Windows 10 Update Removes Windows Media Player (betanews.com)

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Windows 10 Update Removes Windows Media Player (betanews.com)

Posted by msmash on Monday October 9, 2017 @07:30AM from the up-next dept.

Recently made available Windows 10 update KB4046355 for the Fall Creators Update disables Windows Media Player from the operating system. BetaNews reports: While it could be argued that Windows Media Player is no longer an essential addition to Windows -- there are plenty of quality third-party alternatives, such as VLC Media Player, not to mention the Films & TV app in Windows 10 itself -- many users still rely on it. The feature's removal came to light when users installed KB4046355 on devices running Windows 10 version 1709 -- the Fall Creators Update. This update, referred to as FeatureOnDemandMediaPlayer, removes Windows Media Player from the OS, although it doesn't kill access to it entirely. If you want the media player back you can install it via the Add a Feature setting. Open Settings, go to Apps > Apps & Features, and click on Manage optional features.

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Windows 10 is a good Idea? by Templer421 · 2017-10-09 07:32 · Score: 2

Explain to me WHY this is a useful program?
1. Re:Windows 10 is a good Idea? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-10-09 07:41 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Explain to me WHY this is a useful program?
  You mean Windows 10? The jury is still out on that one.
  There is good money to be made helping the victims of the push-update. Depending on the mental state of the victim and the levels of their drug addiction, some back to Win7, some forward to Linux.
2. Re:Windows 10 is a good Idea? by jwhyche · 2017-10-09 07:49 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  It's not. WMP has long out lived its usefulness. I honestly thought it was already gone. Imagine my surprise when it opened up the other day on some obscure video format that I had long forgotten about.
  VLC does a whole lot better job.
  
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  I read at +2. If your post doesn't reach that level I will not see or respond to it.
3. Re:Windows 10 is a good Idea? by freeze128 · 2017-10-09 09:14 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  I too prefer VLC, but at some point they *REMOVED* support for playing MIDI files. WMP still does this fine.
4. Re:Windows 10 is a good Idea? by rtb61 · 2017-10-09 14:38 · Score: 2
  
  Windows media player is being removed because M$ is sick of being exposed as a huge loser. The worst accepted media player in the industry losing to pretty much everyone, simply better to not have one. It seems M$ is hunkering down, expecting more consumer losses and cutting everything they can to focus on exploiting areas where they have control via content lock it ie exploiting a monopoly to the death of the company. The mass privacy invasion of windows 10 has cost them dearly and likely will kill the company in the end.
  
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  Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
5. Re:Windows 10 is a good Idea? by jwhyche · 2017-10-09 22:50 · Score: 2
  
  If it plays mkv files has to do with what the OS can handle, just like what codec's it can play. On my windows 10 system WMP both opens and plays MKV files just fine. Even mkv files with h.265 video in them.
  
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  I read at +2. If your post doesn't reach that level I will not see or respond to it.
It could also be argued... by QuietLagoon · 2017-10-09 07:38 · Score: 4, Insightful

...While it could be argued that Windows Media Player is no longer an essential addition to Windows...
It could also be argued that the Windows 10 data harvesting is not an essential addition to Windows. Yet there it remains....
.
Makes one wonder what the real reason is for removing Media Player.
1. Re: It could also be argued... by iampiti · 2017-10-09 07:57 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  The real reason is pushing everyone to use the touchy apps.
  I still think it's asinine to force such UIs on mouse users
Why? by RyanFenton · 2017-10-09 07:49 · Score: 4, Insightful

It's a shell linking audio/video codecs (which still exist) to a simple set of video controls, perhaps with some mostly useless cruft, but it did a decent job.
It definitely wasn't anywhere near the best player - but when you went to a random PC, you could be sure that most common videos would play.
Why would you remove that as a minimal component on PCs? Browsers are OK - but when you're going for a presentation on a random PC, there's all kinds of ways those can crap out in ways that a simple default video player would be fine.
Seems a very dumb thing to remove, if you want PCs to be useful general devices world-wide.
And note - probably less than 2% of your user base is going to go onto the 'Windows Store' to try and get ANYTHING to fix this shortcoming. Attempting to profit from your own manufactured problem is not going to pay off in this case, compared to what it's costing you in terms of basic capability.
Ryan Fenton
1. Re:Why? by viperidaenz · 2017-10-09 08:38 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  If you try to open a file that has no associated application, Windows suggests you go to the Windows Store to download an app to open it.
  Regardless of this, there is already other media plays preinstalled in Windows 10. Windows Media Player wasn't the only one.
  It wasn't just a shell linking audio and video codecs to a UI, it was an attack vector that has been exploited in the past with malicious media files. Files that aren't supposed to be executable.
  Here's a list of 52 known vulnerabilities https://www.cvedetails.com/vul...
  Some of them are remote code execution just by visiting a website: "The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if Windows Media Player opens specially crafted media content that is hosted on a malicious website"
...and nothing of value was lost. by SeaFox · 2017-10-09 07:58 · Score: 2

(see title)
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-10-09 08:00 · Score: 2, Insightful

If I have to choose between Windows 10 "spyware edition" or Linux with systemd, I still go for Linux. Thank you.
Feature removals by Gilgaron · 2017-10-09 08:03 · Score: 4, Interesting

These feature removals mostly seem troublesome at a locked down PC environment at school or work where you can't install anything. So while not disastrous, it is certainly annoying when you can't do some trivial thing on a computer without admin rights on it.
Re:This won't make family happy. by TechyImmigrant · 2017-10-09 08:04 · Score: 3, Insightful

I stuck with WMP (when using windows) because it plays music and rips to mp3. I don't need it to do more. The windows 10 replacement was a nightmare because it consumes the whole screen in some tablet-mode nonsense.
I could use any of many media players, but I don't really care. Being familiar with where the play button is and how to get to the playlists is handy.
It's not a function of age, it's a function of not giving a shit.

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I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
Not just Media Player, Media Center, also. by Futurepower(R) · 2017-10-09 08:09 · Score: 2

When Microsoft tricked Windows 7 and Windows 8 users into installing Windows 10, Microsoft removed Windows Media Center, also: Microsoft kills off Windows Media Center.

More about Microsoft's abusive management: Microsoft's history is filled with abuse.
It's been made a non-default install, not removed by mattb47 · 2017-10-09 08:09 · Score: 2, Informative

Given that you can add Windows Media Player back in, then title of this story is incorrect.
WMP has not been removed, it's been made a non-default application ("Feature on Demand"). You can still add it back in fairly easily.
Maybe Microsoft is planning on completely removing it in the long term, but they haven't removed it yet.
It's still annoying. Users still use WMP and this is likely to cause a lot of confusion.
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by Stormwatch · 2017-10-09 08:25 · Score: 3, Insightful

How about some BSD?

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Circumcision is child abuse.
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by Man+On+Pink+Corner · 2017-10-09 08:35 · Score: 5, Insightful

There's nothing wrong with Windows 8, as long as you install ClassicShell and disable all the Metro crap.
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by JackieBrown · 2017-10-09 08:38 · Score: 4, Insightful

Have you really had issues with systemd or even pulseaudio or network manager?
I installed debian on my samsung laptop and it worked without mesing with any files. I have never had it fail to boot. I have it on my raspberry pi as well running homeassistant also on debian.
I haven't had windows 10 fail to boot either, just saying I hear the systemd complaint allot but I really don't think it's an issue for most home users. Maybe it messes on the enterprise level, but your post is clearly talking about home users.
Re:It's been made a non-default install, not remov by OhPlz · 2017-10-09 08:39 · Score: 2

How do you justify MS removing an application from an already installed Windows system? They shouldn't have to add it back if it was already there to begin with!
Re:"Creator's update to Kthulu's forced upgrade" by DarkLordBelial · 2017-10-09 08:47 · Score: 2

More likely it didn't have the "telemetry" that the newer app does
Re:FTFY? by ichthus · 2017-10-09 08:53 · Score: 5, Funny

There's nothing wrong with Windows 8, as long as you turn it into Windows 7.

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sig: sauer
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by Chromium_One · 2017-10-09 09:02 · Score: 3, Interesting

Depends on your applications, obviously. It fucking sucks that if you want an alternative, you have to really work at it and there's always some use case that you just can't get around. That said, win8 is probably the least worst option if you're stuck with Windows.
If your objection to win8 is the UI stupidity, you can fix a large amount of the stupid with ClassicShell and some time tweaking settings. Not all of it, but it's a good start. As a bonus, with win8 it's not that rough fixing the spyware issues, doesn't even require third-party tools. Does require hitting up services and task scheduler and some time reading, and of course you have to re-check everything after every round with windows update, but it can be managed.
If you have some other issue with win8, discuss?
Win7 is getting a bit long in the tooth and hit and miss for being able to get support on some newer hardware. It it's not dead yet, but ...
Personally, it's been easier to just move over to Linux for general use. Slackware here, as it's where I started back in '93. No systemd, and not happening any time soon. Gnome got dropped a long time ago, though libraries are available as needed and last I looked there were two different third-party options for a complete gnome desktop install. Slackware has been infected by Pulse, but since Pulse is no longer Lennart's chew-toy, it's had a chance to get straightened out and by now is usually more help than hindrance. I will say fuck NetworkManager with a rusty spoon. It's not as much of a flaming pile of radioactive dogshit as it used to be, but it still finds new and interesting ways to fall down. Generally I don't install it on non-mobile systems, as it's slightly less of a pain than editing rc files when swapping AP's on wifi.
Hackintosh is a viable option if you do your research and get well-supported hardware up front. Pay less in cash, pay more in time, and really not appropriate at the office. Oy, wonderful trade-offs there.
Seriously though, if you're really stuck on Windows, spending the time to unfuck a default win8.1 install is probably a better option than just accepting 10. yes, it'll be some effort on maintenance and paranoia checking your settings (and services, and task scheduler) but weigh that against the forced random reboots and unexpected app breakage or forced uninstalls that STILL happen with 10.

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When you live in a sick society, just about everything you do is wrong.
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by taustin · 2017-10-09 09:04 · Score: 4, Insightful

Unfortunately, that's not the choice. The choice is "an OS that runs the software I have to use" and "an OS that doesn't run the software I have to use."
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by taustin · 2017-10-09 09:07 · Score: 2, Insightful

The people that tell you that Windows 10 is the spawn of Satan and a retarded goat seem to be the same ones who insist that systemd will cause the complete destruction of the physical universe, dog and cats living together, and dingoes to each your children.
Re:This won't make family happy. by TechyImmigrant · 2017-10-09 09:10 · Score: 2

I have VLC. It has a horrible UI for playing music. I don't use WMP online.
I don't have a problem that needs solving by removing WMP.

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I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by Gravis+Zero · 2017-10-09 09:20 · Score: 2

Linux isn't really an option, especially with so many distros including systemd. I hate to say this, but I've found Windows 10 to boot more reliably for me than the versions of Debian and Ubuntu that use systemd!
Umm... you do know there are distros that don't use Systemd, right? Hell, some were created specifically to NOT use Systemd. https://devuan.org/

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Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
Re:FTFY? by khandom08 · 2017-10-09 09:33 · Score: 2

While I agree with the +4 moderation, I feel insightful to be more accurate than "Funny"
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by duke_cheetah2003 · 2017-10-09 09:34 · Score: 4, Informative

You missed the biggest contender for Linux desktop worthiness. Linux Mint. Which runs out of the box on just about any hardware I've thrown at it. It's reasonably friendly and reasonably easy to use. I highly recommend trying it. You can even get it on a Live bootable USB so you don't even need to put it on your hard drive to play with it.
Re:I hope... by unique_parrot · 2017-10-09 09:34 · Score: 3, Funny

...win 10 rapes everybody annually each and every year.
Re:FTFY? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-10-09 09:45 · Score: 2, Informative

It's much easier to overcome the negatives of Windows 8 than it is to overcome the negative of Windows 10.
Windows 8:
1) Install Classic Shell
2) Done
Windows 10:
1) Turn off every privacy invading hole that Microsoft will allow you to
2) Disable automatic updates
3) Install Spybot Anti-Beacon and immunise
4) Install O&O ShutUp10 and immunise
5) Add pages of Microsoft spyware domains to your hosts file
6) Firewall pages of Microsoft spyware domains
7) Remove Edge, Cortono, X-Box, One Drive and every other spyware resource wasters that nobody wants
8) Hope that Microsoft doesn't silently reenable anything through hidden backdoors
Many were tricked. They did not "opt in". by Futurepower(R) · 2017-10-09 09:57 · Score: 2

As I said, many were tricked into "upgrading" to Windows 10. One story: Microsoft is using 'malware tactics' to trick people into upgrading to Windows 10
Use MPV and Clementine instead of VLC by TheOuterLinux · 2017-10-09 10:13 · Score: 3, Interesting

It's much much better, especially on Mac/Linux when it uses youtube-dl to support all these by default: https://rg3.github.io/youtube-.... Need a music player? Use Clementine.
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by PCM2 · 2017-10-09 10:52 · Score: 2

Any software platform that takes away users' ability to control their own computers isn't a real OS.
Hmmmm. And here I thought the whole purpose of an OS was to have software that automates control of your hardware.

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Breakfast served all day!
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by gweihir · 2017-10-09 11:07 · Score: 2

With systemd, yes. Basically it crapped out on me the one time I forgot to remove it. Since then I remove it routinely, as my time is too valuable. Hence I have no data. Not with pulseaudio, as I do not use it. With network manager, I don't know. I did have obscure network problems recently, but I fixed them by hard-coding everything. Also with udev, which usually requires some rule adjustments. I actually have seriously considered getting rid of udev as well and going back to static device files. At least they are reliable.
Systemd and family become really bad as soon as you have something that is not quite standard. Used to be fine before, but now you have to do everything the One True Way.

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Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by Ol+Olsoc · 2017-10-09 11:42 · Score: 2

There's nothing wrong with Windows 8, as long as you install ClassicShell and disable all the Metro crap.
Windows user tells us there's nothing wrong with Windows 8, then in the next sentence tells us what's wrong in Windows 8.

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The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by Ol+Olsoc · 2017-10-09 11:44 · Score: 2, Insightful

Have you really had issues with systemd or even pulseaudio or network manager?
Welcome to the darkside of Linux users. its fashionable to shit on systemd, because its fashionable to shit on systemd.
I have it on a lot of systems, and aside from fsome early burps when it first came out, it's running well.

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The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
Re:What other OS can we use instead? by Duckeenie · 2017-10-09 13:07 · Score: 2

10: Parent: I dislike SystemD. 20: Child: May I bring your attention to Linux Mint? 30: Goto 10
Re:Hackintosh by Chromium_One · 2017-10-09 16:34 · Score: 2

... yes you do have to worry about compatibility -- of your hardware with PCI passthrough. Your CPU needs to be new enough, your motherboard and BIOS need to support the proper options, and you need to verify that you have a PCI slot in a useful form factor for a video card that can be separated to its' own PCI control group, and depending on brand of card, you need to verify the drivers aren't going to fuck you over (nVidia has done this in the past, dunno if they're doing it now) ... and then once all that's verified, you get to play fun games with the virtualization environment setup.
It's been a bit since I've played with this, but no, it's not just a plug and play solution.

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When you live in a sick society, just about everything you do is wrong.