I really like it when programs and applications have a little thought behind them.  When the programmers and designers really know what users are wanting to do, and how they want to do it.  it shows a real understanding of the end-user.  That said, all great programs, with their impressive features should have a manual override.  No matter how smart the programmer, how sophisticated the algorithm, there’s no way for anyone or anything to predict with 100% accuracy, how an independent person will use a tool.

This is where my frustration comes in.  iTunes, with all it’s neat features, and Apple with all of their great programmers, and designers with their fantastic ideas, have left something out.  A manual override for the damn podcast updater logic.  I have several dozen different podcasts that I like to listen to.  Many are good enough that I want to go back several years and catch up on old episodes.  When you’re trying to catch up on several years worth of episodes from a few different podcasts, sometimes you may not have time to listen to all of your newest stuff every week.  This is the situation I’m currently in.

iTunes in its infinite wisdom takes it upon itself to stop updating my beloved podcasts because I haven’t been listening to them in a while.  While I understand the logic in this (not wanting to needlessly fill up people’s hard drives, run up their monthly data usage, or inflate podcast subscriber numbers), I think it’s important for Apple to build in a manual override to disable this “feature.”  I know I’m not the only one out there with this issue, because while searching for a solution, I’ve come across many a frustrated post of people in a similar situation.

If you have a good solution, please feel free to post it in the comments below.