There are many, many brickbats regarding amarok 2 as compared with amarok 1.4, and I won't rehash that well trodden ground (much).

Heck, I adopted amarok 2 on Ubuntu Intrepid just to check it out and was as sorely dissappointed as many others. Yes, yes, I knew it was alpha / beta software, and I generally stick to the edge with the latest versions of things, but I was still struck by the lack of functionality and adaptability and basic settings compared with the greatness that was the 1.4 series. When Amarok 2 was 'forced' on us by the Arch Linux developers recently as a 2.02 version, there were thoughts of 'what other players are there instead'. However, the cutting edge mentality combined with the dev's promises that "2.1 will be much better, honest" held me to stick with amarok 2.

To cut a longer story shorter, suffice it to say that the latest SVN (5/5/9) is slowly developing and becoming....well....useable. Options for configuring sound backend, playlist style editing (albeit a bit clunky) are slowly making an appearance. To be honest it's like watching a baby grow and develop. Soon amarok 2 will be walking, and maybe by version 2.4 even talking again.

So, this is not exactly a bouquet just yet - but at least now I can see some light at the end of the tunnel. Now if they can just get the Various Artist CD's and VA cover art sorted, I might start arranging the flowers. And if they allow more layout and styles customisation (no, I don't need as much as Foobar - although that would be nice), well a small corsage might be in order.

Heh!

Now we just need to get the thing potty trained... :-P

- Nikolaj