Gtkpod

Gtkpod is a free open source sourceforge project published under the GNU General Public License for Linux and other UNIX flavours that allows the user to transfer songs onto their IPod or IPod Mini music player.

Unlike most mp3 players the iPods have a special database file that lists all the songs, playlists and other information regarding the songs. If one drags a song directly onto an iPod using USB or Firewire mass storage it will not play or even be listed on the device. Hence the need for Gtkpod. Most Apple Computer and Microsoft Windows users use ITunes to transfer and synchronise songs to their iPods. However to this date Apple has not written a Linux port of iTunes.

Gtkpod requires the iPod to be mounted as a drive however recent versions attempt to automatically mount the iPod. The mount point can be specified in its preferences. Gtkpod simply updates the databases and copies the songs to the iPod filesystem so in theory the iPod can be connected to another machine, provided its filesystem is mounted locally.

At the time of writing the latest version was 0.88

External Links

• Gtkpod official page