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New Windows Media Player Leaks
TacoLL writes "A new version of Windows Media Player, Windows Media Player 11, is set to be made public on Wednesday, however, it has found its way into the hands of internet users before its public release. Flexbeta has some early screenshots of the next Media Player for Windows users."
If the source found its way onto the Internet, that would be a leak. If early prototypes were released months ago, in time for Real Networks, Apple, and others to dissect what MS was cooking up in the lab, then I would consider that a leak. But "leaking" a yawn-inducing product two days before the official release? It sounds to me more like a marketing tactic intended to drum up press at just the right time, akin to the same BS that beta testing has evolved into.
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Any word on OGG support?
UNIX/Linux Consulting
Leaks viewing/listening history through firewall directly to MPAA/RIAA?
Security leaks?
Leaks memory?
Oh, wait, you mean, the product itself was leaked.
Never mind, I'm sure the other types of leaks will follow soon enough.
Looks like their SERVER was running Windows Media 11.
Oh, wait...
...is your answer.
http://ffdshow.sourceforge.net/
Supports just about everything in use and works great. I use the builds from here when trapped in Windows:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/FFDShow.htm
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Mirror,
. flexbeta.net/main/comments.php%3Fcatid%3D1%26shown ews%3D19885.html
http://www.networkmirror.com/bUeMRHp2JQWoEqXH/www
In the news today: Somone built an early release of KDE by hacking into their publically available anonymous SVN repository and downloading the code. They then released screen snapshots to the Internet. We now turn to our live reporter in bit-land with this breathtaking story...
The next site to slashdot will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and start slashdotting it early!
News.com has a good series of images of the New Windows Media Player available:
r t=rss&tag=6072445&subj=news
http://news.com.com/2300-1025_3-6072445-1.html?pa
It's NOT slashdotted guys. It's "Buffering..." :P
just recompile the source with a -lhell-froze-over option. ...also worth noting: -lmonkeys-flew-out-my-butt will compile it for AmigaOS.
There are 10 types of people in this world, those who can count in binary and those who can't.
As opposed to the rest of the posts 'OMGLOL WMP LEAKS!!1', this post actually discusses it. I've used it. Its available to download from softpedia.com I found it to be rather nice and would definitely prefer it over iTunes if I still used it (iTunes). URGE is no iTunes music store but I never used that in any case. It has a slick look, uses less mem than iTunes - more than Winamp or foobar of course, and the responsiveness is quite good. I've never really liked Windows Media Player, always thought it was clunky and bloated but this seems to be a release where they got it right. I highly recommend checking it out.
You can find the screenshots here.
No, seriously. Am I the only one who thinks that the screenshots are rather unimpressive? I clicked through every single shot and read the description of the features. I can't find anything special.
Windows Media Player is a great example of a piece of software that has reached maturity, and been going steadily downhill ever since. Everyone who's had to struggle with a slow computer with windows knows that version 6 (6.4 specifically, I think) was when WiMP essentially reached maturity. Really, what more possible features could you need in a media player other than the usual play, pause, rewind, etc. buttons, and some useful codecs (which, of course, Microsoft would never even dream of distributing, as they promote "piracy", or help alternative formats like Real).
l I'm even aware of at east one open source media player project based off the WiMP 6.4 design (has essentially the exact same look and feel, but is supplied with all the good codecs), namely "Media Player Classic" (here).
Since 6.4, which was last distributed with Win2k (though the auto-update features try their darndest to sneak the newer versions in), WiMP has gotten progressively worse. Version 9 was a disgrace, and 10 was even worse. Seems like the only innovation Microsoft has to offer in media players is bundling in more DRM features that no one wants, useless and ugly skins, and support for their own worthless WMV/WMA formats.
Please, don't use this new "feature"-laden crapware. Microsoft should take a hint from VLC or mplayer, and realize that we don't want the useless junk they're piling on. The reason why VLC and mplayer are so great is they do one thing and do it well: play media. Period.
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It seems like the main thrust of the (very large) MSFT exhibit was VOD (video on demand), but WMP 11 was prominently displayed, along with a promised new buy-your-music-online program... the partner's name escapes me at the moment.
This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.