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Mozilla Partners with Real Networks

engineer_uhg writes to tell us that Mozilla has just entered into a multi-year agreement with Real Networks to have Firefox distributed with downloads of RealPlayer, Rhapsody, and RealArcade. The Mozilla team cited Real's estimated 2 million downloads per day as a great tool for distribution. However, many Firefox supporters question the move, complaining of questionable practices by Real.

8 of 386 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Ummm... memory footprint? by vivek7006 · · Score: 5, Informative

    I already use Opera over Firefox because of, among many other things, the excessive memory footprint of Firefox. I don't think bundling it with bloated software like RealPlayer is the best way to improve that perception or problem.

    Einstein, read the story again. Realplayer download will include firefox and will give users the option of installing firefox while they install realplayer. No one is embedding realplayer inside firefox.

  2. Re:Bundled downloads suck by PalmerEldritch42 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, you can get Quicktime without iTunes. There is a standalone installer (linked on the normal download page) that, once downloaded, does not require internet access to complete the installation and does not include anything but the Quicktime player. It is here:

    http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone .html

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    :wq!

  3. READ THE ARTICLE PEOPLE!!!!!!! by Temujin_12 · · Score: 4, Informative
    It says:
    RealNetworks said Wednesday that it has agreed to a multiyear agreement to offer Mozilla's Firefox Web browser with downloads of its RealPlayer, Rhapsody and RealArcade software programs.
    RealNetworks will be packaging Firefox with their software NOT the other way around. If anything, Firefox zealots should be happy about this as it means that Firefox will now be introduced to a larger number of people who otherwise may not have downloaded and installed Firefox on their own.

    I REPEAT, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT MOZILLA NOW PACKAGES REAL SOFTWARE WITH ITS PRODUCTS. IT IS THE OPPOSITE, REAL WILL NOW PACKAGE FIREFOX WITH THEIR PRODUCTS.

    Can we call off the Calvary now?
    --
    Faith is a willingness to accept something w/o complete proof and to act on it. Reason allows you to correct that faith.
  4. When was the last time you used real? by Danathar · · Score: 4, Informative

    Most of the people I know who hate real have not used it since version 8.

    Yes..there was a time when Real was an EVIL company. BUT..they have done many things since then (ever heard of helix player..you CAN download it for free you know). They've done quite a lot in the open source world as well.

    Come on, it's legit to dump on a company for a bad product. But it's been YEARS since the worst of their products that had stuff bundled you didnt want was distributed.

    Personally, I don't use real, but their stuff hasn't been horribly bad since the days when they were trying to trick you into installing stuff (which now they don't do).

    Hating real has become de-facto religion for some.

    1. Re:When was the last time you used real? by evilviper · · Score: 4, Informative
      Yes..there was a time when Real was an EVIL company. BUT..they have done many things since then

      They got only marginally less evil. They started the Helix Player, thinking they could cash-in on open source developers to do some of their work for them, but they never open-sourced their own codecs, nor has the "free" RealPlayer gotten any less obtrusive. It still installs itself everywhere, makes it very difficult to opt-out of sending usage information to their servers, etc.

      Real has been trying to change their image by advertising how much better they've gotten, but unfortunately, they haven't really gotten any better. They've just been less of an annoyance, since fewer and fewer people feel the need to install the RealPlayer now that Quicktime and WMP have become (slightly) better alternatives.

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  5. Re:Maybe by robogun · · Score: 4, Informative

    Are you sure you're not using Real Alternative? I can't fathom your comment because RealPlayer is the most ad-ridden, cluttered useless interface I've ever seen in my life. The first time I ran it I almost couldn't figure which window had the video. And needless to say it was the last time.

    OTOH Real Alternative is a WMP embed (there's also a QT one) which uses WMP 6.1 and no ads.

  6. Re:Maybe by Ilgaz · · Score: 4, Informative

    This is Slashdot, hating Real Player and accuse them of spying is a fashion. :)

    You shouldn't bother replying. This is easy karma. Whatever they accomplish like staying alive against MS empire, it won't change. Someone will post "Real is a virus/spyware" crap and get +5 insightful.

    Yea, it is spyware etc etc. I just feel sorry for Real Networks trying to do many favours to OSS community such as Helix Player along with its source, winning the portable multimedia market so Microsoft Media Division won't start another monopoly, giving them hell in EU courts resulting removal of windows media player installed by default to windows and so on.

    OK, they will accuse me (!) for working at Real or getting paid to post comments again... I didn't see who submitted it but I really hope it is not a Helix coder or someone involved with Real Networks. You really need dozens of more "spyware" accusations from this user profile?!

    You think someone will come up and ask if Gecko rendering engine will be bundled to Real Player instead of MSHTML linking? Or will Real Networks help Mozilla folks with their amazing portable/device experience and help ship a really working portable Gecko?

    Real Networks, if you want to see an appreciating community, check OS X downnload feedback, we are all happy with what you offer for years and not abandoning us like some "non spyware" monopolists did.

  7. Re:Maybe by luder · · Score: 5, Informative

    No, I'm not using Real Alternative, it's the real thing.

    This is how it looks when I open a music file. See? Pretty simple, opens really fast, doesn't get in the way, good eye-candy, no ads.

    This is how it looks in full-mode, with media library open. It is bit slow to open in my computer (PIII 1GHz), but that is also because of the large amount of music files in the DB. Anyway, I only use it when I specifically want to and that's not often. Again, I can't say much against it.

    When I open a video, it looks the same way as when I open a music file, except it also shows... the video. All in the same window and the same I said before.

    Actually, for those concerned with privacy, Real Player gives easy access to privacy control options. Just check the options screen.

    There is also something called message center. I'm not sure what it is, because I turned it off right after install, but I guess those ads and pop-ups you talk about come through here. However, it is kids play to deactivate it. Just click on the option to do so.

    I understand all the rage against Real, I shared it too when using the old players, but today it is way better. Not perfect, but much better. Ok, it might not come optimized for privacy, but with little effort you can do it. Really little effort, considering that, as it plays most media formats, you only have to configure one player. This is specially good with quicktime formats, because it also gives the benefit of full-screen video.