With the coming of the Zune120 and potentially a Zune16, people have started talking about their expectations of a potential software/firmware release. Most are looking for new add-ons, features, and functionality. However, I think before adding features in the name of progress, there are some items that need fixing with this release. In this post I want to discuss where the Zune software and firmware transgress need some polish. Essentially, I'm hoping these issues will be fixed in the next release. Consider it constructive criticism. In no particular order, here is my list:

• Multi-CD Compatibility - When the 2.5 software came out, it supported the ability to tag tracks. One of the tag frames it allowed you to change was the 'disc number' of a track or album. This proved immensely useful with multiple CD albums such as the Dane Cook's Retaliation or The Beatles' White Album (The Beatles). Instead of naming your CD's Disc 1 and Disc 2 in the album title, you could simply change the disc number. And it worked, well. However, when the changes were synced over to the device, it did not work so well. The Zune Team has acknowledged this issue.
• Find Album Info - The 2.5 release added the ability to lookup the album/track information.  Overall the feature works well. However, I have come across a few quirks. The first happens when you have tracks that do not match an album track listings that the software's search returns. Using an album that I've already tagged (pictures: in software & edit info view), I will explain. After you choose 'find album info' and select the album you want, the software will ask you to select the song titles it is unsure about or allow you to keep your previous tagging organization. Yet, even after manually selecting individual song titles, the software will write the default track information, ignoring your selections (in software & edit info view). Using another album previously tagged album (in software & edit info view), the second problem occurs if the software believes it has a high enough confidence that it has made a perfect match. After you select the album you want, it skips the step that allows you to edit individual track information. Instead, it asks you to confirm it has the correct album before it commits the tag information to the the individual tracks. This is a problem if, while in the same process, you want to change the track nomenclature.
• Partially Identified Albums - Mostly you do not need to use the above mentioned feature because the software does a good job of automatically fingerprinting (a.k.a identifying) your music so it shows up on your Zune Card. In some instances, it has a little trouble. Here are a few personal examples. I have a few tracks from Fergie's The Dutchess [Deluxe Edition]. When I initially added the tracks into the Zune software, it would not recognize the album at all (sorry, no picture). So, I split it up into the The Dutchess and The Dutchess EP. The Deluxe Edition is simply a later release of the The Dutchess combining both the EP and the original album. After the split, I had better success in track recognition. The software now recognizes original album as the original album. However, the software now recognizes the EP as the Deluxe Edition! Now, two of the tracks, Party People and Clumsy [Collipark Remix] are incorrectly or not identified at all.  Another partial identification includes one album being tagged as two different versions of the same album. This is happening with Lupe Fiasco's The Cool. I'll let the pictures explain: in software, The Cool, The Cool (Parental Advisory). Noting the in software picture for a moment, look at how my files are actually titled. Why is the software ignoring my ID3 tag info? Finally, I have one case of songs being identified in a remotely correct manner. With OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, it seems like the software knows it is in the ballpark, yet the individual tracks are all over the place.  Speakerboxx tracks show up as The Love Below and vice versa. I tried tagging this as two discs as well as one continuous album. Currently it is arranged as two discs. When played, track 11 on Speakerboxxx, registers as Track 11 on The Love Below. Track 11 on The Love Below registers as Track 10 on Speakerboxx (marketplace, software album view). Some tracks are not recognized at all, yet when I look at that track in my collection it points to another track on the other CD. Also, where are the individual CD's of this album in the marketplace? The album didn't make it to platinum diamond status being sold as a single 39 track CD. For most of these issues, I would edit the tracks in the software, but thanks to the previously mentioned issue with 'find album info,' I know my changes will not take. I think most of these problems could be solved by erasing the identification ID tag (the fingerprint) and letting the software reread the tracks. However, this is more of a work around as opposed to a solution. I think this one will get better as the software improves its ability to identify albums.
• Browsing Pictures with no Sound - This one is relatively minor. I have a Zune 30 with the sounds turned on. When I browse the pictures and immediately start to navigate down, the device will not make a sound although it displays my cursor to have moved from 'play slideshow' to the first row of pictures. I can keep this no-sound functionality going if I move left, right, up or down. The sounds return when I change rows by navigating left or right in such a manner that I change rows by going off the edge of the screen or navigate up or down in such a manner that I reach the bottom or top of the picture grid. Also, whenever I navigate from the closest option above the picture grid be it 'play slidshow' or 'send' no sound registers.
• Seeing my whole library - This one has been around for a while. Comparing the Zune software (5018) with Mp3Tag and Winamp (5039), the Zune software is still under count by 21 files when looking at my monitored folders + my Zune folder - podcasts. How come the Zune software does not tell me it cannot add 21 tracks to my collection?
• Inability to play only one song - In the 2.3 software when I would right click on a song and select the 'play' option (1), it would only add one song to the 'now playing' list (2). Now, when I select the 'play' option it will add all songs in the song column to the 'now playing' list (3). As a result I cannot make custom now playing lists without an added step of removing all other tracks (4) before adding a second track (5). Where did the ability to play one track go? Essentially I am now going through a three or four step process for a task that was originally one step. Personally, if I wanted to add all the songs in the song column to the 'now playing' list, I would have selected all the songs and then chose to add them to the 'now playing' list. I recently discussed this in the Zune.net forums.

By all means I do not hate the software. Overall, it is great. Again, these are just some of the quirks I have noticed in my day-to-day of the Zune software and device. What about you? Can you provide any other photo evidence or articulately describe instances of either the Zune software or firmware not working or having a different functionality than expected? Also, if you know of any forum threads that discuss these issues, or others like them, please respond with a link to them in the comments.