Well, I have only 2 kids but I do recognise the problem, even if I don't have a neat solution to offer. I've looked before for a good inherently multi-user library arrangement, but can't find one.
You don't mention what other player software (eg iTunes) is in use, this certainly messes things up for me. What I've done so far is: - we have one main library which is on a server and is served up by slimserver to the squeezeboxes. There are three parallel file structures for FLACs, AACs and MP3s. All new CDs that come into the house (mine or the kids) get ripped into here. It runs 24x7. Slimserver is set up to use the FLACs. - the kids have their own iTunes libraries (also on the server) which contain stuff ripped pre-slimserver, and anything else they want to retain control over. They mainly use iTunes for daily listening at the computer, as well as managing iPods. - the iTunes libraries have access to the AAC wing of the main library by irregular manual use of the "add directory" command. Slimserver has access to the iTunes libraries by links. So that gets everyone access to all the music. It doesn't solve a lot more problems, though. If you want the music to be accessible outside the house (other than on an iPod or similar) you'd have to keep taking copies onto laptops. Shouldn't be to hard to use some standard file system synchronisation to do that. It also means that within slimserver-land there is only one set of playlists. The kids have solved this for themselves by using iTunes playlists exclusively when playing at the computer, but this is far from ideal. As for getting consistency in tagging ... thats really hard and isn't really a technical problem!! If your kids are teenagers there is probably no way to solve this one!! In my own version, I have good control of everything that gets put in the main library because it goes through a standard ripping/tagging process, and I reserve the right to retag it as it goes into the main library. But of course the stuff thats in their own iTunes libraries I have no control over (thats the whole point!) and this does indeed get messy at the Squeezebox. If I were to get desperate I could easily turn that off by disabling the directory links that read down into the iTunes libraries. I'll stop rambling. Other contributions to this topic very welcome. Ceejay -- ceejay _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list Discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
