MS vs. Real Networks

[TechZ]

i dont understand whats RealNetworks problem is, just because MS bundle XP with WMedia Player, doesnt mean people dont install Real Player, if u need to play rm files u can only play it with Real Player, and MPClassic also, its not like WMP can play rm files, but Real Player can play all kinds of files, so MS such sue Real Networks in all fairness. If this is the case then MS cannot bundle the built in cd writer, the compression tools (built in winzip), defragmenter, Movie Maker, backup utility, built in firewall, and they want to add a virus scan app, and all the other stuff that we do use if we dont install 3rd party apps like WinZip, WinRAR, Nero, Easy CD. But many of us do install these apps and they work fine in XP, XP doesnt intentionally make it difficult for us to use them, infact, by building many of these functionalities into XP they allow many people who dont know how to use these files to utilize them. Many people who havent used zip files before can now easily without much hassle use them in xp.

If this goes on then why would MS bother to add new stuff to xp, in someone or the other is going to claim that its not fair to bundle stuff in an OS.Many of us still need Real Player, WMP doesnt take the need out of RP, i agree back in the days of Netscape vs. IE, Netscape did lose out to IE, because it was easily available and free but not in this case. I'd hate to have to go and install individual apps fro the MS website everytime, just because it cant be bundled with the OS.

Infact the new DVD-HD format is now supposed to be WMP compatible, so whats the use if i need to get the WMP separately?

[inferno_gn]

Hi there,

No, RealPlayer sucks. I mean it, it sucks. It sucks the life off your computer once you install it. It's runs in the background without you knowing, full of useless features and it's not a media player anymore. Plus, Real format aren't supported very much anymore.

Even Microsoft didn't install WMP and you got to download it seperately, I'll still use WMP.

Even Microsoft bundles with all kind of features, it's only basic, basic functions.

Ju Leon...

[TechZ]

if real player wanted to stay on our pc's they shouldnt act like spyware...

[imaeditedbysowulo]

I guess it just sucks for a company to come up with a program that noone else had ever thought of, then pay lots of money to develop it and test it and then advertise it and finally when your hot new product starts catching on and you see yourself very close to getting profitable, Microsoft bundles the exact same thing into their next operating system.

Personally I would rather not have every single program on my computer be made by Microsoft, but that's just me and a few years of resentment at their hundreds of thousands of security flaws. I wonder why we haven't seen virus software bundled into windows yet.

[TechZ]

we will see virus software soon, i read it somewhere... And anyway real player is free to download and wmp doesnt play real media files, so of u want to install it and play all ur rm files and why should rp play other formats ??? i wonder what would happen if wmp could play quick time and rm files, then we would see both giants at it

[techs]

I wonder why we haven't seen virus software bundled into windows yet.
They used to have one back in Win3x. I figure that it costs a bundle to make and update the antivirus and they don't see how they can make money. First they pay to develope it then since it is bundled and free and Windows updates are free they would be pressed to offer the updates for free. No profit from the antivirus.
That is very different from wmp. They make tons of money from ads and and supporting software.
The big deal here is that Realplayer developed software, developed a market and when MS saw there was money in it they included their version of it for free.
Realplayer (and Netscape) have to make money on their products to stay in business. MS uses the profit from their monopolistic operating system to subsidize their entry in fields pioneered by others. Plus by including it in Windows they have an unfair advantage in that it is a great incentive for people to do nothing and get something to have to do something (download) to get essentially the same thing.
One of the solutions suggested for this problem was that MS include other players in Windows. Of course MS is completly against this.
About .rm files. Older versions of Media Player did play .rm files. Since .rm files were so widely used. When MS decided that they wanted to dominate the media player market they gave media player away for free with every copy of Windows. This meant that if you were a software designer you could be sure it was on every computer whereas many people didn't have Realplayer.
Another big issue that has now somewhat been resolved is that if you develope software and you have any difficulity and want to get it to work better with Windows MS required you to submit your software code to them and they would look at Windows and make suggestions how to improve it. Over the years there was the belief (supported by facts) that MS which now had your code used this knowledge to 1)Save time and money in developing their own competing software 2)Provided little or even bad assistance to companies that they wanted to compete with.

[rgharper]

[B]The big deal here is that Realplayer developed software, developed a market and when MS saw there was money in it they included their version of it for free.

Poo and other expletives.

Windows Media Player has been in Windows since about Windows 95 that I know of (MPLAYER2.EXE) - in fact the Win95a release had MP3 support though few people know this. Its roots go back to "Video for Windows" in Windows 3.1 and has been improved and upgraded ever since.

IIRC, it was when Real updated to the new G2 standard that Microsoft stopped supporting it. Why? Dunno. Maybe Real quit licensing it to Microsoft because they saw the coming battle. At that time Real had a huge lead over Microsoft in the streaming media market.

They don't any more. And maybe it's not Microsoft's fault.

Me, I won't install it or allow it to be installed on any PC (at home or at work) because it is too intrusive. Media Player doesn't pop up "mail" and "announcements" at random intervals trying to get me to spend more money on Microsoft products. Media player doesn't hook the system tray so it can annoy me at regular intervals. Media Player doesn't start up with a main welcome screen where half the stuff it shows is not available unless I pay a subscription fee.

I can't believe I'm the only person who feels that way.

[Escape_Driver]

Real networks Sucks thats why they are going out of business... END OF STORY!

[inferno_gn]

Hi there,

Real Alternative 1.22 is released!

Real Alternative will allow you to play RealMedia files without having to install RealPlayer or RealOne Player. Supported are: RealAudio (.ra .rpm), RealMedia (.rm .ram .rmvb .rpx .smi .smil), RealText (.rt), ReadPix (.rp). It also supports RealMedia content that is embedded in webpages. RealMedia .smi and .smil files are not fully supported, only the first part will usually be played. This is a limitation of the current Media Player Classic. The RealMedia Browser plugin supports Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla and Netscape.

Features:
- Media Player Classic 6.4.8.1
- RealMedia codecs 6.0.12.857
- RealMedia DirectShow splitter 1.0.0.9
- RealMedia Browser plugin 6.0.12.857
- RealMedia Bandwidth Settings tool

What's New:
- Updated Media Player Classic to 6.4.8.1
- Updated RealMedia codecs to 6.0.12.857
- Updated RealMedia Browser plugin to 6.0.12.857
- Various RealMedia playback fixes
- Improved Browser plugin
- Media Player Classic settings are now stored in an .ini file
- Removed the option to compress the installed files
- Minor fixes and improvements

http://home.hccnet.nl/h.edskes/mirror.htm

Ju Leon...

[inferno_gn]

Hi there,

rgharper, you got that right. I only use WMP for movie clips only, and WinAMP for MP3s and all that.

As for Real files, just the software above, an open-source one. Way better and doesn't suck up any computer resourses.

Ju Leon...

[TechZ]

I hate Real too u know

[TechZ]

QuickTime Alternative
QuickTime Alternative 1.32 (7.10 Mb)
Release Notes:
QuickTime Alternative will allow you to play QuickTime files (.mov, .qt and other extensions) without having to install QuickTime Player. It also supports QuickTime content that is embedded in webpages. The QuickTime plugins include iPIX and QuickTimeVR. The QuickTime Browser plugin supports Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla and Netscape.
Features:
- Media Player Classic 6.4.8.1
- QuickTime codecs 6.5.0.48
- QuickTime DirectShow filter
- QuickTime plugins
- QuickTime Control Panel
- QuickTime Browser plugin 6.4.0.29
What's New in 1.32:
- Updated Media Player Classic to 6.4.8.1
- Improved Browser plugin
- Media Player Classic settings are now stored in an .ini file
- Minor fixes and improvements


In fact if u download the K-Lite MegaPack 1.01 u get the real ANd quick time alternative in it with MPC http://home.hccnet.nl/h.edskes/mirror.htm