Monday, April 11, 2005

This little program enables iPod shuffle users to finally get rid of all that iTunes or other complicated playlist management stuff. Due to the simple structure of the shuffle (compared to the »big« iPods), it is possible to use the player almost like any other USB flash MP3 player: You simply copy MP3 files onto it. You only need to run the Database Builder program after you added or removed files from the iPod. This approach has numerous benefits:

• You don't need iTunes, ml_ipod or GNUpod anymore. Simply copy some MP3 files into the iPod volume and start this teensy 8k program.
  
• You aren't restricted to store your music in the /iPod_Control/Music subdirectory. Build your own directory and filename structure. Your iPod, your rules!
  
• You may use the iPod on as many computers as you want.
  
• The actual iTunes database is left untouched, your iPod should still work with iTunes, if you like. (Note that this wasn't true for me; my iTunes installation now refuses any co-operation with my iPod. But I'm pretty sure that this is due to my experimentation with the iTunes database, and not a side-effect of using the Database Builder.)
  
• If you do not use the iPod_Control folder for your music, iTunes will not delete your files again without asking.