EC may force Microsoft to sell two Windows versions

[dZeus]

you have to innovate and compete by providing a better product than MS provides with their package. And that IS possible, look at winamp. And look at the rising popularity of opera and mozilla.

The way I see it is that companies like RealNetworks provide a ultra-crappy product called RealPlayer and blame the fact that nobody wants to buy it on MS providing a media player in windows. So they cry foul at everyone that is willing to listen, and unfortunately the EC did in this case...

[Gurm]

Yep, that pretty much sums it up.

Realplayer was the worst piece of crapware ever to hit the Windows platform. Is it Microsoft's fault that it sucks? No.

Real, however, has the money and industry connections and clout to get people to listen to their claims of being put out of business by Media Player. The truth is, ANY player is better than Realplayer.

Now, the way I look at it is this:

Microsoft will NOT charge less for an OS without Media Player, or without Internet Explorer.

The more stuff they want to add in for FREE, the better.

Now, on the other hand if that software prevents other software from working, that is BAD. BAD BAD BAD. BAD MICROSOFT! NAUGHTY!

- Gurm

[cjolley]

Originally posted by Umfriend
As the development of MP costs money, I assume that, if it is not indispensible to the OS, as it should be IMO, there is little cost, if at all, to implementing it without.

But it's too late for that.
Leaving it in will cost nothing.
Taking it out will ADD cost.
Even if it comes out clean as a whistle you still have:
1, new and ongoing code path management
2, extra testing
3, extra marketing

It would in fact cost a LOT to take it out now that it's already in the package.
Chuck

PS Real Player.... words fail me

[dZeus]

not to mention that Windows Media Player is more of a frontend for DirectShow than a completely standalone application. So if you want to not bundle WMP you've got 2 choices:

- don't supply DirectShow either since it arguably is part of Windows Media Player. 95% of all audio/video applications (these include all non-MS ones for the Win32 platform) will stop functioning properly. Say goodbye Ulead Media Studio. Say goodbye Zoomplayer, BSPlayer, etc.

- Only force MS to remove the frontend for DirectShow. This is the WMP7/8/9 gui as well as the WMP 6.4 interface that's still incorporated in Windows XP as well. It's a tiny, tiny, interface. That's like asking to remove 1% of the actual code that's involved in playing back video and audio. Why prohibit MS to include these trivial lines of code when you allow them to leave the rest in the OS?

[agallag]

I don't see the big deal either. Who cares if microsoft includes all these extra features in their operating system. The more the better, as long as it all works.

As Gurm said, if they ever prevented the use of a competing product, such as Mozilla, WinAmp, Nero, StarOffice, or any other third party app that competes with an included app, that would be a punishable offence.

Basically, use the parts of Windows that you like, and get third party apps to replace the parts of Windows that you don't like.

[Umfriend]

I wanted to revert, but after an hour with a certain someone at IRC, I'm spent.... Maybe nbext year

[DukeP]

Shameless Hijack

Well, while everybody is cheering for Mediaplayer..
Mayhaps some of you can help me get it to work?


My other thread...


I know.
But right now Im stuck with Realplayer and quicktime, as the only working players on my system.

It kind of sucks.

~~DukeP~~

[Chrono_Wanderer]

ok, here are my 2 cents.

generically, OS should be a piece of software that other programs run on. Basically the Kernel + the GUI + utilities that interact with the hardware + basic utilities to management OS (like password setting and stuff)

Other than that, things like IE, WMP, should be "bundled", and can be installed through the net as "free software". (ok that waste bandwidth but whatever)