Where is option to have side bar in iTunes 12 ?

I see. So, as you have no actual problem with the new layout really, you go editorialise about change in general. You offer no evidence that "millions of people" were inconvenienced, nor, indeed that the app was "ruined". I'll say it again. Get the sidebar back with one click. One click.

That is not what I said. You are being a tad disingenuous now Terrence. I do not like the changes made at all. And of course millions of users were inconvenienced as there are never any instructions with the changes and not everyone has the mindset that can suss these things out quickly and easily.

And where is this one click that you have referred to a few times but not illuminated us all with pray tell?

With thanks in advance.

Actually, it is what you said. And the specific answer to your question is on the very first page of the thread.

Actually it is not in any way, shape or form.

Here's the reply I think that you mean as, the "this resolved it for me" with the green box around it does not answer the question. Being obscure does not help particularly:

gcraig121366

I found my own answer for those who are interested. From the "Playlist View" with Library -> Music selected in the Sidebar on the left, notice that "Albums" is the default in the menu bar at the far right. There is a drop-down selection arrow there. Click that and select "Songs" to put the library view back in "Column Browser" view. Very cumbersome to set up, but it does appear that iTunes 12 will re-open to your last view so hopefully I don't have to go thru all those clicks every time.

No, I just meant my own post third one on the thread.

Click on Playlists.

Terence,

Appreciated the offers of assistance.

In my previous post I asked a couple of questions: hope you can assist. One, is there a way to make the Sidebar visible at all times, as it was before? I like the ability to be able to look, or review other elements, be they playlists, devices, or notices from the store in one page. It is silly of me likely, but I like to have one visible "dashboard" as it were as it reminds, helps me remember, etc. So, as an example, while I am listening to the radio, I might hear some music, glance at a playlist and remember I need to re-arrange, include, etc.

Two, with the new set up, I can seem to get the app icon in the top left to show the number of updates. Rather, I must click the icon, then go to the app page, and mine is not even showing a total number of updates. Rather I have have scan all my apps to see a red banner obscuring part of the icon. Is this possible?

I have a many more questions, but will start with these first.

Oh dear, I just had to "update" to iTunes 12 from 11 and… once again as constantly happens since a few years, every update of Mac software it comes with pain and dissapointment. Where is the sidebar?! Since Apple spoiled a perfectly working combination of Exposé + Spaces with that horrendous and useless "Mission Incontrol" (which they had to fix until it worked as before) it is to me very, very clear that Apple has long replaced their old good mantra of "It just works" by "It just looks". Anyway, who uses software to actually work nowadays? We live in what I call the Era of the Tyranny of the Smartphones, and smartphones are not devices designed to work with, they are just designed to be looked at. Every piece of software and every webpage are all being redesigned so that they just look good in a Smartphone and you can interact with them using one finger. So, if you are one of those rare persons who use in these days a desktop computer to actually do productive work (not to just look at it), who has 5 useful fingers in each hand, who knows how to use a three button mouse and has a 21" screen in front of you with space for plenty of windows and simultaneously open programs (not apps)… you are doomed. Despite all your capacities (10 useful fingers and all the inches of your screen), with every software update and every new release of a webpage you become another victim of idiotic software designed to be used with one finger in a tiny screen. The frustration it feels to see your capabilities and productivity chopped out for nothing (and your intelligence insulted) makes you a step closer to the next candidate for a heart attack. Let's see if graphic designers ever realise that what makes a desktop computer a multitasking machine is not its computing power, but its screen size!! As long as they use iPhones and iPads to (graphically) design the next software for desktop computers, there is no hope. Best.

So I ask, does Yosemite force Itunes 12 on you?

I guess the answer is yes. I tried very hard to keep iTunes 11. When I switched to Yosemite there was a checkbox pre-filled in from Apple and the next thing you know I had iTunes 12 installed without my permission.

I found my own answer for those who are interested. From the "Playlist View" with Library -> Music selected in the Sidebar on the left, notice that "Albums" is the default in the menu bar at the far right. There is a drop-down selection arrow there. Click that and select "Songs" to put the library view back in "Column Browser" view. Very cumbersome to set up, but it does appear that iTunes 12 will re-open to your last view so hopefully I don't have to go thru all those clicks every time.

Not as good as iTunes 11, but very helpful. Thanks.

The obsession with "pretty" is frustrating.

I agree 100%. BTW, I have interviewed a couple of times at Apple (different teams). Got an offer from one and stopped the process with the iTunes group, because they were pretty much worthless (and not just compared to the other teams). I am surprised their design team has not been fired top to bottom for turning a very average product into a mediocre one that fails to be in the same conversation as Apple's service and most of the hardware it produces.

Thanks, IMHO it should really be more obvious than this, kind of 'Microsoft secret handshake thingy' only geeks are allowed to know...

@duddun: ... What exactly do you mean by "Got an offer from one ..."

THANK you!

@EmeryX

... well, it's more a management thing. Jobs told the development and design team what to do and not the other way round.

Enclosed a screenshot. I think there is a possibility to solve these GUI problems. I am willing to relocate to the US if necessary.

Here's an iTunes 12 update:

IMHO, iTunes 12 is the biggest piece of crap around. If you gathered the best tech minds in the world and asked them to design a sloppy, dogs-breakfast, user-hostile interface they could not do better than iTunes.

I find it impossible to sync podcasts consistently - sometimes you can, sometimes you can add new episodes but it retains old ones, and sometimes nothing works at all. I have heard there might be a secret handshake thingee where you run your cursor over a spot of blank screen and a menu magically appears, but that just may be myth.

Here's the ultimate solution, even though it is brutal and a bit time consuming.

1. "Reset" your device using iTunes. This will wipe out everything.

2. Put your podcasts in a Playlist and drag them onto your Touch icon. They should copy there.

3. Repeat. Every. Single. Frikkin. Time. You want to change your episodes.