Filed under: Software, Cool tools, Freeware, iTunes, Open Source
Blue Coconut 1.5b: iTunes sharing
Thanks to TUAW reader Kesey for pointing me to a new release of Paul Mison's Blue Coconut iTunes sharing application. What BC does is allow you to download tracks from another user's shared library instead of just streaming them. This is a great little app; I've used it in the past when I was on a network where people shared libraries and it's nice to see it updated for Tiger/iTunes 4.9. The 1.5 beta also has some new features, like putting downloaded tracks into specified playlists, and automatically deleting downloads after importing them into your iTunes library. A few things to note: this runs on the client computer; the person you want to get music from doesn't have to do anything. This means that you can't download tracks that aren't shared. It also means that you can't do anything with DRM'd files you don't have passwords/access codes for. All in all, these are good things.On another note, TUAW sends our best today to Paul and his wife, who live in London.
Get a WordPress.com Blog
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Drew said 11:46AM on 7-07-2005
Has anyone heard about this supposed announcement that Jobs is going to make? I'm dying to know what it is!
Reply
Joe Dotson said 12:29PM on 7-07-2005
Just a suggestion, but OurTunes (MyTunes, if you feel like using a PC) does the same thing, and it's worked pretty well for me.
Reply
Jay Savage said 1:09PM on 7-07-2005
Joe,
OurTunes is an interesting, but very different, project. Blue Coconut deals with one--currently selected in iTunes--host at a time, rather than scanning the entire network. It also uses as many iTunes API's as possible. This limits the network load, and makes it unlikely to break when apple changes iTunes protocols. OurTunes, on the other hand, is a standalone program the does not use iTunes API's, and has a nasty habit of breaking with every new iTunes version. It's also written in Java, which tends to turn me off. It may be time to give OT another look, though, if you're recommending it.
Reply
Ross Carothers said 1:48PM on 7-07-2005
I wish it worked with MT-DAAPD server I'm running with a NSLU2 device...
Reply
jc said 3:25PM on 7-07-2005
Off topic, but not still in the orchard...
I use an iBook to store all my music, and I use airTunes to play them. Is there a way I can disable the "sleep" mode on this computer so I can close the lid and not stop the music?
Reply
steven said 4:32PM on 7-07-2005
jc,
Is it necessary to shut the lid on the iBook?
If you don't have to have it shut, just dim the monitor until it's black and leave the lid open.
Otherwise, you'd have to plug in something to the Monitor output on it and shut the lid.
Reply
Robert Knight said 4:33PM on 7-07-2005
Now I know why Apple limited connections to a shared library to only 5 times in one day.
Reply
Kacy said 4:51PM on 7-07-2005
ourtunes is also in a java executable form that runs on mac. I never enjoyed it as it is clunky and often crapped out on me.
This, however, seems like a much better solution for my personal situation. I have 4 active Macs each with different music libraries. Now I can easily gather all of the tracks i want together to toss onto my ipod shuffle for the day etc.
Reply
teece said 5:05PM on 7-07-2005
I've searched before, but not had luck, is there a Linux client that will let my Linux machines browse iTunes shares? I only have one iMac, so while programs like iTunes and Blue Coconut sound really cool, the reality is that it must work on Linux for it to be of any use to me.
Will this Java-based OurTunes work?
Reply
Kacy said 5:26PM on 7-07-2005
i believe it should work... start by looking here http://sourceforge.net/projects/ourtunes/
Reply
JJ said 7:13PM on 7-07-2005
Cool, downloading this minute, while i wait let me say that iTunes sharing limit really sucks.....
http://alpha-technica.org
Reply
Josh Cain said 11:17PM on 7-07-2005
#5 and #6:
iBooks can't operate with their lids closed without a hack. They use the keyboard as an air vent, so you run the risk of the machine overheating when you use it this way.
Reply
Paul Mison said 9:51AM on 8-12-2005
Obviously I'm a bit rubbish at this, because I've only just found this post.
Ross- this should work fine with mt-daapd; 90% of the development is against that, rather than iTunes proper (although of course I do keep an eye out to make sure it works). Please let me know if you're having any specific errors or problems (my email address is on the app's home page.)
Jay- you've got the difference between OurTunes (and GetTunes, and other Java downloaders) down pat. I work in iTunes, so I like using that as the browser with a relatively minimal program alongside it. If you prefer OurTunes, though, use that. Competition is good.
Robert: yes, the connection limit is very much to reduce the ability of apps like mine to be used widely across networks. Blue Coconut behaves in a more neighbourly fashion than OurTunes, though, which is, I think, another point in its favour.
teece: as well as OurTunes, try the programs from the author of libopendaap at crazney.net.
Reply
Chris said 12:54AM on 8-26-2005
If you want to close your iBook without sleeping you can download a program called sleepless, though it can cause your laptop to overheat if you leave it on for a long time.
Reply