I’m an Apple software fan. I dig Safari, have zero problems with iTunes and have used Mail since it was released. While options definitely do exist, and many people consider them better, I’ve almost always had a more pleasant, overall experience in using Apple’s version of whatever I need.
But then I hear rumors that iTunes and Safari may become one and I want to hurt anyone who ever thought this was a good idea. Every single one of them. While combining oft-used programs may seem like a good idea from a maintenance perspective, any user’s experience will be degraded over the long term. It’s a terrible idea, because…
1. Isn’t this why Internet Explorer sucked so much?
The vulnerabilities with Windows always seemed to be tied into IE having so much power over it. I realize that neither iTunes nor Safari have root access, but I’m signed into my iTunes account all the time and it freaks me out a bit to have that possible exposed.
2. Memory suck
While it certainly isn’t as bad as it used to be, Safari and iTunes seem to take up a helluva lot of system resources when running. I don’t want to have to quit my browser several times a day like I do iTunes.
3. If one process freezes up…
When Word freezes, I lose very little. When Safari freezes, I lose the time it takes to log back in to everything. When iTunes slows down or freezes, it feels like my entire computer goes with it. Adding system-intensive processes seems like a terrible idea.
4. UI similarities
iTunes has always seemed like a non-Apple app. I know it was originally SoundJam, but I’m tired of changing my usage habits to switch between tasks. I’d much prefer a unified UI, especially from free and required Apple apps.
5. Kinda getting sick of iTunes browsing
The Mac App store is similar to iTunes, ScrivenerApp is similar to iTunes…blah! I want some differentiation between file structures and I’d like to be able to use a program without always having the file structure on the side. Not all of us have or want large and/or super high-res screens.
Do you want iTunes and Safari to merge? Why? What Apple programs could you see being combined?
