Are you an iTunes user? If so, by now you may be looking at iTunes 11, which Apple started rolling out yesterday. (Still running iTunes 10? You can get the update by clicking Help, Check for Updates.)
One thing you'll notice right away is the totally overhauled interface, which, just like with Windows 8, can take some getting used to.
Indeed, the big change is the disappearance of the sidebar, which is how most people navigated their libraries and playlists, the iTunes Store, and so on. Needless to say, iTunes 11 can seem disorienting without it.
Fortunately, there's an easy way to bring it back: just press Alt, Command S. That's actually a toggle, so you can press it again to hide the sidebar if you wish.
I find it interesting that software developers continually "improve" their products by hiding or removing features that users know and rely on (cough, Start Button, cough). Ostensibly this is to streamline the interface, but let's get real: it just causes confusion.
What I really wanted Apple to do was improve its search results for things like apps and songs, allowing me to filter them by, say, rating or release date. Instead we got side-scrolling search-result lists that, while similar to what you see on your iPhone or iPad, don't really help you find what you're looking for. Quite the opposite, in my humble opinion.
I'm sure some fanboys will take me to task for criticizing iTunes, saying I'm cranky about change. Maybe so, but I don't like being forced to learn a new interface when the old one was just fine, thank you. At least here you can restore it without having to install third-party software (cough, Windows 8, cough).
See also:
Users spot broken links, graphics bugs and other issues in iTunes 11
iPhone 6 rumour rollup for week ending 30 November
Apple selling 21in skinny iMac, taking 27in pre-orders for delivery in December
Apple updates iOS Remote app and Apple TV to bring iTunes 11 compatibility
Apple iTunes 11 available for download via Software Update
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Comments received
architec said on Tue, 04 Dec 2012
The short cuts above do not work!!!
MacGee said on Tue, 04 Dec 2012
It's Alt/Command S for the Sidebar. Command B only works in Column Mode, I think.
gakushaburu said on Tue, 04 Dec 2012
I quite like the new look. It did take me by surprise and took a little time to get used to but I won't be putting the sidebar back.
But where Apple badly let users down is with information. Digging down in the help you find a "What's new" section but it's a very unhelpful and incomplete marketing bullet point list and the links in it don't take you to sections which answer the questions which I think most people who've just upgraded will be asking. A complete list of things/methods which have gone and what there replacements are should be easy to find in the top level of the Help menu.
As for shortcuts ... well the "Keyboard Shortcuts" menu item under help on the Mac version doesn't even open.
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