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nollimac

macrumors 6502
Oct 10, 2013
433
35
For me, the latest annoying about iTunes is I have a headless server that's on 24/7/365 and with High Sierra, iTunes would stop playing whenever I close screen sharing. Apple issued a fix that survived through to 10.13.2...then came the latest release to mess it up all again. If I want to play content from my iPod Nano 24/7/365 I must be able to do exactly that...Apple didn't give me the computer freely. I have been playing content from that iPod Nano since 2005 24/7/365 and attached to my Mac Mini since 2012.
 
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Brookzy

macrumors 601
May 30, 2010
4,985
5,577
UK
I'm not afraid and it doesn't.
Okay. I mean, the whole reason for this thread existing sort of proves you wrong, but fine. The reality is that iTunes, when authorised and signed in, will ask for your password periodically, especially under (but not limited to) the following conditions:
  • You’ve signed in somewhere else.
  • You’ve signed out somewhere else.
  • You’re using iTunes from an unfamiliar network (including geographically-suspicious IP address changes).
  • iTunes or the OS has been updated.
 
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Jethro!

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 4, 2015
330
341
No, the point is even when you're not signed in, iTunes deems that you're "kinda" signed in and ad nauseam interrupts to ask if you want to "really" sign in -- your "session" is "expired". Over and over and over again. One "Cancel" should be enough. 1,000 Cancels (and counting) is not ok. It's annoying and apparently programmed that way on purpose.

The apparent solution I discovered is you have to "completely" sign out of iTunes. It's a silly solution, but an apparent solution (for now, for this version) nonetheless.
 

DeltaMac

macrumors G5
Jul 30, 2003
13,749
4,572
Delaware
I suspect that you forgot to remember that iTunes is so integrated with the system, that security challenges with the app store/iTunes are a primary fact of life with macOS, and iTunes is often a "launch-through" for that, and remains the primary access point for access and settings in your AppleID account, for example. Time to learn more about your macOS system.
There are better ways to live your life than fighting against your Mac system. I don't think I would wait through 1,000 cancels to discover how to maneuver through the fixes for any annoyance like that, understanding that it is an unnecessary result of a misguided approach to using your system (period)...

It's good to hear that you discovered a work-around.
 

bcave098

macrumors 6502a
Sep 6, 2015
516
207
Northern British Columbia
No, the point is even when you're not signed in, iTunes deems that you're "kinda" signed in and ad nauseam interrupts to ask if you want to "really" sign in -- your "session" is "expired". Over and over and over again. One "Cancel" should be enough. 1,000 Cancels (and counting) is not ok. It's annoying and apparently programmed that way on purpose.

The apparent solution I discovered is you have to "completely" sign out of iTunes. It's a silly solution, but an apparent solution (for now, for this version) nonetheless.
If it gives you the option to sign out then you're still signed in (with an expired session). It asks for the password because the session is expired and it assumes you want to stay signed in (because you didn't sign out). I don't see how it's "silly".
 

Jethro!

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 4, 2015
330
341
This. I think OP's solution is to find another music app. Signing in is fundamental, and from everything I've read on this thread, there's still no good reason not to.
Not this.
Signing in was not "fundamental" to iTunes when it was first launched. How old are you? Do you remember "Rip. Mix. Burn."? <-- That's what launched iTunes. Apple promised, "Transfer all your music to iTunes cuz it'll be convenient." "Your" music being the key -- not theirs (iTunes Store, etc.) Then after we said ok to that, they started sneaking in Borg integration with everything to where at first it was optional, now it's almost not. Bait and switch. Not ok.

Indeed, there are very good reasons not to.
[doublepost=1517238852][/doublepost]
If it gives you the option to sign out then you're still signed in (with an expired session). It asks for the password because the session is expired and it assumes you want to stay signed in (because you didn't sign out). I don't see how it's "silly".
Because I didn't "sign in" in the first place. Apparently it took the liberties to decide for me that I was still signed in and therefore I must "actually" want to fully sign in. One CANCEL ought to do the trick. That it doesn't is, at a minimum, silly.
[doublepost=1517239343][/doublepost]
I suspect that you forgot to remember that iTunes is so integrated with the system, that security challenges with the app store/iTunes are a primary fact of life with macOS, and iTunes is often a "launch-through" for that, and remains the primary access point for access and settings in your AppleID account, for example. Time to learn more about your macOS system.

Thanks, but I've been learning about MacOS for decades now. I think I may know a thing or two about it. Except for the more recent Borg-ification trend where they assume everyone and everything wants to be "integrated" with the mother hive. Sorry, but not everyone wants iToy-ification.

There are better ways to live your life than fighting against your Mac system. I don't think I would wait through 1,000 cancels to discover how to maneuver through the fixes for any annoyance like that, understanding that it is an unnecessary result of a misguided approach to using your system (period)...

That's why I posed the question here. Are you suggesting this forum is misguided?
 

bcave098

macrumors 6502a
Sep 6, 2015
516
207
Northern British Columbia
[doublepost=1517238852][/doublepost]
Because I didn't "sign in" in the first place. Apparently it took the liberties to decide for me that I was still signed in and therefore I must "actually" want to fully sign in. One CANCEL ought to do the trick. That it doesn't is, at a minimum, silly.

You must have signed in somewhere, either iTunes or the Setup Assistant. It can't guess what your account is and claim to be signed in.

Why should cancelling the request to renew a session be interpreted as you not wanting to be signed in at all? It's interpreted as "not now", which is logical. Nothing you've described is unreasonable to expect or "silly".
 

Jethro!

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 4, 2015
330
341
You must have signed in somewhere, either iTunes or the Setup Assistant. It can't guess what your account is and claim to be signed in.

Why should cancelling the request to renew a session be interpreted as you not wanting to be signed in at all? It's interpreted as "not now", which is logical. Nothing you've described is unreasonable to expect or "silly".
Did you catch that little thing about ONE Cancel is ok, a ZILLION Cancels is not? How many Cancels does it take before it reaches your "silly" threshold? A couple billion?
 

Jethro!

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 4, 2015
330
341
No. Its function is to say “not now.”

The sign out function is the sign out button.

Just because you can’t figure that out after 1,000 clicks doesn’t mean its function is to annoy.
Have you ever actually PROGRAMMED anything? What about a system designer? Programming that behavior is either 1) a bug, or 2) intentional. They could have made 3) One click and the prompt is gone. But they didn't. Pay attention to 1 and/or 2.
 

bcave098

macrumors 6502a
Sep 6, 2015
516
207
Northern British Columbia
Have you ever actually PROGRAMMED anything? What about a system designer? Programming that behavior is either 1) a bug, or 2) intentional. They could have made 3) One click and the prompt is gone. But they didn't. Pay attention to 1 and/or 2.

There’s nothing more to add here. The function is logical. Sign out to sign out and cancel renewing a session to not renew the session (and stay signed in). Now you know.
 

Jethro!

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 4, 2015
330
341
No, it's not logical at all. If it were, someone (ahem) would have provided the answer long ago.
 

GSPice

macrumors 68000
Nov 24, 2008
1,632
89
No. Its function is to say “not now.”

The sign out function is the sign out button.

Just because you can’t figure that out after 1,000 clicks doesn’t mean its function is to annoy.

After all this time I chuckled seeing he's still trying to convince anyone to see things his way.. oh well.

Let's see how long before he defends himself again.;D
 

Jethro!

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 4, 2015
330
341
After all this time I chuckled seeing he's still trying to convince anyone to see things his way.. oh well.

Let's see how long before he defends himself again.;D
1) There are people seeing things "my way".
2) I chuckled to see you return to see if you could find folks seeing things "your way".
 

Jah Love

macrumors newbie
Sep 27, 2022
1
2
I'm guessing that complaining must be a lot of fun.
There must be something to that, maybe I am missing out on something important in my life (Nah...)

Why could you not (?) --- move to some alternative music library app?
Quick search: https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/...for-mac-best-music-players-for-macos-3653318/
Maybe you get Apple computers for free, personally I buy them and they cost hell of a money so I believe we could be master on the device we buy......apparently not and some people think that it is ok! If observing a trap and sharing with others that may be interested is a complain then yes, there is complainers that share and look for unity with others living the same situation. Enjoy everything they give you in this fools society. Long life to LINUX
 

Jethro!

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 4, 2015
330
341
Maybe you get Apple computers for free, personally I buy them and they cost hell of a money so I believe we could be master on the device we buy......
Exactly. It's MY COMPUTER. I want it to run MY WAY. Not the corporate interests' way.
Remember how at one time Big Box Stores sold super cheap PC's marketed as "internet computers"? What they didn't tell you was they were pre-loaded with a phalanx of ads and commercial solicitations that would assault you every time you ran it. That's why they were so cheap. Apple computers -- this isn't that.
 
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Malaka23

macrumors newbie
Mar 14, 2024
1
1
I joined this forum just to say:

1: I have had the same problem and found this thread very helpful. Thanks Jethro!

2: I agree completely with Jethro's observations about the design here, and am frankly stunned to see the hostility he's getting, after offering good observations, and legitimate criticism. I didn't realize that Kool-Aid was still being sold.

Particularly perplexing was DeltaMac's passive aggression and faux-friendliness/helpfulness after the passive-aggression. Complaining or criticizing can be helpful, especially when it's not coming from a place of malice but a request for improvement. One would hope that programmers will see that this "feature" of having different, but non-clearly-articulated sign-in promptings, so that it appears to be the same, is a nuisance rather than a feature. Hopefully, they read critiques like this and take steps in the future to have a simple way to eliminate this unsolicited request to sign in— I'll sign in when I'd like to, not when prompted (unless truly necessary), and it's clearly not necessary for me to sign in: after clearing the prompt, I was able to use Apple music to play my library. This proves that these "security" claims his critics referred to are nonsense on this particular issue, especially that now that I am completely signed out of both sign-in areas, I am able to use it to my heart's content without the problem re-appearing.

Also, it's not reasonable to expect every user to know every nuance of a deeply-involved program, especially when there are quirks which are so inexplicable, one needs to solicit a 6-year old post on some obscure internet 2.0 forum to address them. The software's initial appeal was the supposed way it was intuitive. This is *not* an example of intuitive behavior. As Jethro pointed out: it's either a design flaw or else there for a nefarious purpose, since it's clearly in service to no legitimate one in this particular context.

I'm not interested in anyone's reply, so please don't waste the time. I only type this to let Jethro know that he's not "crazy", and that his problem was real, his response was justified and his criticisms are valid, whether or not his critics agree with that. Most of all, without his observation here, I'd still be struggling with the problem as the Apple forums were no help, nor was the Apple support that I contacted. Thanks Jethro!
 
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Jethro!

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 4, 2015
330
341
I joined this forum just to say:

1: I have had the same problem and found this thread very helpful. Thanks Jethro!

2: I agree completely with Jethro's observations about the design here, and am frankly stunned to see the hostility he's getting, after offering good observations, and legitimate criticism. I didn't realize that Kool-Aid was still being sold.
Thank you for chiming in.

Six years later I can now confirm this behavior is BY DESIGN, ON PURPOSE. I see the same annoying behavior across the entire Apple ecosystem, incessantly prompting you to "Sign in" even after repeatedly saying no ("Not now"). iOS devices are particularly bad, maybe worse. The only solution is to completely sign out of your Apple account and stay signed out.

Why this intentional behavior has been implemented can be safely inferred -- it's to Apple's advantage (not ours). Likely so they can more easily track your digital life (aka violate your privacy) and direct more $$$ to their store (even though that's not necessarily what you want).

At one point Apple was the cool, rebellious kid on the block with better, novel solutions to everything. Now it's just an obnoxious, overbearing Big Brother. Time to move away from the Apple ecosystem.
 

Manek43509

macrumors member
Aug 21, 2010
45
26
Norwich, UK
Just been searching for solutions to this issue, and this thread from a few years back popped up. I totally agree with @Jethro! – the user tells the computer what to do, not the other way around!

The worst and most patronising thing about the Apple community is this pathological need to excuse every decision Apple makes... the way you ask 'How do I do [x] on my Mac?' and about seventy people all go 'But why would you even waaaaannnnt to?!'

Uhh, because I do? Because it's my Mac and I want to use it my way? Either provide the answer or scroll on by!

As it happens... I would be more than happy to sign in, and stay signed in. But Apple won't let me! I have six Macs ('But whyyyyyy?' Because I do, OK? I have my reasons.) but Apple won't let you sign into iTunes on more than five devices simultaneously. So there is always at least one Mac screaming at me to sign in – which I would, if it were allowed! – and throwing up the same dialogue box again and again and again and again and again each time I click 'Cancel'.

If anyone actually knows how to stop this message showing up, please let me know (all my Macs are on Mojave). If not, please don't waste your time and mine telling me I need to learn to love the bomb.
 
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Jethro!

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 4, 2015
330
341
Just been searching for solutions to this issue, and this thread from a few years back popped up. I totally agree with @Jethro! – the user tells the computer what to do, not the other way around!

The worst and most patronising thing about the Apple community is this pathological need to excuse every decision Apple makes... the way you ask 'How do I do [x] on my Mac?' and about seventy people all go 'But why would you even waaaaannnnt to?!'

Uhh, because I do? Because it's my Mac and I want to use it my way? Either provide the answer or scroll on by!
And that's the fundamental difference between the Jobs and Cook eras.

Jobs: Our products are designed to allow you to do what you want to do, how you want to do it.
Cook: You will do it OUR way, and you will like it whether you like it or not.

And the minions obey.
 
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