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Is that a way to completely remove Ping from iTunes 10?

hello;

so far in the less than 30 minutes I had iTunes 10 installed I do not like it.
It would have been simple to put a preference in to disable Ping.

I have removed iTunes 10 and reinstalled iTunes 9.2.1. I need to rebuild the
iTunes Library because iTunes 10 updated it and iTunes 9.2.1 is unable to
read it.

I do not like having Ping shoved down my throat whether I want it or not.
I do not like social networking sites and Ping is no exception. The only ping
I want on my computers is the unix command 'ping' used to diagnose network
issues and problems.

terry

13 in and 17 inch macbook pro, 64GB iPad, 32GB and 64GB iPod Touch, 32GB ipod-1stgen, 16GB-ipod nano, Mac OS X (10.6.4), 3 appletv, 3 - 24" imac, 1 - 27" iMac, 1TB & 2TB time capsule, 7 airport express

Posted on Sep 1, 2010 9:26 PM

66 replies

Homestar

Level 1

26 points

Sep 2, 2010 12:04 AM in response to artisticforge

$30,000? That sounds like something awfully important, and you're canceling it just because of an ill advised UI tweak? Wow.

I hate it as much as you do, but if I were gonna pick a straw to break the camel's back, I'd pick something much more meaningful, like app store policies or hardware limitations.

I mean, assuming you're buying Macs, you'll now have to either buy them secondhand, probably without warranties, or go with Dell or HP or some other lesser quality brand. On top of that, you'll also have to put up with Windows if this is a typical enterprise situation.

As for your timing on the MBP/Touch combo, there's not so much of a good reason for that, considering that new iPods have been coming out every September so consistently that some people are calling it a tradition. On top of that, MacRumors maintains an excellent buyer's guide that warns when it's a bad time to get a new Apple product.

If you're super polite, the folks at a retail store might trade your wife's iPod up. They're known for doing that incredibly nice sort of thing, and if you've got multi-thousand dollar purchases in your history, you've probably got good karma. I remember they replaced the soaked keyboard on one of my friend's old plastic MacBooks, even though it was out of warranty. I don't know if the fact that he's been buying Macs for 25 years factored into that, of course, but it's possible.

And besides, the iPod was free! How can you complain about that in the first place?

Sep 2, 2010 12:31 AM in response to Homestar

hello;

the orders were for equipment to be used in a research project.
Two Mac Pro with each having a quad port fibre channel card, one xserve with a fibre channel card,
xsan2 software, one Promise VTrak E-Class 16x SAS RAID Subsystem, one Tandberg LTO-4 T40+ Tape StorageLibrary Fibre Channel, 32TB Native Capacity with Backup Software, and other misc fibre cables.
All was to be purchased from the Apple Online Store, because the local Apple retail store does not
stock the required equipment.

The project will now be redesigned to use Linux on commodity pc hardware, the non-apple
equipment can be purchased somewhere other than apple online store. just means more work
on the integration.

The IPod is 'free' in name only. I still paid for the iPod and filed an Apple Rebate Claim
and sometime after Apple has use of my money for several months I will get a check in
the mail from Apple for the price of the 8GB iPod Touch. So right now as it stands I have
paid for the iPod. Yes, I am not a happy camper about purchasing that iPod touch when
by waiting less than a week it would be the new generation of the 8GB iPod Touch. I find
it difficult to imagine that the Apple Sales Rep did not know of the pending announcement
about a new generation of iPod Touch.

So no the iPod is not 'Free' till I receive the rebate check from Apple, which on the rebate
form may be a month or two.

Homestar

Level 1

26 points

Sep 2, 2010 12:53 AM in response to artisticforge

artisticforge wrote:
The project will now be redesigned to use Linux

Ah, well then, I can't blame you at all for switching. Linux is great for research, open source is good for the soul, and it costs a lot less as well. I still think the cancellation of a $30,000 order could be better used to protest something else, but I digress.

Sep 2, 2010 2:03 AM in response to artisticforge

Sorry, but I'm intrigued.

Are you saying that you are changing a big purchasing decision, creating extra work, because you couldn't find a way to disable ping in 30 minutes and because the control buttons are vertical?

A few people have said how to easily turn off ping (if you ever turned it on in the first place).

I've not turned ping on yet (not sure whether I will), but as my computer stands now you wouldn't even know ping was an option until you go to the iTunes store and then you have to specifically turn it on. That's hardly forcing it on people.

Or are you saying that ping is actually running now without me knowing?

Sep 2, 2010 2:16 AM in response to artisticforge

I just downloaded iTunes X and didn't see Ping appear until I plugged in my nano. Then iTunes went crazy and welcomed me with open arms, iTunes store and Ping and all.

Anyway, I did NOT turn on Ping. I went into Preferences, selected the Parental Controls tab, and disabled iTunes Store. Once I said okay, iTunes store and Ping vanished from the sidebar.

No Ping, no Store.

Sep 2, 2010 2:19 AM in response to keraunoscopia

That's interesting.

Did you try turning off ping through the iTunes store first, or would it keep on turning on again?

If just plugging in an iPod turns it on then that would be an issue for many people I think.

Sep 2, 2010 2:25 AM in response to KeithJenner

It didn't turn Ping "on", per se, it merely popped open a new window welcoming to the world of Ping. When I first opened iTunes 10 for the first time, nothing happened. I saw the new layout, messed around a bit, but was otherwise satisfied that nothing was going to give me a problem.

However, when I plugged in my iPod, then iTunes acted like I was a brand new customer. Only then did Ping appear in the sidebar, the iTunes Store opened itself up, etc.

Okay, so what happens when I eject/disconnect the iPod, quit iTunes, then plug in the iPod again? Nothing abnormal. iTunes opens up, and my iPod is synced.

So the Ping thing was a one time/first time event. Did that answer your question, I hope?

Oh, and Ping never turned on. Just some welcome screen appeared saying, "Click here to turn on Ping" (or similar). I never touched it.

Sep 2, 2010 2:57 AM in response to KeithJenner

hello;

I have no need for any social networking. I have used iTunes for one thing to manage my collection
of music, CDs, DVDs, television shows, movies, podcasts, e-books, audiobooks, etc.

After installing iTunes 10 on one of my imacs, iTunes Store kept treating me like a new user.
My iTunes Store Account Profile was being presented to fill in information for use by Ping. Ping kept
presenting these lists of artists I should be following when all I was trying to do was see if I
was still able to purchase Television Programs instead of renting them.

Canceling the orders is a matter of principle. I do not like the way Apple is shoving Ping down
users throats whether they want it or not. They are being arrogant in pushing Ping on to the users.
Canceling orders hopefully will get their attention.

I would rather have more work and know exactly what I have to work with instead of having to deal
with Ping.

I have absolutely no use for Ping, Facebook, Myspace, etc.

Side note: The new iTunes Logo is hideous in my opinion.

I have been an Apple developer for many years and yes the change to the window control buttons
is a bug deal because is violates Apple User Interface Guidelines which they require Apple developers
to follow. It was to keep the interface consistent. There is no where else in Mac OS X where you will
find the window control buttons rotated.

From the short time I spent using iTunes 10, I would suggest that Ping is running whether you want
it or not. It appeared to me that the only thing that the Ping 'On/Off' did was prevent anyone from
following your itunes store account profile.

I may have to reinstall iTunes 10 to confirm this. I have to rebuild the iTunes Library anyway.

Homestar

Level 1

26 points

Sep 2, 2010 3:20 AM in response to artisticforge

I agree the iTunes logo is a miscarriage. It seems gaudy to me, and it breaks the theme of the other iLife icons, just like the iMovie icon.

But the part where you say Apple requires developers to follow the HIGs is just wrong. Apple can't stop a third party from releasing an application because they don't like how it looks. If they did, Google Chrome and Earth, Opera, everything Adobe ever made, and tons of lesser known apps with smaller budgets or greener/lazier developers wouldn't be out there.

There might be a clause buried in some EULA somewhere, but Apple doesn't seem to enforce it, and if they tried to it'd spark a revolt of users and developers on par with Google's net neutrality fiasco.

The Human Interface Guidelines are just that. Guidelines.

And I don't know if you read the dialog Ping pops up when you click Turn Off Ping, but it says "Your profile and all activity will be removed and it will be permanently deleted after seven days." "Permanently deleted" sounds pretty final to me.

Edit: Typo.

Sep 2, 2010 3:40 AM in response to artisticforge

This is so funny! Nobody in their right mind cancels an order for equipment based on something as minor as a UI dislike in a consumer application. I can't see how these two things are at all related... I presume you had specified the Macs in the first place for a reason. How come Linux is suddenly now your best option? Don't tell me it's because of a relatively minor UI tweak in a consumer application. Is this going to effect your "research" work? If not, and if the Macs were the best option in the first place, then I'd say it's rather foolish to use iTunes as a basis to cancel an order. Cutting your nose off to spite your face perhaps?

It's like saying to Mercedes, "Yeah, it's the best, most comfortable car in its class, and it fits all of my requirements perfectly. But I don't like the shape of your new logo so I'm cancelling the order and buying a Volkswagen."

Just my 2c, but no organisation I've ever worked with would base a significant purchasing decision on something so trivial.

Sep 2, 2010 3:41 AM in response to RedKamel

Agreed - since there are checkboxes to remove all the other bloat, Ping should be an option as well.

Sep 2, 2010 6:37 AM in response to artisticforge

If you think about it the new control button layout in iTunes 10 actually makes the program more consistent relative to itself. The minimized version of the iTunes window always oriented those buttons vertically along the left edge of the window; iTunes 10 makes that arrangement the standard throughout all versions of that window.

Untmdsprt

Level 2

397 points

Sep 2, 2010 7:26 AM in response to artisticforge

How did you go back to 9.2.1? I'd like to do that myself as I lost a lot of functionality. 😟

Sep 2, 2010 7:33 AM in response to artisticforge

Here's how to get rid of Ping.
Preferences/Parental/Disable iTunes Store
Boom. Gone. So's the Store but who cares.

Sep 2, 2010 7:43 AM in response to SwedePetter

You can turn off the Store in Parental Controls, that will get rid of Ping.

Of course it gets rid of the Store too.

Matt

Is that a way to completely remove Ping from iTunes 10?