iTunes automatic downloads restricted to one user per computer?

ABC477 wrote:

Yea I totally agree, this entire 90 days thing is just BAD. As a family, we try to share stuff like music and apps we downloaded, but there's always the 90 days message,

Which only applies to redownloading previously purchased items.

You can still sync whatever is on your computer or what you transfer from your iDevices.

What about iBooks? I switched to another Apple Id yesterday to watch a video I had bought. Today I switched back and I cannot acces my previously purchased iBooks any more.

Which only applies to redownloading previously purchased items.

You can still sync whatever is on your computer or what you transfer from your iDevices.

Chris, you keep repeating that as if it somehow mitigates a "lockout" of a new Mac purchaser/user.

The fact is, when we purchased a new iMac, with the expectation that both my wife and I would be able to use our iTunes accounts freely (as we could with our old PC), we had not aggregated all of our music in one place, or on any device. In fact, most of the content we had previously purchased remained undownloaded, or did not exist on any device, in order to conserve space, or because the content was seasonal, or just because.

Of course, when purchasing a new iMac, a couple will have none of their "previously purchased" items downloaded. Which means that both users will want, simultaneously, to download all of their previous purchases. Unless you think that taking 90-day turns is acceptable and a good lesson in patience.

By way of an update from a few months ago, after arguing with Apple reps, they finally "lifted" the lockout of my wife's iTunes account, magnanimously allowing her to download her previously purchased items. (Thank you, Apple, for graciously bestowing upon us the blessings of our own purchases.) But then, of course, it locked me out of downloading previously purchased items from my account. Of course.

Since then, I've thought many times about making purchases of additional iTunes content, but then thought, "why should I?" if Apple isn't going to allow me to download this whenever I want? I've also cancelled my iTunes Match subscription for the same reason. Yes, I've lost all of my previously matched content, but if that's the price of escaping the so-called Apple "eco-system," then so be it.

I don't know why you continue to defend the indefensible.

GMLESQ wrote:

Which only applies to redownloading previously purchased items.

You can still sync whatever is on your computer or what you transfer from your iDevices.

Chris, you keep repeating that as if it somehow mitigates a "lockout" of a new Mac purchaser/user.

Please pay attention to what I responded to.

ABC477 posted, "As a family, we try to share stuff like music and apps we downloaded, but there's always the 90 days message"

What does sharing between users on the same computer have to do with the 90 day lock?

Nothing.

Of course, when purchasing a new iMac, a couple will have none of their "previously purchased" items downloaded.

😕

What? I don't understand.

Why wouldn't a couple (or anyone/everyone ) have ALL their previously purchased items (and everything else) downloaded & backed up?

Isn't it common sense to do this?

With everything backed up, then it's simply a matter of migrating all your old data (not just iTunes) to a new computer and not hoping I can find all my data "somewhere".

I've also cancelled my iTunes Match subscription for the same reason. Yes, I've lost all of my previously matched content,

because you did not keep it on your computer or make backups.

Okay. You don't want to keep your data or maintain backups.

What does this have to do with anything in this thread?

GMLESQ

You are making the basic mistake of relying upon Apple to be a backup and archiving service. Repeat downloads is not a backup feature, nor is Match designed to be an archiving service.

Apple recommends, "You always back up your iTunes library in the event that a purchased item is no longer available on the iTunes Store," (http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2519).

FAQ: Why iTunes Match Can Not Be Used as a Backup - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-4112

Limnos wrote:

You are making the basic mistake of relying upon Apple to be a backup and archiving service. Repeat downloads is not a backup feature, nor is Match designed to be an archiving service.

Yes, I understand and I'm ok with this.

I'm not ok with my wife and I not being simultaneously to download past purchased items because we made the basic mistake of purchasing a new Mac.

Chris CA wrote:

What? I don't understand.

Why wouldn't a couple (or anyone/everyone ) have ALL their previously purchased items (and everything else) downloaded & backed up?

Isn't it common sense to do this?

With everything backed up, then it's simply a matter of migrating all your old data (not just iTunes) to a new computer and not hoping I can find all my data "somewhere".

Because one has expectations that when one: (1) finally purchases a new Mac; and (2) has spent a lot of money purchasing iTunes content from Apple in the past, that one would be able to download and use the content for personal use, however one sees fit. But apparently I did not read the fine print.

But judging from the nature of your posts, it appears that Mac ownership also requires a certain level of smug, self-satisfying judgment about those expectations, in defense of Apple's policies.

GMLESQ wrote:

Limnos wrote:

You are making the basic mistake of relying upon Apple to be a backup and archiving service. Repeat downloads is not a backup feature, nor is Match designed to be an archiving service.

Yes, I understand and I'm ok with this.

I'm not ok with my wife and I not being simultaneously to download past purchased items because we made the basic mistake of purchasing a new Mac.

So just restore them from your archive/backup.

Realize also it is unlikely Apple is imposing this restriction. Im terms of marketing they have no reason to introduce restrictions that will deter customers being happy and spending as much money as possible on their hardware and at the iTunes Store. It's the media companies that are freaking out over file swapping and sharing and are probably trying to make it inconvenient for a person to redownload all their purchases to a friend's computer and the friend is then able to re-authorize their computer immediately for their own use again. I suspect the media companies likely ultimately get the say-so in how things work or they tell Apple they may not sell their media.

that one would be able to download and use the content for personal use

But you did, and were able to freely download them upon purchase! Now you are wishing to avail yourself of a bonus quasi-"emergency" convenience that used to not be offered at all until recently (redownloading), primarily because you did not make a backup of your files or transfer them from the old computer which could have been done competely without restriction. Okay, Apple didn't force you take a 20 question written test on terms of purchase first. Your mistake, now you know, and aren't you glad you can get them again even if it means you have to wait a while?

Right, this is all some big "money stealer" thing, isn't it? What crap, can't even access stuff I already PAID for. Each family member must waste money on individual devices. No real reason for the rule. That's what It's beginning to sound like to me.

ABC477 wrote:

Right, this is all some big "money stealer" thing, isn't it? What crap, can't even access stuff I already PAID for.

If you paid for it, why did delete it or not make a backup of it?

It's backed up on iCloud...which you also have to pay apple for

You don't pay for iTunes purchases in the cloud.

Dear Apple, I just want to vigourously complain about the 90 day rule. Sure I understand why you do this: because of content restrictions, but I just want to tell you the total angst it places on my relationship with my teenage daughter. I nearly had a heart attack the other night trying to solve this problem, then explain to her why we couldn't view what we had PAID for. She had a stand out argument with me accusing me it was *my* problem. When all her friends get access to the series by torrenting. But me.??. a full paying customer gets blocked. I didn't even know the problem existed becuase there was no message on the Apple tv itself. Is it my fault a certain series is not available here in Australia becuase all of the third party rules? Is my daughter supposed to know the intricacies of media law and the monopolostic behavoiour of media Barons? All this total shambes of a pocily does is reflect badly on the so called "simplicity" of ease of use of Apple products, and the entire brand. It doesn't matter if it's the Barons fault. Or who's fault it is. All that matters is Apple: the brand, is seen as the problem, and for that you will suffer, whether ot not it is Apple that is the route cause of the issue.. So fix it. Do what ever it takes. Thankyou for listening.

So I'm with ABC477..

The world I live in for content distribution, and expected back up of content onto a computer (that Apple would like us to live in to run two accounts), is just not the "perfect world" we live in.

It might work for Apple, but not in a "modern family".

Kids access content straight off the store (rather than download to a computer)..

Whatever the cause.

Are we supposed to run a family like this as a bunch of control freaks and tell all members there is really only *one* way of using two acounts?

It doesn't make it any easy when Apple makes it (appear) to be so simple, but doesn't explain exactly what is going on in the background.

Frankly I'd rather just ditch Apple as a content provider if it proves this difficult. I'm over "why" this crap occurs..

I dont actually care anymore.

Fact is it does.

And it's just not worth a fight anymore with my daughter or me having a stoke over the issue, when it's not even my problem.