What does a "playlist.m3u" file do?

No, you're not helping. You're just being a boob posting a link to a google search.

I told you I was a beginner with iTunes. I googled the issue myself before posting here and most of the posts go straight into terminology I don't understand.

I was looking for courteous help, not a wise-guy.

Go away.

Back to my original question, if anyone else wants to help me ... I do understand the concept of a custom playlist - creating a list of songs, sort of like a custom mix CD - but why would a playlist.m3u file be included with an MP3 album when the songs are intended by the artist to be in a certain order and gap information is already embedded into the MP3 files? Is the playlist.m3u files there to have the folder of MP3s play in any way differently than if the playlist.m3u file was not there? Is it to cause the songs to play back in an alternate order?

If anyone wants to post a google-link to an answer to this specific question, I'd be happy to read it. I can't find a specific answer anywhere. All I find are general definitions of playlist.m3u files which still don't tell me what difference they make in an album folder.

TT2,

Thank you! Cleared that question right up. I appreciate the knowledgeable reply.

🙂