons :
>
> If a patron downloads a mp3 file legally and wants to put it on an
> i-pod, they could always plug the i-pod in and save the file to the
> ipod. The computer running microsoft windows will see the i-pod like  
> any
> other usb storage device when the i-pod formatted for windows. When  
> they
> get to their own computer the patron can plug the ipod in, transfer  
> the
> file onto their computer, start i-tunes and use i-tunes to transfer it
> back to the ipod so the ipod can play it.
>
> The technical reason for this from
> http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/IpodFAQ
> iTunes obfuscates the filenames of your music by giving them names  
> such
> as DLER.m4a in folders with names like F03. The folders do not match
> albums - the tracks are placed randomly in the different directory.  
> The
> album/artist/title information is stored in a database file called
> itunesdb on your iPod.
>
> Another solution for i-pod users is to set up Rockbox
> http://www.rockbox.org/ on the i-pod. This is open source and can
> co-exist with the factory firmware on the ipod and does not require
> i-tunes to transfer music onto it in order to be playable while using
> rockbox.
>
> -Ed
>
> On Tue, 2007-12-18 at 15:42 -0500, Ed Liddle wrote:
>> We do not have I-tunes installed on public computers here. We also  
>> have
>> a policy preventing the installation of software by patrons on our
>> public computers.
>>
>> The main concern I would have about installing an application like
>> I-tunes is the loss of data that occurs when the computer is rebooted
>> (we use cornerstone). We also use envisionware which is set up to  
>> reboot
>> the computers when patrons log off them.
>>
>> What I think would be most beneficial would be an application that  
>> would
>> work with i-pods and other mp3 players that could be used to transfer
>> songs, delete songs, edit play lists etc.. on the devices without a
>> built-in "store" interface. Then if a patron wanted to download mp3
>> files legally, they would be able to transfer then to their players.
>>
>> As far as market advantage, since we offer audio books, videos, and
>> music from overdrive, the library is giving "market advantage" to
>> devices that can play windows media format files with DRM (Digital
>> Restriction Management), of which the i-pod can not do. The way to  
>> get
>> these files onto a portable device is to transfer them using windows
>> media player. Windows media player is on all our public Internet
>> stations.
>>
>> -Ed Liddle
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, 2007-12-18 at 13:11 -0500, Brenda Fisher wrote:
>>> Mary Beth,
>>>
>>> We had a request for iTunes to be installed on a public PC at one  
>>> of our
>>> branches several months ago.
>>> We weren't sure what was involved so we tried it on a couple of  
>>> PCs at
>>> that branch.   I believe we explained about
>>> restarting the PC if they put in personal information.  (We use
>>> Centurion Guard and the Shared Computer Toolkit on those PCs.)
>>>  It was a novice user who didn't have a PC at home, so perhaps not  
>>> the
>>> best test case.   However, she eventually gave up on it as it soon  
>>> began
>>> requesting and then I guess, requiring an update of the iTunes  
>>> software.
>>>
>>> Shane raised some great points about the ability to support the
>>> software.  I'm not an iPod owner either.
>>>
>>> Two Other questions I'd want to think about before I installed  
>>> software
>>> like that on our Public Computers:
>>>    1. Are we going to commit to checking for upgrades for this
>>> software, as we do for Adobe Reader, Flash Player, etc.?
>>>    2. Are we providing an unfair market advantage to one vendor or
>>> group over another?  If we download the iTunes software are we also
>>> going to provide equal access to other online music vendors by
>>> downloading their software or providing links to their sites? And  
>>> then
>>> updating those regularly.
>>>
>>> This question goes way beyond just iTunes.  We generally bend our  
>>> rules
>>> on adding software a bit  if the patron is taking an online class,  
>>> but
>>> we don't have the staff to be adding custom software to each PC  
>>> every
>>> time a patron asks.  And it would have to be added to Each PC as the
>>> requesting patron can't always plan to have the same PC each time  
>>> in our
>>> system.  We did do this for a plug-in for some online homeschooling
>>> resource on request.  And I have no idea if it is still in use,  
>>> but it
>>> still gets added to each new computer, just in case.
>>>
>>> Brenda Fisher
>>> Computer Services Librarian
>>> Highland County District Library
>>> Hillsboro, OH
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Shane Ian Hoffman wrote:
>>>> We don't install ITunes for patrons to use, but do allow them to  
>>>> install it
>>>> themselves.  We use Compugard Cornerstone and Envisionware.   
>>>> Cornerstone
>>>> makes sure that any changes a patron makes to the harddrive are  
>>>> wiped out at
>>>> reboot, and Envisionware has a setting that allows us to make  
>>>> sure the PC
>>>> reboots every time a patron ends his or her session.
>>>>
>>>> I haven't tried to install ITunes on our PCS as part of the image  
>>>> for two
>>>> reasons.
>>>> 1. I'm not familiar with the software not having an iPod, so I  
>>>> don't know if
>>>> the personal data MUST be done during the install(if not, it  
>>>> would be
>>>> trivial to install the software and just not configure it.  Then  
>>>> each patron
>>>> would have a fresh install to configure each time they start)
>>>>
>>>> 2. I feel that if I install it, I have to support it.  I don't  
>>>> have the
>>>> manpower to answer everyone's ITunes/iPod questions.
>>>>
>>>> Shane Ian Hoffman
>>>> IT Coordinator
>>>> Pickaway County District Public Library
>>>> 1160 N Court St
>>>> Circleville, OH 43113
>>>> 740.477.1644 232
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: oplintech-bounces at oplin.org [mailto:oplintech-bounces at oplin.org 
>>>> ] On
>>>> Behalf Of Mary Beth Seith
>>>> Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2007 10:31 AM
>>>> To: OPLINTECH
>>>> Subject: [OPLINTECH] iTunes/iPods on public computers
>>>>
>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>>
>>>> With the holiday gift-giving season upon us, we're starting to  
>>>> receive
>>>> patron inquiries about the availability of iTunes on our public/lab
>>>> computers so they can make use of all the iPods they're buying.
>>>>
>>>> Given the considerations with Apple's requirement that you  
>>>> "authorize" a
>>>> computer to an iPod/iTunes account, how are other libraries  
>>>> handling
>>>> this?  Right now, we don't have the iTunes software installed,  
>>>> but we do
>>>> allow patrons to plug in MP3 (or other USB) devices that don't  
>>>> require
>>>> special software.  I have no problem with adding iTunes/iPods,  
>>>> except
>>>> for these issues with maintaining the software installation as  
>>>> being
>>>> generic, privacy considerations, etc.  We don't currently have  
>>>> plans to
>>>> make our music collection available this way, but are simply  
>>>> looking to
>>>> accomodate those patrons who want to use it for their own tracks.
>>>>
>>>> For those of you who make use of a program like DriveShield or
>>>> DeepFreeze, do you simply make the patrons responsible for  
>>>> unauthorizing
>>>> the workstation they're using before departing?  Otherwise I can  
>>>> see
>>>> people ending up with zombie registrations when the system  
>>>> rebooted...
>>>>
>>>> Thanks!
>>>> Mary Beth
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
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