Right, well I decided to download it anyway. It requires a validation check but it's very easy to bypass with a little research. After installation it requires a restart, which amused me somewhat how a simple media player installation would require a reboot, but anyway. The player itself looks Vistafied as you'd expect, basic functionality is unchanged from previous versions. A nice things about it is the updated codecs it installed fixed a bug where viewing most.wmv files in a player other WMP (such as Media Player Classic). I found myself normally having a 2-byte file called "dxva_sig.txt" dumped into the same folder as the file being viewed, but that no longer happens in 3rd-party media players when WMP11 is installed. Apart from that, the player is pretty basic. Don't give a crap about the online stores or other functions apart from the player.
I might install it just to keep things up-to-date with the WMV support. I use Media Player Classic and VLC for most videos anyway, but I still installed previous versions of WMP so that the codecs it installed were complete, and I assume this will have newer codec versions too.
In other words, it's a back-end update for me. It sure as shit doesn't have the functionality/ease of use that something like MPC has.
Well apart from editing the config file to change the close-button style, do what I do and adapt: you want to close all by the first tab, just select the last tab and press CTRL-W a lot. There's a solution to basically everything.
Don't people ever consider burning the installers onto a CD/DVD or onto another hard drive or partition, so that if Windows has to be blown away and reinstalled you can get your software back fairly quickly?
Even better, a Ghost Image? You make it sound so difficult.
Kent Brockman: "Professor, without knowing precisely what the danger is, would you say it's time for our viewers to crack each other's heads open and feast on the goo inside?"
... but is there anyone on Slashdot who is NOT an evangelical geek who's tried one of the Vista RCs and has something useful to say about it? This joking/FUD is getting tiring.
For once I'd like to see an opinion from someone who tried Vista without any biases.
Basically, Vista took too much control of my machine--moreso even than XP, which to this point hasn't really bothered me.
Can you give some examples of how Vista takes too much control over one's computer? I'm not saying it doesn't, it's just that since you've played around with RC1 you'd been a much better source of info than some of the FUD-monkeys around here. I'm concerned about Vista too, but haven't tried the RC and won't until perhaps RC2 (which comes out Friday).
Does the computer extend dual machine guns from either side of the monitor and pump round after round into the user until the guns go "click click click"? That would be soooooooo cool! At least it sounds like a MS idea if they could get away with it.
It makes no difference what MS does here; people won't become irritated with Vista's copy-protection methods, they'll continue buying/cracking the OS all the same. Some might move to Macs, a small minority might try moving to Linux (but then move back to XP soon after), a fraction might move to Linux and stay there, but the overwhelming majority will stick with Vista or XP.
I was surprised once when I read a Slashdotter actually comment how he thought XP's activation policy would cause a large shift to Linux, and was surprised when that didn't happen. Does anyone here actually live in the real world instead of geeks? People stick with what they know. The activation is fairly painless; people put up with it because the alternative was either non-existent (because they didn't know about Linux), or the alternative wouldn't be appropriate for whatever reason. I found it amusing how utterly out-of-touch some people here were about how far people will accept sticking to Windows. Vista (probably) won't be any different.
There are different types of DRM, with varying levels of flexability. Some forms of DRM I would NEVER touch, but others I can live with. Sony root-kits? No thanks. Valve's Steam? Yeah sure. iTunes? Never tried it, probably wouldn't have much of an issue. The rest get evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
I'd tend to agree with you dude. I've got my methods for installing and configuring XP down to a tee, and I currently cannot see what Vista will bring to the table which will substantially improve on the system that I've managed to setup. It took a long enough time to get things working this well, and Vista would have to be pretty special to justify doing it all over again.
I'd agree with this in the sense that bad drivers OR bad hardware are the primary source for the BSOD. I remember when I would suffer a BSOD fairly predictably in Battlefield 2, and also sometimes at a certain point during a reinstall of XP. Turns out my video card was dying (a suspicion proved when it eventually exploded); a new card was obtained and the BSODs simply disappeared.
I tried running things like Doom 3/Quake 4 in Linux with the same card before it exploded, and instead of a BSOD which Linux prides itself on not having... the games simply froze up requiring a hard reset. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be better than a BSOD, but at least a BSOD provides some information (even if it's often unintelligible).
Whatever happened to consumers dictating how the market changes?
I'm not so sure this happens with software as much as some other business models. I use Windows XP because that's where the software is, at least for me. I'm sure that's the case for most other people who continue to use Windows even when they know of the alternatives.
We obey because it's the path of least resistance. I sure as hell ain't gonna start using Linux exclusively and abandon the stuff I like using just to stick it to Microsoft. Doesn't do a damn thing in the long run.
Because there's no better way to test such a complicated and large project than by the actual people who will ultimately buy (or at least you hope) your project. Open tests are becoming more and more popular I've noticed, particularly with some games such as Dark Messiah and BF2142. If Microsoft wants to do it, what's the harm? Just because they're Microsoft? Lab tests are too confined for such a project.
I'm disappointed. The occasional reference to the first Star Trek film, and absolutely ZERO references to Star Trek Voyager. Surely there's a way to connect the two, or have people simply managed to block out memories of the show?
Slashdot Mirror
With all due respect, a person's stance on gaming isn't generally what one should base their votes on.
"early adoption efforts for Windows Vista within the Federal community"
Hmm... OK, I'll allow the "itsatrap" just this once; it makes sense here.
So... many... traps
Is Slashdot infested with mice (or other vermin) to require so many itsatrap tags or what?
Right, well I decided to download it anyway. It requires a validation check but it's very easy to bypass with a little research. After installation it requires a restart, which amused me somewhat how a simple media player installation would require a reboot, but anyway. The player itself looks Vistafied as you'd expect, basic functionality is unchanged from previous versions. A nice things about it is the updated codecs it installed fixed a bug where viewing most .wmv files in a player other WMP (such as Media Player Classic). I found myself normally having a 2-byte file called "dxva_sig.txt" dumped into the same folder as the file being viewed, but that no longer happens in 3rd-party media players when WMP11 is installed. Apart from that, the player is pretty basic. Don't give a crap about the online stores or other functions apart from the player.
In other words, you won't miss much.
I consider it a necessary evil to get what I want, if the content's worth it.
I might install it just to keep things up-to-date with the WMV support. I use Media Player Classic and VLC for most videos anyway, but I still installed previous versions of WMP so that the codecs it installed were complete, and I assume this will have newer codec versions too.
In other words, it's a back-end update for me. It sure as shit doesn't have the functionality/ease of use that something like MPC has.
You forgot to log in again, Richard.
Well apart from editing the config file to change the close-button style, do what I do and adapt: you want to close all by the first tab, just select the last tab and press CTRL-W a lot. There's a solution to basically everything.
Don't people ever consider burning the installers onto a CD/DVD or onto another hard drive or partition, so that if Windows has to be blown away and reinstalled you can get your software back fairly quickly?
Even better, a Ghost Image? You make it sound so difficult.
Dude, haven't you learnt? Never let facts get in the way of a good anti-MS rant.
Kent Brockman: "Professor, without knowing precisely what the danger is, would you say it's time for our viewers to crack each other's heads open and feast on the goo inside?"
Professor: "Yes I would, Kent."
---
Get cracking people.
But then you'd be altering the future!
... but is there anyone on Slashdot who is NOT an evangelical geek who's tried one of the Vista RCs and has something useful to say about it? This joking/FUD is getting tiring.
For once I'd like to see an opinion from someone who tried Vista without any biases.
What happens at 0 days?
Does the computer extend dual machine guns from either side of the monitor and pump round after round into the user until the guns go "click click click"? That would be soooooooo cool! At least it sounds like a MS idea if they could get away with it.
It makes no difference what MS does here; people won't become irritated with Vista's copy-protection methods, they'll continue buying/cracking the OS all the same. Some might move to Macs, a small minority might try moving to Linux (but then move back to XP soon after), a fraction might move to Linux and stay there, but the overwhelming majority will stick with Vista or XP.
I was surprised once when I read a Slashdotter actually comment how he thought XP's activation policy would cause a large shift to Linux, and was surprised when that didn't happen. Does anyone here actually live in the real world instead of geeks? People stick with what they know. The activation is fairly painless; people put up with it because the alternative was either non-existent (because they didn't know about Linux), or the alternative wouldn't be appropriate for whatever reason. I found it amusing how utterly out-of-touch some people here were about how far people will accept sticking to Windows. Vista (probably) won't be any different.
There are different types of DRM, with varying levels of flexability. Some forms of DRM I would NEVER touch, but others I can live with. Sony root-kits? No thanks. Valve's Steam? Yeah sure. iTunes? Never tried it, probably wouldn't have much of an issue. The rest get evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
So trolls who bag Windows get modded "Funny"; try the same with Linux/*nix/OSX and expect a "Flamebait".
Riiiight.
I'd tend to agree with you dude. I've got my methods for installing and configuring XP down to a tee, and I currently cannot see what Vista will bring to the table which will substantially improve on the system that I've managed to setup. It took a long enough time to get things working this well, and Vista would have to be pretty special to justify doing it all over again.
I'd agree with this in the sense that bad drivers OR bad hardware are the primary source for the BSOD. I remember when I would suffer a BSOD fairly predictably in Battlefield 2, and also sometimes at a certain point during a reinstall of XP. Turns out my video card was dying (a suspicion proved when it eventually exploded); a new card was obtained and the BSODs simply disappeared.
I tried running things like Doom 3/Quake 4 in Linux with the same card before it exploded, and instead of a BSOD which Linux prides itself on not having... the games simply froze up requiring a hard reset. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be better than a BSOD, but at least a BSOD provides some information (even if it's often unintelligible).
We obey because it's the path of least resistance. I sure as hell ain't gonna start using Linux exclusively and abandon the stuff I like using just to stick it to Microsoft. Doesn't do a damn thing in the long run.
Because there's no better way to test such a complicated and large project than by the actual people who will ultimately buy (or at least you hope) your project. Open tests are becoming more and more popular I've noticed, particularly with some games such as Dark Messiah and BF2142. If Microsoft wants to do it, what's the harm? Just because they're Microsoft? Lab tests are too confined for such a project.
RTFA/header.
It says "Austrian", not "Australian".
I'm disappointed. The occasional reference to the first Star Trek film, and absolutely ZERO references to Star Trek Voyager. Surely there's a way to connect the two, or have people simply managed to block out memories of the show?
Yes, stereotypes are an accurate portrayal of the world....
Nevermind this "lunix" you speak of.