I would like to install iTunes Producer on a Windows PC, but I can't find a file compatable with windows. The support page for iTunes Producer says that iTunes is only made for Macs. Is this really the case?
I would love to sell my books on the ibook store to make my readers happy, but this is really absurd. Apple makes everything so darn complicated. They deter a lot of good poeple who have products that can make them money but don't have Apple products. So, those who don't have the overpriced Apple computers must then use an aggregator who will then take a cut of the money for themselves.
I'll admit, that Apple computers are probably superior to Microtrash, but come on. Let's not penalize people here. Apple could make a bunch more money by having a version of this program for Windows users (Linux users can get by with a Windows version and the WINE
I don't know what the ibook sales are like in comparison to Amazon, or B&N, but I suspect it is not close. Why should I go through the pain of buying an Apple/Mac, or go through an aggregator who will take a cut, when my sales would be a fraction of what they would be on Amazon?
caitietunes wrote:
all I need to do is get it into the store, but is this possible for somebody with a PC? Nope.
Yes, it is possible, you just have to use an aggregator instead of doing it directly. Apple publishes an approved list of them:
Well, this solved my question, but it didn't help me. Thanks K T for clarifying.
I think the worst part is that nowhere in the documentation for iTunes Connect or iTunes Producer is this explained, as far as I can see. It's very frustrating; I already have my book in EPUB format and all I need to do is get it into the store, but is this possible for somebody with a PC? Nope. Now I have to turn all those people who want to buy my book on their iPhones and iPads away from the iTunes store and tell them to buy the EPUB format of my book elsewhere.
On page 7 under System Requirements:
iTunes Producer 2.7.1 for books requires a Macintosh with an Intel Core processor, at least 512 MB RAM, and Mac OS X v10.6 or later installed.
I have friends who write on Windows. Several of them use Smashwords and it seems to work for them, although I haven't used Smashwords myself, so don't know from personal experience.
Unfortunately the actual product at issue, iTunes Producer, isn't on the list of products that can be commented upon. Given that Amazon, Google Play and Nook all manage this upload process over the web, without a need for any sort of app, Apple's approach seems terribly short-sighted.
Services like Smashwords can upload the files for you, but they charge you 15% of all sales for that favor, which is absurd, especially given Apple's publication clause requiring prices to be materially similar across markets... if I charge extra to sell books on iTunes, to make up the difference, is that a materially different price? I don't know, but after a point, it isn't worth the trouble to find out since readers on iPad and etc can get Kindle apps, Nook apps, and download the exact same ePub files and put them into iTunes' bookshelf that way, so the customer base doesn't seem to shift too dramatically. I'd certainly appreciate having a more direct approach, where Apple and I can make money together, but if they don't want that, I suppose that's their business.
Lodril wrote:
Apple's approach seems terribly short-sighted.
Apple's approach already yields them more books than they need, I can see why they might not have much incentive to devote resources to save some money for Windows users who don't want to use an aggregator or rent online Mac time. On the other hand, it really is crazy that they have never produced a Windows version of the iBooks app, which would open a vast new sales market for their ebooks.
truongthaidu wrote:
I have a book on Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/538408
Please kindly show me how to send it to Itunes store.
Smashwords is an approved Aggregator for the iBookstore, so you just ask them to do it for you.
truongthaidu wrote:
Who are them? Please advise in details.
Smashwords.
I have no idea about the details of how they send things to the iBookstore, you have to contact Smashwords directly yourself.
thanks tom. i started reading this thread and learn a bit that i wasn't aware about. probably the most useful is your comment about renting online mac time. strange i thought, strange way to say rent a mac computer. did a search and discovered there is actually this service for pc users. i guess i really got to get out more often.
i've lamented for awhile the absence of ibooks on a pc for the obvious reason that i want a larger audience. my solution has been to author the must have book that would make everyone want to buy an iPad. yes i am delusional, but i did have a fall back plan to pray every night for the ibooks software on the pc. i still think that might be possible coming but not sure i will e alive to see it.
fall back plan #2 is to investigate another authoring system from adobe, which gained some prominence in my spare time, however little there is because my favorite past time is watching the grass grow. but this looks like a great alternative for when i am beseeched by my loyal customers, all two of them. but now i can suggest rent a mac online. it's cheap!
i am assuming that this service would be good enough to read a multi-touch ibook and seem to the user that they are really on a mac. have you ever done so? thanks again for mentioning it.
richard the old wrote:
i am assuming that this service would be good enough to read a multi-touch ibook and seem to the user that they are really on a mac. have you ever done so? thanks again for mentioning it.
Sorry, I've never tried it. I don't know whether such a service would let you set up an account with the ibookstore and download stuff to read or not.
seems to me from a high level this is just like having parallels on your mac but in reverse. i have to try this out when i get the time. i'm wondering though if it would be too complicated or more prone to problems than a real mac or an iPad for a user to do and whether the performance would be ok.
i'm getting cold feet about this idea. maybe it would just be better to tell them to secure a used iPad cheaply.
Yes, sorry.
The entire process of interacting with the backend requires a Mac.
Please stop making out as if you're a victim.
Choices abound. Do what you need to do and move on...or not.
Thank you. You have perfectly exemplified my point about Apple.
Can I install iTunes Producer on a Windows PC?
