File Conversion

Hmmm … well, there’s a handy thing to be able to do.

Or know.

Or … something …

Um …

Something I know I’ve been tinkering with, over the past couple of weeks, is a Toshiba laptop that Movie Night Adrian’s been looking to sell to Graham.

And not one with Windoze, either!

Like I would …

It’s been running — as you’ve probably realised, from the amount I’ve written up about it — version 9.04 of Ubuntu, known as Jaunty Jackalope.

Which, as you’ll probably also know, I’ve been toying around with, prior to writing about.

Before I pass the laptop on to Graham.

I’ve also managed to burn off quite a few copies of the operating systems, itself, and handing them out to various friends, relations, and one or two of the regular customers at work.

But one thing I thought I’d do, before handy it over, is add an album.

Now I know Graham’s had a copy — as have I — of the Tom Waits album, “Blood Money”.

I think everyone’s got a copy of “Blood Money”, Mr Waits a bit of a tart in that regard …

Anyway, I felt that Graham should have something to listen to, while he’s doing whatever he’s doing …

Now my copy’s happily stored as a playlist — in Mp4 format — in my copy of iTunes 8.2.1; a file format Ubuntu’s equivalent, the onboard Rhythmbox Music Player, can’t handle, out of the box.

How does one go about dealing with this?

Well, one way is fairly simple.

The current version of iTunes includes the option to convert the contents of a given playlist to MP3 format.

Which, used in conjunction with the MP3 codecs available for Ubuntu from Fluendo, means you’ve got playable music files.

But there’s other options, of course.

What I did — and I realise this may not be available to everyone — was to use the open source audio file converter, Max.

Which can convert from a lot of audio file formats, to a lot of audio files formats.

Including from MP3 and MP4/aac, to Ogg/Vorbis, the bog standard open source file format.

Which both Ubuntu, and various media players for OS X, can play.

Result!!

Which means I can dance happily around my front room, having learnt how to do something!!

∞∞∞∞∞

Now I know I’ve quite happily chuntered on about all sorts of stuff, here.

But I’m also hoping that you’ll be encouraged enough to want to try one of two thing’s, at this stage.

Many of my friends will happily tell you that I’m a one man walking Mac advert.

After all, there’s a reason I’ve that background on my Twitter page!

I’m a bit of a fan, which I’ll happily admit to!!

But I’m also hoping that, as and when Graham get online, with the laptop, he’ll be be able to post a few comments about his experiences. (Denny, as well, I hope; he’s the other person I know running an Ubuntu laptop.)

I’m also hoping a few of my neighbours’ll take me up on the copies of got of the install discs. I doubt many will. Many people I know keep turning around and saying word’s to the effect of “… but I need Microsoft Office for work!!”*.

You can imagine my reaction to that one, can’t you?

But here’s the one I’ll put here.

Microdoft has a huge influence on the way we, as home users, use our computers.

But the many versions of Windoze aren’t the be-all and end-all of operating systems.

We have choices.

∞∞∞∞∞

One final point I should add, here, just in case you were wondering about the last screen grab, is that I was re-watching “Casino Royale”, this morning, and caught a glimpse of the very familiar chap with the collar length hair, and the beard, being frisked on the right of the picture.

Some company executives are either really serious about product placement.

Or real drama queens!

* I’ve a feeling that Councillor Chilver’s may be an objector; but I’m also hoping she’d at least give it a go; it’s why I ‘charged’ her a pack of blanc CD’s for the Christmas quiz I did for her; so I can burn of more copies of Jaunty Jackalope.