The problem is that iTunes expects its library database files to be in the Music/iTunes. Now I haven't tried this, but it should be possible to copy the entire iTunes folder to the server, delete the iTunes folder in Music, and add an alias named iTunes that points to the server.

I know this technique (using an alias for the location where the OS X app expects to find its files) works for iMovie and FrontRow so I expect it would work for iTunes.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I can't make it work. I'm not sure I'm doing it right, so many folders named "Music" and "iTunesthis-or-that". I copy the "Music Alias" folder to the iTunes folder of the computer and it disappears.

So, I go back to my original question. Is there a simple program to organize and play music that is not iTunes? Can this mess be the only alternative?

Thanks again,
Bob

If you use an iPod or iPhone to play music, iTunes is the only worthwhile option. If not, a quick Google search for "OS X iTunes alternative" displays about a quarter million hits, with most of them pointing to about a dozen different (mostly worthless, IMHO) projects. I am not aware of a single one that will work in your scenario. I think you will have an easier time learning to make iTunes do what you want than any other program.

If you use iTunes in the default configuration, it works very well. I have done exactly what you are trying to do using a USB hard drive connected to my Airport Extreme Base Station. If you store the music on the Time Capsule, each computer can access the files. However (as talmy mentions) iTunes stores its music index within the home folder of each individual user. If you add music to your collection from one user account, it is not directly visible from any other account until you (manually) import the new songs into the database of the other account.

Apple's solution is to enable a single user to share their entire iTunes collection with any other user on the same network. However, the sharing is read-only for all but the owner of the collection. I use mine this way and am happy to live with the limitation that only the owner of the collection can add music. I create a special user account solely for this purpose, and enable auto-login for the account. Again, it is read-only for users other than the account owner.

The inability to get artist or album names is not related to DRM. iTunes queries the Gracenote online database (owned by Sony) to find this information. It is not 100% reliable, especially with more obscure music. I have seen dozens of CDs for which iTunes found incorrect album/song/artist information, or could find no information at all. If you are not connected to the internet while ripping music into iTunes, it automatically labels the songs by track number and leaves the other data fields blank. You can enter the information from the keyboard in a few minutes and it will be there until the hard drive dies.

OK, I just had to try the alias approach to see if it works. It does. Should be fine as long as iTunes isn't run from more than one location at a time. It might still work in those circumstances, but I haven't tested it. Worth a try, though.

I quickly made a short video showing how to do the setup, and showing that it does work.

http://almy.us/iTunes_on_server.mov

i've heard of an app called Cog as an OS X replacement for iTunes, no personal experience with it though! I got annoyed with itunes a while ago and did a quick search for "itunes alternatives". Not surprisingly, most of the results were for windows os - didn't pay them any attention as I don't run windows. I never did change, life has just been too busy & this is way down on my To Do list!!!

The site is http://www.cogx.org

Moderator Note: Duplicate discussion merged into this one.