Seeing as geeks can't use iTunes...what do you use instead?

I'm a geek, and I use iTunes for all my music and podcast management.  But apparently, so I've read, geeks aren't supposed to use iTunes because it's totally DRM filled and not geeky enough and "from the man" and whatever other shit.
 
I use it because it's efficient and works well with my iPhone.  But if you're so geeky you can't use it, what do you use instead?  I'm legitimately interested to know.  Anybody still rockin' Winamp?

Zune software.

bittorrents

Who gives a fuck? Use whatever you want. I just use iTunes for my iPhone and other iPods but other than that that I use Zune for playing my music.

I use itunes to manage/play my music and stuff. Doesn't mean i buy stuff off of it.

I have a record player. I like records.
 
But when I'm checking out music on the pc I use VLC or Spotify

Zune.

Itunes

For podcasts I use RSS feeds. 
 
To download music I use Bandcamp if possible, then Amazon MP3 
 
To manage my music on my iPod, I use iTunes.

" I'm a geek, and I use iTunes for all my music and podcast management.  But apparently, so I've read, geeks aren't supposed to use iTunes because it's totally DRM filled and not geeky enough and "from the man" and whatever other shit.  I use it because it's efficient and works well with my iPhone.  But if you're so geeky you can't use it, what do you use instead?  I'm legitimately interested to know.  Anybody still rockin' Winamp? "

I use Itunes, but it's terrible.

I still buy CD's straight from most labels because they care enough to give you mostly more than just a CD these days. I use Amazon to buy actual MP3s though. Right now I'm using doubletwist for Podcasts. It's OK, not the greatest but it is very ambitious. I use VLC or MPC for just playing random files though, I don't need to feel like I'm a part of something like an anti-drm or anti-apple movement to enjoy listening to music like I used to when I had my first computer.

DRM is now gone, or supposed to very soon.

"Who gives a fuck? Use whatever you want. I just use iTunes for my iPhone and other iPods but other than that that I use Zune for playing my music. "

iTunes, record player, several stereos, iPod. I like music.

I buy CD's and rip them myself...  If I'm going to buying music for $10 (which it usually is during the 1st week) I matters well be able to make it any format that I want it in.

I just buy CDs from my local record store and I use iTunes to get it on my iPod (too lazy to use anything else).
 
Support your local record store(s)! and stuff

Winamp, works perfectly for me

I use iTunes for the simplicity in interfacing with my iPhone and iPod. Funny thing is I don't need DRM free as I only use them on devices that use said DRM. Some things I like DRM free though, like audiobooks and digi books.
 
And I will not stop using it because someone questions my geed cred. My life and possessions prove otherwise.

Using itunes doesn't mean you buy music from the store. I use it but I get most of my music from Amazon.   
 
Back in the dizzay I used to use WMP, then moved on to Winamp, then for a bit Foobar2000, THEN VLC... finally settled with itunes 'cause it's great with the podcasts and it's not that bad with music.

I bought a couple iPod games a while back and I have an iPod classic (which isn't supported by Winamp that I know of), so I'm stuck with iTunes. If I wasn't though, I'd still use Winamp for music. I use VLC for everything else.

I only use iTunes on my Windows PC when I absolutely need to (for instance, when I have to update my iPhone). I find it to be a bloated piece of crap that runs like shit, especially in Windows. Oh, and the updater tries to push Safari and Quicktime on me as well, so I've disabled any form of automatic updating. In my eyes, iTunes is the absolutely worst piece of software I have installed on my Windows PC. On my netbook with Ubuntu, I don't use any music management programs (though I do have Rythmbox installed just in case, but it doesn't seem to be any better than iTunes, so...).

For my music, I just use Spotify. It's free! It's lightweight! It's fantastic. 

Foobar2000 / VLC.
 
Also I don't object to iTunes because it's "from the man" so much as because it's "a big slow bloated piece of shit and I don't own Apple products that require it".

" Zune software. "

I like how iTunes manages my playlists, and, well, I own two ipods. But DAMN does it ever eat resources like a cow for no good reason.

I use the Zune software (because that stuff is great) or Foobar 2000 on windows, been using Exaile lately on Linux

Some responses completely shocked me.  Zune?  That thing still exists?  o_O 
 
The question was not  "what software to use when you're brain damaged?" -- the question was rather "what to use when you're a geek?" 
 
Converting your record and CD collection to OGGs or FLACs would be pretty geeky...  I'd say go with anything that plays the FLAC format.

iTunes.  I have a Mac so it kinda makes sense to use it. 
 
Also, Winamp has a kickass Android app, just so you know.  I was shocked to find out they are still around.

I use iTunes. I guess I'm not techy enough to know what's wrong with it, but it works fine for me. I also buy CD's if they are in stock, I usually won't go out of my way to buy a physical copy.

Foobar.

I manage my podcasts with Media Go

iTunes. It holds my 17k songs just fine...has all the artwork and runs fine....
 
to purchase music? I buy physical CDs and rip to iTunes. I prefer physical media when possible. Otherwise Amazon or iTunes, whichever is cheaper. I prefer Amazon as I often get discounts off MP3 purchases from Video Games and such.

Windows: Winamp 
OS X: iTunes 
 
The Windows version of iTunes is garbage, it's better on OSX but still doesn't support FLAC so I can never use it full time. 
 
On my MacBook though I don't have an awesome soundcard nor do I use my headphones so I'm happy with using iTunes on that and just MP3!

• Easy to use music browser
• Searching and sorting
• Comprehensive audio format support through GStreamer
• Internet Radio support including last.fm streams
• Playlists
• Display audio visualizations
• Transfer music to and from iPod, MTP, and USB Mass Storage music players
• Display album art and song lyrics downloaded from the internet
• Play, rip, and burn audio CDs
• Automatically download audio podcasts
• Browse, preview, and download albums from Magnatune and Jamendo

" Some responses completely shocked me.  Zune?  That thing still exists?  o_O  The question was not  "what software to use when you're brain damaged?" -- the question was rather "what to use when you're a geek?"  Converting your record and CD collection to OGGs or FLACs would be pretty geeky...  I'd say go with anything that plays the FLAC format. "

I believe you used the word "geek" four times in your post, and its meaning was equally arbitrary each time.

*cough* Azureus *cough*. Anyways, you can use iTunes. Just don't download anything from there. I made that mistake once and now I really regret it. I bought an album that I couldn't find anywhere else. I went to try to play it on my PS3 and it wouldn't play. Piece of shit.

ITunes just makes things so much easier.

" DRM is now gone, or supposed to very soon. "

Winamp, obviously.

" Zune software. "

I honestly don't get why geeks hate iTunes so much. There is literally almost nothing wrong with it. It plays music fine, it has great MP3 player support and if you do choose to download torrented music, it loads to iTunes fine.

Windows Media Player.

Foobar.
 
Audiophiles ftw.