[Air-l] iTunes 7.0

[R.Mabry-Hubbard (UMC Student)]

> . . . just updated iTunes to 7.0. ... I'm wondering about
> the "randomness factor".  

Apparently, a number of people are interested in the algorithm for
randomizing the playlist, too; a GOOGLE search for [iTunes "party shuffle"
algorithm"] produced 477 results and 9,620 results for [iTunes "shuffle"
algorithm randomness]. Here are few of interest.


HOW MUCH DOES ITUNES LIKE MY FIVE-STAR SONGS?
Article explores the algorithm iTunes uses to pick what comes next in a
Party Shuffle playlist.
http://www.omninerd.com/2005/08/25/articles/34


INFINITE LOOP: A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ITUNES PARTY SHUFFLE
Brian E. Hansen was curious about the exact algorithm iTunes used to select
tracks during its "Party Shuffle" mode 
http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2005/8/28/1066 

IPOD SHUFFLE: RANDOMNESS
iTunes' shuffle algorithm chooses songs "without replacement." This means
that, until every song has been played - or the shuffle algorithm is
otherwise
http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/ipodshuffle/topic2959.html 

IS AN IPOD ON SHUFFLE TRULY RANDOM? | Ask MetaFilter
It's truly random, but they know that's a problem -- the new iTunes also you
to ... There are some interesting theories about the shuffle algorithm in
the ... [19 comments]
http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/23813
 

------
Robin Y. Mabry Hubbard, MBA, EdS
Rural Sociology Doctoral Student - Community Informatics
Email: ryh352 at mizzou.edu  My Homepage: http://www.rrchubbard.org
Murphy's Law: There is never enough time to do it right; but there is always
time to do it over
~ Our Future arrived Yesterday!  ~
[I am not inviting any postmodernist to my party!]