iTunes 4.9, the latest version of Apple's renowned music software, can be dangerous for your Mac and your data. That's what many people found out on downloading the latest version of Apple's renowned music software.
Lots of us have had a range of computer or iPod connection problems since.
I promised a fix if one turned up.
Sadly, I can't give one easy solution if you're in trouble. They're as varied as the difficulties. The real fix will have to come from Apple, now the software's been "tested" by people who shouldn't need to do this.
Six ideas for safer and easier computer use
I can offer some guidelines instead.
They're so routine the most computer-savvy people can forget, others think "Yes, tomorrow," new users sometimes don't get told until it's too late, and that can be the day you install a programme upgrade from the manufacturers of your machine or the system software it uses.
This second version of the entry first lists the six rules I suggest, then takes a longer look at each in the light of the iTunes upgrade problems reported on the Net and my own, now resolved:
i) If a programme works, don't "upgrade" it without knowing why and what you're doing.
ii) Learn how to look after your machine, like you take showers and wash your clothes. Maintenance, when regular, doesn't take long. If you were writing a book, would you risk only having one copy? Maybe yes. But you're less likely to have a house fire or a theft than a computer problem that can cost data, time and money.
iii) If you know enough to tell someone they blew it with an update, say so. Programmers need feedback. But also know new stuff, however rewarding, can be risky for both them and you: an alluring offer means being fair about responsibilities if you accept it.
iv) If in trouble, work out clearly what to ask, either of friends or on the Net. Help's available, usually for free in language you can understand. Don't be shy, you'll find friendly people, but be patient in absorbing what they tell you.
v) Don't panic or rush at your problem and get the idea it must be solved at once when there are more important things to do. The only person whose time you'll be wasting is you.
vi) Once you're applying your knowledge, stop and check it out as you go along.
The guidelines in practice: background
On writing that, I had in mind people who shudder at the thought of the technical side of their computers, taking the iTunes problem as an example:
i) If you have iTunes 4.7.1, stick with it unless you're a "fixer" yourself or you've checked to get a general opinion that the newer versions are safe. iTunes 4.9 is tempting, ready for "podcasting".
"Podcasters" ("Evhead" explains at the MacDev Center) usually know the fundamentals, but this isn't true of everyone who might want to listen.
Some people haven't had problems, but others did as I've said already: difficulties with artwork, connections between their computers and other machinery, "freezes" with programmes ... some lost their music. Once the issues began spilling on to Mac help sites and discussion forums, people noticed Apple withdrew the previous version of iTunes, 4.8.
If they've said why, I've not seen it. But since they pulled it, I wasn't going to reinstall it.
ii) Keep regular back-ups of all the data that matters: this and maintenance make the rule everybody should know. Back-ups should include the preferences for the way your software works, of course, along with the registration codes, and other bits of the works. I don't copy everything paring down back-ups to what I'd need if I lost the lot (sadly for you, I've got blog back-ups).
I keep previous versions of software, just in case.
It's a cliché. If you haven't lost it yet, you will. On maintenance, however disinclined you feel, remember you'll save heaps of time and money if you ask, find, learn and run those tedious routines.
Borrowing the Kid's Mac for what was intended to be an hour to sort out my iPod -- my computer no longer "recognised" it (the machine "didn't know" it was connected), I got it to "mount" (appear on the desktop with signs things could be done) on hers. While at it, I checked out Marianne's machine.
One routine I do monthly takes 20 minutes on my Mac. The Kid learned its importance: her PowerBook was in such a mess, it took more than six hours. That was fine -- her only moan was when she couldn't chat to someone. Tough! Now she'll do more frequent maintenance.
Most of my friends and colleagues neither know nor think they want to know it matters: "I'm not technical. I don't understand. I don't like reading manuals. Why bother when it works fine?"
That last would make sense if it was true. Each time you do anything on a computer, you're "making a mess", you're fooling with its innards. That mess gets worse permanently.
A rough equivalent is this: you're causing havoc with the books in a well-ordered, indexed library. Until a certain point, the library's fine, the librarian's "directory" of what's where works well enough. And well enough is so fast, the librarian doesn't tell you the card index with all the books listed on it gets into a dreadful state.
Beyond that point, little problems become big ones. You notice things go slightly wonky. It's a computer's job to "know" this and handle it, but it needs your help. Some people who don't spend lots of money getting technicians to help them when maintenance isn't mysterious, despite the jargon.
iii) Apple came in for another pounding over the iTunes foul-up since I'm fed up with software downloads -- free updates -- surrounded by hype and publicity when they do damage and cause some people irreparable loss.
That said, no major developer can test for all eventualities.
We install new stuff at our risk; I no longer read the technical and legal blurb, but know it's packed with disclaimers.
When I chastise Cupertino, it's like being cross with a friend who's done something stupid. And I took a risk myself to discover this. It's not a risk to overlook.
A mate who'd had similar problems phoned Apple, got no help from their hotline and parted with his iPod -- sent off for repair -- before I could stop him. I don't think there's anything seriously wrong with his iPod. But that I can only say because the Kid hadn't downloaded iTunes 4.9 and I could test mine. On the Net, people are still reporting difficulties because they had no back-ups.
iv) What helps most is to know how and where to look for help. This includes plenty provided on your machine these days, but that "help" sign is one many seem not to notice. Always think out the question first. Both computers and people need to be told with the right words. There's every chance you'll find the answer by using ones you know, without the geek-speak.
If you're unsure or inexperienced, ask people who can explain technical stuff to you clearly or help you do it. It's easy to get angry with computers and those who explain their language, but you're brighter than your machine. People who can explain the tech stuff well and efficiently merit patience too. They're doing you a favour.
Hundreds of Internet sites, discussion forums, fat books and easy-to-read booklets explain this stuff. Thousands of people share useful tips and help in a voluntary, friendly way at every level of expertise.
These days, I rarely plug Techsurvivors (a Mac help site of which I was a founder member but I remain a silent partner in our shared aim, to do this for free, as volunteers). It's there and thriving, along with others in a growing number of languages.
In all, if I'd taken no wrong turns, reverting to iTunes 4.7.1 (MacFixit), getting my data back where it should be and having external drives where I store stuff working again properly would have taken about four hours, I guess.
v) Using a computer's a skill. It takes more than knowing how to use the daily tools on it.
I didn't rush at my own variations on the problems caused by iTunes 4.9. First mentioned last week, I've finished, but I've done a lot else. As I write and post this, my iPod, recognised, mounted and returned to its factory state is reloading 7,519 pieces of music. It's taking hours. That doesn't matter.
Almost everybody in wealthy countries has a computer or access to one. During my repairs, I found hours could have been saved had I then known how to "reset firewire ports" fast. That sounds frightening. My Mac also had what's known as a "kernel panic". A black panel came up, telling me to switch it off at once and "reboot", or start it up again.
As a beginner, that kind of thing used to freak me out. Even a freeze freaked me out. Now I know better and didn't panic myself at any stage. All the "kernel panic" meant was that some of the innards didn't like what I was trying out, but it didn't bust the eMac.
My firewire connections remain, I find, dodgy. For now I've got a quick "work-around" that suits me and will tackle that problem when I've got more time. The interim solution allows me to do all I need.
vi) During repairs, I stopped to check every step made sense and did maintenance routines after all the big ones. This took time, but less than reinstalling everything as some did. Whenever I was about to change something important, I made a copy of the data first, a back-up.
Why write this?
I find the most common argument senseless.
Scores of people must have told me: "Look, I bought a piece of machinery and expect it to work. It cost me a lot of money. I don't care how it works, I don't want to know and the jargon's useless."
That's understandable but asks too much of makers of fantastically complex machines. Would you try to make a curry without learning a few ground rules of cooking and even learning about spices? Would you buy a car or give a kid one without any driving lessons?
The basics are boring. I've learned far more about Macs than most people will ever need to know. But if you've bought an expensive computer, you should have some idea how it works and what to do if it doesn't. Some of us go further just because we're interested.
I broke "rule iii".
Mind you, if what's going on behind the scenes -- those weeks of preparation of wonderful noises going back on to my iPod -- doesn't work out in the morning, because even at a very fast rate it takes a long time to shift more than seven times the amount of data my first iMac could hold (including its own software), I'll hit the roof!
It's hard to be angry with people who can put seven iMacs in your pocket, all of it music.
11:56:15 PM 
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