iPod Shuffle with Linux Fedora Core 3

1. FC3 automagically recognizes the iPod and mounts it to "/media/IPOD". Alternately, you could create a mount point and mount it manually:
   

   # mkdir /mnt/ipod
   # mount -t vfat /dev/sda1 /mnt/ipod
   

   or automate it in the next reboot via the fstab entry:

   /dev/sda1    /mnt/ipod    vfat    sync,user,noauto,umask=000    0 0
   

2. For a friendly and graphical environment download and install GTKpod.
3. For Command Line Interface download and install GNUpod which is covered in the notes below.

   If you are missing any perl modules the appropriate error message is relayed back when you configure. So you will need to install the perl modules first.

   Below are the steps taken:

   # wget http://blinkenlights.ch/gnupod-dist/stable/CURRENT.tgz
   # tar -xvzf CURRENT.tgz 
   # cd gnupod-0.98.1/
   # perl -MCPAN -e 'install Unicode::String'
   # perl -MCPAN -e 'install MP3::Info'
   # ./configure
   # make install
   

4. Initialize the iPod Shuffle to create a default directory tree with an empty Database:

   $ gnupod_INIT.pl -m /media/IPOD
   

5. You can then find and transfer your mp3 music files via:

   $ find / -name "*mp3"| xargs gnupod_addsong.pl -m /media/IPOD 
   

6. Convert the GNUtunesDB to iTunesDB before unplugging the iPod Shuffle from the usb drive.

   $ mktunes.pl -m /media/IPOD
   $ umount /media/IPOD/
   

Happy Shuffling... and look forward to my upcoming blog on converting "ogg" to "mp3" file format.