Articles from 2002, 1999, and 2002...? The references are to "CDDB for DVDs", and the last two articles addressed in May 2001, even according to the article you reference. =)
Anywyas, Windows Media Player 9 has a big Privacy Dialog that you get to and have to see before you can use the player. I like it. You have any specific problem with it, or were you just saying that the old versions of WMP didn't pass muster with you?
Many voices said that Netscape now sucked and there was no further point in the argument.
Which is the comparison fails: WinAMP, Music Match Jukebox, Rhapsody, Media Jukebox, Media Player Classic... there's lots of good players out there.
I know it's not you, but the pretense that it's just Apple and RealNetworks and Microsoft is a disservice to the other cool players out there. We may hate WMP, but being forced into one of the other big 3 ignores all the little companies that I think have added more and done more for the media field than the big fellas usually do. I credit WinAMP and the now-RN-owned Rhapsody as both being major strides in what a player *can* become.
Okay, cool philosophy, but don't miss the forest for the trees - you already have DRMd AAC files on the iPod, so your panties should *already* have been in a bunch. DRM is completely optional in WMA files you create...
As noted in response to your other post - your'e using WMP8, which uses WMA8. WMA9 should have a better encode. Heck, WMP8 doesn't even HAVE a "VBR" setting. WMP9 introduced WMA VBR and WMA Lossless. So: I'm all for your happy crushing, but at least crush using your facts.:)
Re: DRM- That's an option with AAC too, so... there's no real "win" here by avoiding WMA. I'm plenty happy with my non-DRMd WMA collection. I've got no DRM on any of many many thousand WMA files, and I like it like that. DRM *is* unpleasant, but equating WMA to DRM and vice versa is stupid because then you're going to have DRM running in the back door - such as via AAC. If you're going to fight DRM, fight DRM.
That's because, as noted, you're using WMP8. WMP9 was out last year, and included an improved WMA codec, WMA VBR, and WMA Lossless.
I can't speak to the default in WMP8 - it pops the dialog to you asking you to choose previous to allowing you to record, but I don't recall the default. WMP9 also pops the dialog to you, and I know it has no default. MS makes you make the choice.
If you're going to slam the product, at least do your research. (This is more in reference to your other "WMA == inferior" post than this one, but still.):P
If there's any "phoning home" in WMP9 you can't turn off, please do speak up about that. WMP9 slaps a big Privacy Options screen in front of the user with reasonable defaults selected. If you turn off even those, the only other (accidental) network connection that you can't turn off in advance via the Group Policy Editor (either use gpedit.msc or the Enterprise Deployment Kit) is fixed in this QFE (which also adds turning off "download of radio presets" to the Group Policy list, so the GPE again should be your solution).
I totally respect where you're coming from, and even if YOU don't care about this info, I hope it helps anyone else who might have similar feelings.:)
I've kept quiet about most of this, but... there's just no spyware in WMP. There's a nice Privacy Policy that you have to see previous to actually being able to run WMP9, which basically says: "we respect your privacy" and defaults to "average user" reasonable privacy settings. And then if you still hate or distrust MS, you'll recall that it was in the news that the FTC is working with MS to make sure MS is a Leading Example of good user privacy.
There's just no reason why MS would put spyware in anything (the FTC, let alone users, would sue their pants off if they did), and... they didn't.:)
You surmise correctly, except that it *did* happen - WMP6.0 included a filter for RealNetworks 4.0 content which was part of the RealNetworks/Microsoft investment/licensing deal back in '97 or so.
That RN filter was then dropped from subsequent releases and the companies have seemed to go their own ways, but... that did happen.
By the same token, the QuickTime 6.03 player still is pretty heinously bad. I understand they've done some updating it of it for this iTunes release, and hopefully they've sorted out the window reuse/video flicker/general lock-up & glitchiness/weirdly uninterpretable Options/Preferences problems. It's just a joke of a player currently compared to the other media players available for Windows.
So yeah... if Apple's going to "trojan horse" that, it's only going to make them look bad. Since I often get to deal with complaints from people on the QT player, I'll be telling them to go yell at Apple.:\
(I grew up on Apple computers, and it kills me that they still can't write a good Win32 version of their QT player.)
Not really ironic... I've never heard anybody say that It's Impossible To Pirate Music Now! in regards to any new anti-piracy technology. Given that, people just want to put some reasonably speed-bumped basic security in place. You can probably beat anything they throw out there, but it should slow you down and make you actually know what you're doing to some extent.
*cough* *cough* Who around here worries about retaining discs, documentation, packaging, etc etc etc etc? Nobody. Without that, what are you going to transfer? And MS has been upfront about not really being a big fan of "recycling software", so I'd be astounded if they went that route anyways, regardless of whether it was possible.
They're simply not going to give people an honest chance to ridicule their actions here. You'll see new hardware and new software.
That's not even vaguely possible. Everybody at MS that I know of runs their machines into the ground. You don't dev and test on a machine all the time without causing above average wear and tear. So it'd be stupid and cruel for MS to give their old burnt-out PCs as 'compensation'. Bang for buck wise, that'd actually be a pretty good deal for the schools, but it's a stupid idea and one that would get any VP frothing at the mouth about how incompetent the person suggesting that particular idea would be.
I call BS troll on the "old computer donation" theory. This isn't "informative", it's just standard speculative bashing of MS.:P Provide facts, mon.
That list is wrong, since you searched by "Street Fighter".:)
It leaves out: Marvel vs Capcom 1 Marvel vs Capcom 2 "Sammy vs Capcom" (upcoming GGXX vs Capcom game, produced by Sammy) Capcom vs SNK Capcom vs SNK 2 SNK vs Capcom (produced by SNK)
This list is more accurate but has too much. That being said, almost all use the SF fighting game engine. If you want JUST Street Fighter games on this list (no Darkstalkers, no Marvel-exclusive games), you'll count about 25 unique "Ken and Ryu" based arcade games (excluding the SNK-produced and Sammy-produced new Vs series games).
Come on, guy, pay attention. To quote myself: == Are you aware of any current issues involving WMP9 conflicting in some fashion with QuickTime? If not, please stop trolling. If so, please do explain specifically. ==
Look, *I* - a normal person, like you, know this area of code. WTF would I try to break anybody? I wouldn't and didn't. If you've got *facts*, spout 'em. Otherwise, stfu and stop trolling.:) I happen to *like* Apple, and while their current Win32 player sucks (but is getting better), I wish them well and will help them out when I can.
The "Evil Empire" theory falls apart when you have to realize the employees are humans just like yourself.:P
Hiya. This is either a lie or a troll, or referring to events from ~4 years ago in a confused fashion.
Are you aware of any current issues involving WMP9 conflicting in some fashion with QuickTime? If not, please stop trolling. If so, please do explain specifically.
Note: While here solely on my own time (heck, I'm on vacation anyways) and speaking solely on my own behalf (as always), I'm the guy who wrote that WMP installer. I've personally met with QuickTime people to help them understand how the Netscape plug-in architecture works, so ummmmm... I don't know about anyone else, but I Play Nice and since I'm in charge of the installer, if YOU don't think it's playing nice, you'll need to be specific so that people like me who care can fix the issue if it exists/is possible to fix on the MS side. If you want to take the conversation off of slashdot, you can reach me at zachdms at hotmail. I take this kind of thing dead seriously, as I have since I first started working at MS seven years ago. I was weaned on Apple computers, so I'd rather eat a pile of vomit than ever deliberately muss up their software. They're good people. And I've got friends at RealNetworks too. I'm certainly never going to do anything bad professionally or otherwise to either company, so if you've got some kind of problem, it's either a misunderstanding or a bug. Never ever deliberate. I'd quit before I'd ever do anything like that, and I've frankly absolutely never been asked to do anything of the sort.
Ah, but "Open Source" isn't a competitor in the traditional sense of the word - it's an anti-competitor that over the long run attempts to devalue software production. Every other Competitor expects itself to make money over time, and thus the notion of paying for value makes sense. Just because one of a thousand competitors is attempting to shoot everyone in the software industry in the foot doesn't mean that the RaND licensing has to kowtow to that foolish group.
If Q/A as stringent as this was applied to software, Microsoft - and in fact most of the software industry - would be out of business.
Eh, not so much. That whole Watson Web Error Reporting tool lets 'em know what the big crashes are in real time and fix the issues as they become apparent. Real real easy to keep a lid on things, and one of the biggest reasons why Windows XP SP1 is so stable.
Slashdot Mirror
Whoa - how is MP intrusive? What 'extension games' does it play?
Is there some way that WMP gets in the way of MCP? Just curious.
He was trying to GPL ASF, which is patented. He could have USED ASF, he just couldn't GPL it randomly.
Articles from 2002, 1999, and 2002...? The references are to "CDDB for DVDs", and the last two articles addressed in May 2001, even according to the article you reference. =)
Anywyas, Windows Media Player 9 has a big Privacy Dialog that you get to and have to see before you can use the player. I like it. You have any specific problem with it, or were you just saying that the old versions of WMP didn't pass muster with you?
Many voices said that Netscape now sucked and there was no further point in the argument.
Which is the comparison fails: WinAMP, Music Match Jukebox, Rhapsody, Media Jukebox, Media Player Classic... there's lots of good players out there.
I know it's not you, but the pretense that it's just Apple and RealNetworks and Microsoft is a disservice to the other cool players out there. We may hate WMP, but being forced into one of the other big 3 ignores all the little companies that I think have added more and done more for the media field than the big fellas usually do. I credit WinAMP and the now-RN-owned Rhapsody as both being major strides in what a player *can* become.
Okay, cool philosophy, but don't miss the forest for the trees - you already have DRMd AAC files on the iPod, so your panties should *already* have been in a bunch. DRM is completely optional in WMA files you create...
Don't just fight WMA-DRM, FIGHT DRM.
As noted in response to your other post - your'e using WMP8, which uses WMA8. WMA9 should have a better encode. Heck, WMP8 doesn't even HAVE a "VBR" setting. WMP9 introduced WMA VBR and WMA Lossless. So: I'm all for your happy crushing, but at least crush using your facts. :)
... there's no real "win" here by avoiding WMA. I'm plenty happy with my non-DRMd WMA collection. I've got no DRM on any of many many thousand WMA files, and I like it like that. DRM *is* unpleasant, but equating WMA to DRM and vice versa is stupid because then you're going to have DRM running in the back door - such as via AAC. If you're going to fight DRM, fight DRM.
Re: DRM- That's an option with AAC too, so
No, CBR. WMA VBR is a non-default option in WMP9.
That's because, as noted, you're using WMP8. WMP9 was out last year, and included an improved WMA codec, WMA VBR, and WMA Lossless.
:P
I can't speak to the default in WMP8 - it pops the dialog to you asking you to choose previous to allowing you to record, but I don't recall the default.
WMP9 also pops the dialog to you, and I know it has no default. MS makes you make the choice.
If you're going to slam the product, at least do your research. (This is more in reference to your other "WMA == inferior" post than this one, but still.)
If there's any "phoning home" in WMP9 you can't turn off, please do speak up about that. WMP9 slaps a big Privacy Options screen in front of the user with reasonable defaults selected. If you turn off even those, the only other (accidental) network connection that you can't turn off in advance via the Group Policy Editor (either use gpedit.msc or the Enterprise Deployment Kit) is fixed in this QFE (which also adds turning off "download of radio presets" to the Group Policy list, so the GPE again should be your solution).
:)
I totally respect where you're coming from, and even if YOU don't care about this info, I hope it helps anyone else who might have similar feelings.
Actually, no- the original poster was correct. WMP frees up memory not in actual use from time to time, notably when you minimize it.
I've kept quiet about most of this, but ... there's just no spyware in WMP. There's a nice Privacy Policy that you have to see previous to actually being able to run WMP9, which basically says: "we respect your privacy" and defaults to "average user" reasonable privacy settings. And then if you still hate or distrust MS, you'll recall that it was in the news that the FTC is working with MS to make sure MS is a Leading Example of good user privacy.
... they didn't. :)
There's just no reason why MS would put spyware in anything (the FTC, let alone users, would sue their pants off if they did), and
You surmise correctly, except that it *did* happen - WMP6.0 included a filter for RealNetworks 4.0 content which was part of the RealNetworks/Microsoft investment/licensing deal back in '97 or so.
That RN filter was then dropped from subsequent releases and the companies have seemed to go their own ways, but... that did happen.
So yeah... if Apple's going to "trojan horse" that, it's only going to make them look bad. Since I often get to deal with complaints from people on the QT player, I'll be telling them to go yell at Apple.
(I grew up on Apple computers, and it kills me that they still can't write a good Win32 version of their QT player.)
Uh... why not buy an MP3 encode pack for WMP or ask the LAME guys to plug their codec into WMP for encoding?
Kinda OT, but WMP9 should answer most/all privacy/permissions issues & requests. What's still outstanding in your eyes?
Have you listened to 192kbps WMA9? If that's just "mostly acceptable", your headphones must be pretty crummy indeed...
... "crummy" seems to be a reaaaaallly invalid descriptor.
I've got studio headphones that I use to listen to my 160kbps WMA9 collection (which I also use for car audio), and it all sounds peachy keen.
Maybe it's a matter of taste/opinion, but
Not really ironic... I've never heard anybody say that It's Impossible To Pirate Music Now! in regards to any new anti-piracy technology. Given that, people just want to put some reasonably speed-bumped basic security in place. You can probably beat anything they throw out there, but it should slow you down and make you actually know what you're doing to some extent.
*cough* *cough* Who around here worries about retaining discs, documentation, packaging, etc etc etc etc? Nobody. Without that, what are you going to transfer? And MS has been upfront about not really being a big fan of "recycling software", so I'd be astounded if they went that route anyways, regardless of whether it was possible.
They're simply not going to give people an honest chance to ridicule their actions here. You'll see new hardware and new software.
speaking for myself only as always-
:P Provide facts, mon.
That's not even vaguely possible. Everybody at MS that I know of runs their machines into the ground. You don't dev and test on a machine all the time without causing above average wear and tear. So it'd be stupid and cruel for MS to give their old burnt-out PCs as 'compensation'. Bang for buck wise, that'd actually be a pretty good deal for the schools, but it's a stupid idea and one that would get any VP frothing at the mouth about how incompetent the person suggesting that particular idea would be.
I call BS troll on the "old computer donation" theory. This isn't "informative", it's just standard speculative bashing of MS.
That list is wrong, since you searched by "Street Fighter". :)
It leaves out:
Marvel vs Capcom 1
Marvel vs Capcom 2
"Sammy vs Capcom" (upcoming GGXX vs Capcom game, produced by Sammy)
Capcom vs SNK
Capcom vs SNK 2
SNK vs Capcom (produced by SNK)
This list is more accurate but has too much. That being said, almost all use the SF fighting game engine. If you want JUST Street Fighter games on this list (no Darkstalkers, no Marvel-exclusive games), you'll count about 25 unique "Ken and Ryu" based arcade games (excluding the SNK-produced and Sammy-produced new Vs series games).
There was a Puzzle Fighter
Come on, guy, pay attention. To quote myself:
:) I happen to *like* Apple, and while their current Win32 player sucks (but is getting better), I wish them well and will help them out when I can.
:P
==
Are you aware of any current issues involving WMP9 conflicting in some fashion with QuickTime? If not, please stop trolling. If so, please do explain specifically.
==
Look, *I* - a normal person, like you, know this area of code. WTF would I try to break anybody? I wouldn't and didn't. If you've got *facts*, spout 'em. Otherwise, stfu and stop trolling.
The "Evil Empire" theory falls apart when you have to realize the employees are humans just like yourself.
Hiya. This is either a lie or a troll, or referring to events from ~4 years ago in a confused fashion.
Are you aware of any current issues involving WMP9 conflicting in some fashion with QuickTime? If not, please stop trolling. If so, please do explain specifically.
Note: While here solely on my own time (heck, I'm on vacation anyways) and speaking solely on my own behalf (as always), I'm the guy who wrote that WMP installer. I've personally met with QuickTime people to help them understand how the Netscape plug-in architecture works, so ummmmm... I don't know about anyone else, but I Play Nice and since I'm in charge of the installer, if YOU don't think it's playing nice, you'll need to be specific so that people like me who care can fix the issue if it exists/is possible to fix on the MS side. If you want to take the conversation off of slashdot, you can reach me at zachdms at hotmail. I take this kind of thing dead seriously, as I have since I first started working at MS seven years ago. I was weaned on Apple computers, so I'd rather eat a pile of vomit than ever deliberately muss up their software. They're good people. And I've got friends at RealNetworks too. I'm certainly never going to do anything bad professionally or otherwise to either company, so if you've got some kind of problem, it's either a misunderstanding or a bug. Never ever deliberate. I'd quit before I'd ever do anything like that, and I've frankly absolutely never been asked to do anything of the sort.
Ah, but "Open Source" isn't a competitor in the traditional sense of the word - it's an anti-competitor that over the long run attempts to devalue software production. Every other Competitor expects itself to make money over time, and thus the notion of paying for value makes sense. Just because one of a thousand competitors is attempting to shoot everyone in the software industry in the foot doesn't mean that the RaND licensing has to kowtow to that foolish group.
If Q/A as stringent as this was applied to software, Microsoft - and in fact most of the software industry - would be out of business.
Eh, not so much. That whole Watson Web Error Reporting tool lets 'em know what the big crashes are in real time and fix the issues as they become apparent. Real real easy to keep a lid on things, and one of the biggest reasons why Windows XP SP1 is so stable.