

Spotify for Linux (native) - DrJokepu
http://www.spotify.com/int/blog/archives/2010/07/12/linux/

======
augustl
It has been repackaged for Arch Linux here:
<http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=38846>

Read the build file [1] to find out how to build it for yourself on whatever
system you're on ;)

[1]
[http://aur.archlinux.org/packages/spotify-x86_64/spotify-x86...](http://aur.archlinux.org/packages/spotify-x86_64/spotify-x86_64/PKGBUILD)

~~~
idefix
That one seems to have been lost, this is the new one
<http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=38865>

------
augustl
Fun fact: in Compiz, the Spotify window doesn't wobble like other windows,
with wobbly windows enabled.

I wonder how they managed to create windows like that, since all other windows
on my systems are wobbly. Even VirtualBox running Windows XP!

------
metabrew
I only have Spotify unlimited (no mobile support), not premium.. Even tho I
don't get ads, it won't let me log in.

Back to running it with wine, which runs adequately.

~~~
SpoonMeiser
I can't log in with either my 'free' or 'open' accounts. The client outputs
something like this:

    
    
      12:53:03.051 I [ap:1387] Connecting to AP B2.spotify.com:4070
      12:53:03.054 I [ap:937] Connected to AP: 78.31.8.17:4070
      12:53:03.073 E [ap:3280] Connection error:  404
      12:53:03.576 I [ap:1387] Connecting to AP B1.spotify.com:80
      12:53:03.609 I [ap:937] Connected to AP: 78.31.8.15:80
      12:53:03.629 E [ap:3280] Connection error:  404
      12:53:03.810 I [ap:1387] Connecting to AP B3.spotify.com:443
      12:53:03.840 I [ap:937] Connected to AP: 78.31.12.9:443
      12:53:03.913 E [ap:3280] Connection error:  406
      12:54:25.855 I [offline_authorizer.cpp:156] Unable to login offline: no such user

------
jerguismi
Ubuntu could add this by default to their distribution (or by easy install
link) and generate extra revenue by provisions for each sale.

------
nuclear_eclipse
Is there any ETA on when Spotify might become available in the US?

~~~
w1ntermute
Just register using a European proxy. Once you download the app, you can
listen all you want from a US IP. I'm doing it right now.

Edit: "a person can use a free, ad-supported Spotify account anywhere outside
of their home country for 14 days."

[http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3ib...](http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3ib36f6aee9fd6397223918494098da1ef)

The Spotify client does support proxying, so I'll be using my proxy server
permanently after the 14 day limit, I guess. But if you pay them for the
Unlimited or Premium plans, you don't have to worry about that.

~~~
goatforce5
I was under the impression you needed a credit card with a European address to
register for their premium services. Anyone know otherwise?

~~~
w1ntermute
It says they take PayPal, so I don't see why you wouldn't be able to use that.

------
singular
I've really pleased at this news. I've been using Spotify in linux via WINE
for a while which has been generally fine despite a few glitches, especially
on update, but it'll be so much nicer to shift to a faster and more reliable
(and hopefully eventually supported) native version.

Go spotify!! :-)

~~~
kilian
Agreed. Spotify on WINE ran fine (on purpose even, so much kudos to Spotify)
but a native version is very much appreciated. So far, it's running far more
smoothly.

------
timtadh
wtf: "there are issues regarding decoding of local music on the Linux platform
so we haven’t included support for local files in this version."

every music player + distro has had this solved for years ...

~~~
jrnkntl
I think this has to do with the encryption of the local files. Spotify doesn't
plainly store the mp3s or equivalent in a local cache (for obvious reasons);
they store what looks like encrypted snippets of songs all across different
folders.

~~~
DrJokepu
Actually, I believe they are using Vorbis, not mp3 encoding.

~~~
yungchin
Right, that is the key to the issue I think: Spotify can't just include an MP3
decoder, unless they pay licensing fees to Thomson or Fraunhofer or whoever it
was. On Windows/Mac, I guess they instead rely on the system-wide codec, but
on Linux there would be some diversity in the implementations, and so probably
they chose not to bother, for now.

------
sushi
I have been running spotify on Wine for quite some time on my Ubuntu machine
and it serves the purpose pretty well. The only glitch I have encountered so
far is that when I click on ads no actions is taken.

------
johnfn
This is disappointing. I tried to log in, only to get a really obscure error
message: "Use of this device is not enabled for your account." It turns out
that only spotify premium is enabled for linux.

~~~
ElliotH
Ads aren't reliable in this version (from the Spotify site) - so they can't
make it available for free users. Remember Spotify still works really well
under Wine.

------
avar
It doesn't install on Ubuntu 10.04:

    
    
        spotify-client-gnome-support: Depends: gconf2 (>= 2.28.1-2) but 2.28.1-0ubuntu1 is installed.

~~~
mapleoin
it looks like it was meant for debian. You could try forcing it though, since
it's the same gconf version, with only the distribution's release (the -2 or
0ubuntu1 part) differing.

~~~
ars
Don't force it - you will get an error every single time you do anything with
packages if you do that.

You want this version:
[https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/maverick/+source/gconf/2.28.1-3...](https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/maverick/+source/gconf/2.28.1-3ubuntu1)

No deb, but the source is there, and you can build it yourself.

BTW, the version requested is not on debian stable either, it's a testing only
version. So I guess you should be on the ubuntu equivalent of testing.

~~~
joss82
Direct .deb link here:
[http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/g/gconf/gconf2_2.2...](http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/g/gconf/gconf2_2.28.1-3_i386.deb)

Once downloaded, you need to install it with the following command:

sudo dpkg -i ./gconf2_2.28.1-3_i386.deb

Then re-run:

sudo apt-get install spotify-client-qt spotify-client-gnome-support

EDIT: Only tried on Ubuntu 10.4. Works flawlessly then. Enjoy ;)

------
whopa
I wonder why they haven't just made a web client already, instead of bothering
with fat native clients for every platform. The P2P stuff isn't really worth
it given that bandwidth is so cheap, and they otherwise don't actually do
anything with a native UI that a web based UI couldn't do.

~~~
ThomPete
Because the web-client would suck compared.

And yes they do plenty with the native UI, it's just in the details. Those
details that matter.

~~~
whopa
Do you some concrete examples of some of these details where being native
makes it far and away better or easier than a web UI?

~~~
yungchin
One thing that keeps amazing me about Spotify, is how there's seemingly zero
latency when you jump to a new track. This is true for any track - even if you
do a search query over the whole catalogue, then hit a random entry in the
list of results, the music starts pretty much immediately.

This makes it much more pleasant to use than something like Grooveshark
(Flash-based). I really don't see anyone pulling that off with a web client.

~~~
whopa
But RTMP was designed for this. This is totally possible using a web client.

~~~
ThomPete
Can you show me one place where it works?

------
someone_here
This was already available, but then blocked:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotify#Despotify>

------
nailer
After having used Linux for 10 years on the desktop, I now admit that as much
as I want it to be, Linux isn't a general purpose desktop platform for a
variety of reasons.

But providing a client for paying customers is a pretty good way for Spotify
to justify the cost of a Linux version and differentiate themselves from their
competitors. This also may be a good for Netbook makers.

