New Windows Media Player Leaks 363
TacoLL writes "A new version of Windows Media Player, Windows Media Player 11, is set to be made public on Wednesday, however, it has found its way into the hands of internet users before its public release. Flexbeta has some early screenshots of the next Media Player for Windows users."
Leak or astrohyping? (Score:5, Insightful)
Mod parent insightful! (Score:2)
"Ooh shiny^Hleaked!"
I'm sure that somewhere in Redmond, Bill Gates must be laughing at us right now.
Re:Mod parent insightful! (Score:2, Funny)
Take a leak on its products? -> First thought in my mind after reading the headline "New Windows Media Player Leaks" was that it still needs potty training.
If that was their intention, then, well, mission accomplished!
Re:Mod parent insightful! (Score:2)
What the hell does "Oo shinleaked!" mean? Someone's leaking from their shin? Water on the knee?
Maybe you meant ^W.
Re:Leak or astrohyping? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Leak or astrohyping? (Score:4, Funny)
You mean like the one Firefox has?
Re:Leak or astrohyping? (Score:2)
You see, I still use mplayer2.exe
Where was I for versions 3 through 10?
Re:Leak or astrohyping? (Score:4, Interesting)
mplayer2.exe is actually Windows Media Player 6.4 if you take the time to check out the About dialog box.
If you like that however, you should definitely check out "mplayer2's" open-source clone, Media Player Classic [sourceforge.net], a full featured Media Player.
tasty (Score:5, Interesting)
Your hopes are not in vain. Just read any review of M$ AdCenter [washingtonpost.com] or Vista (train wreck ... not compelling to human beings) [winsupersite.com]. The slow down is not gradual, it's instant, and the damn thing might not work at all [washingtonpost.com].
Leak? MSFT was doing public demos last month (Score:5, Informative)
It seems like the main thrust of the (very large) MSFT exhibit was VOD (video on demand), but WMP 11 was prominently displayed, along with a promised new buy-your-music-online program... the partner's name escapes me at the moment.
Re:Leak or astrohyping? (Score:4, Funny)
Yawn inducing? You can't tell me you're not excited about all the great new DRM options...I hear it can actually keep you from playing anything on it at all!
Re:Leak or astrohyping? (Score:2)
FWIW I don't like iTunes either.
Re:Leak or astrohyping? (Score:5, Funny)
Yes, why should Microsoft catter to ordinary users, they should instead please the geeks who will compile their own geeky media player from OSS CVS repositories.
In time it may do a real good for them, and they may reach the staggering numbers of adoption of Linux as an out-of-the-box easy to use Desktop experience your mom and pop could easily work with.
OGG support (Score:5, Funny)
Re:OGG support (Score:2)
ffdshow (Score:5, Informative)
http://ffdshow.sourceforge.net/ [sourceforge.net]
Supports just about everything in use and works great. I use the builds from here when trapped in Windows:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/FFDShow.htm [free-codecs.com]
ffdshow doesn't support ogg (Score:2)
What are you talking about?
The page you linked to doesn't list support for the Ogg container format or the Ogg Vorbis audio format. The ffdshow audio decompressor page [sourceforge.net] doesn't list Ogg Vorbis and says that it is "almost unusable".
The Vorbis [vorbis.com] software page suggests Media XW [sourceforge.net] insted.
other options for ogg (Score:2)
Other options for Ogg Vorbis support include Illiminable Ogg Codecs for Windows [illiminable.com] and OggDS [free-codecs.com]. OggDS has been around the longest, but it's now unmaintained and last time I tried it it didn't support adding files to the Windows Media Player library (I had to drag and drop single files into the Windows Media Player window to play them). Illiminable also claims to support the new additions to the Ogg family such as Speex, Theora, and FLAC, so that one seems more promising.
There's also a program to edit Ogg V
Re:ffdshow doesn't support ogg (Score:3, Informative)
Re:OGG support (Score:2, Funny)
Re:OGG support (Score:3, Funny)
Of course. This is the latest, cutting edge media player; and it will automagically detect all of your
KFG
yup - simple recompile (Score:5, Funny)
OGG support (codec plug-ins) (Score:3, Informative)
While media player is delivered with updated codec, the shell is largely codec agnostics. There are already numerous available codec packs/interfaces for playing ogg with WMP.
Re:OGG support (Score:4, Insightful)
Must the founders of America always go against the grain when it comes to that whole England thing?....
Leaks what? (Score:5, Funny)
Leaks viewing/listening history through firewall directly to MPAA/RIAA?
Security leaks?
Leaks memory?
Oh, wait, you mean, the product itself was leaked.
Never mind, I'm sure the other types of leaks will follow soon enough.
Re:Leaks what? (Score:5, Funny)
If the new Windows Player has a problem with leakage, perhaps it needs a Wii Controller [engadget.com]?
Thank you, I'll be here all week, try the sushi!
leaks wii (Score:5, Funny)
Security leaks?
Leaks memory?
it leaks wii.
Re:Leaks what? (Score:2)
Comment removed (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Leaks what? (Score:4, Funny)
you misspelled Safari.
Re:Leaks what? (Score:4, Informative)
I've actually been pleasantly surprised with the last couple firefox updates. At last it doesnt leak memory like a sieve. Finally (*FINALLY*) it actually seems to release memory as you close tabs (eventually). I dont have to worry about leaving firefox running for a few days and having it crash!
Re:Leaks what? (Score:2)
I love the way the most visible part of the screenshots is a threat;
You are Microsoft customers. Obey your masters.Yes, sir. I will now click "Submit"...
/.'ed (Score:5, Funny)
Oh, wait...
Re:/.'ed (Score:4, Informative)
Re:/.'ed (Score:2)
Re:/.'ed (Score:3)
A new low for the slashdot effect (Score:2, Funny)
Re:A new low for the slashdot effect (Score:3, Funny)
Slashdotted (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.networkmirror.com/bUeMRHp2JQWoEqXH/www
Oh No! (Score:5, Funny)
EFF [eff.org]
Why OSS software is boring... (Score:5, Interesting)
In the news today: Somone built an early release of KDE by hacking into their publically available anonymous SVN repository and downloading the code. They then released screen snapshots to the Internet. We now turn to our live reporter in bit-land with this breathtaking story...
Re:Why OSS software is boring... (Score:2)
Personally I like that sort of release method. Less hype, less disappointment, more working as it should.
Are you kidding? (Score:5, Interesting)
What planet do you live on? There's lot's excitement for people who discover GNU/Linux. Expectations are typically low, thanks to massive FUD campaigns. A by product of that FUD is an air of the dangerous and new that's irresistible to many. Those that bother to try and stick with it long enough to overcome the bad habits of commercial software are amply rewarded. In the end, they find the joy of free software, which continues to grow. Browsing software repositories is like walking through a candy store where everything is free and the candy only gets better as time goes on. New programs make it feel like Christmas all year long. What does the five year and counting M$ train wreck release cycle have to match that? Zip, zero, zilch, hype, FUD and other hot air.
Most of the people I know have barely heard of free software and are heavily FUDed about it. They have this strange notion that it's hard to use and won't work with their hardware. Some even confuse it with copyright violation and think it's somehow tainted and immoral. Big players, like IBM, Lowes, Chrysler, etc, have helped to alleviate the "rebel" image but the FUD still stick because the big dumb vendors like Dell still don't offer a GNU/Linux desktop machines for end users.
Anyone who's used a GNU/Linux system for any length of time knows the FUD for the BS but the discovery never ends. Media players are a prime example. I've been using free software since Red Hat 5.x in 1998 and I've watched a steady and constant improvement. Back then, things were so nasty I did not even bother with sound. Then came vorbis, sox, autoconfiguration, ALSA, xine and suddenly audio is easy. Today, you can get live CDs that run Amarok [mepis.org], which has to be one of the finest media players available [linuxreviews.org]. Amarok excels as a media player as Konqueror and Firefox excel as browsers. Everywhere you look at a GNU/Linux system you see more excellence. The product is greater than the sum of the parts and M$ can't keep up to save their life. Hell, they are finally getting a browser with tabs and a multiple desktop GUI, but it's so bloated and top heavy with, virus checking and DRM it won't even work [washingtonpost.com].
The final, unmatchable and exciting discovery is how free software really works [fsf.org]. Far from being evil, free software is morally superior. No free software project has ever sued a public school for copying a text editor [salon.com] and none ever will misuse the government and laws in such a hideous way. What Microsoft dissmisses as "Communism" is actually co-operative capitalism and free market innovation at it's finest. Getting something for nothing and finding out that's the way it should have been all along feels great. The lies and harm M$ heaps on free software all backfire and the user is left with an unshakable commitment to their own software freedom.
More Lockout? (Score:3, Insightful)
MPlayer (Score:3, Interesting)
On my Linux machine (also a PIII) I use MPlayer, which can play almost any type of file and is much faster. If I want to manage my music library, I'll open up amaroK or something similar.
Re:MPlayer (Score:2)
Re:MPlayer (Score:3, Informative)
Bloat at its finest. .
Most of the time that I open Windows Media Player, it is to watch a quick video clip - for this, I don't need the whole music guide and library to load.
This really pisses me off. I use iTunes to manage my music library (got an iPod), but WMP detects my podcasts trying to download and wants to takeover. I stream some radio shows from the east coast (I love JV & Elvis on 92.3 FreeFM in NY, the
Re:MPlayer (Score:2)
Hey, thanks for that! Count me amongst those who can't stand the all-singing, all-dancing GUI of recent versions of Windows Media Player. If you like that classic look but need the latest codecs, you should also check out Media Player Classic: http://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli/ [sourceforge.net]
Re:MPlayer (Score:2, Informative)
link [sourceforge.net]
Re:MPlayer (Score:3, Insightful)
So you run an ancient OS on an ancient CPU and you expect what to happen exactly?
Sourced through PC Mag? (Score:5, Funny)
News.com has a good series of images available (Score:5, Informative)
http://news.com.com/2300-1025_3-6072445-1.html?pa
Re:News.com has a good series of images available (Score:2, Insightful)
How will Windows ever die if it just keeps stealing the best ideas with no consequences? It's unbelievable.
Re:News.com has a good series of images available (Score:2)
Who is their intended audience? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Who is their intended audience? (Score:3, Funny)
Gee, what other explanation is there for MS' tremendous market share? :)
Re:Who is their intended audience? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Who is their intended audience? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Who is their intended audience? (Score:2)
Re:Who is their intended audience? (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm astounded that no one has asked... (Score:2, Funny)
Memory Leaks? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Memory Leaks? (Score:2)
Wow, not only did you not read the article, but you didn't even read the summary of the article before posting.
mirror (Score:4, Informative)
Leaks (Score:2)
The first on-topic one... (Score:5, Insightful)
um... (Score:4, Insightful)
Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)
Who cares... (Score:2)
WGA? Pfft. (Score:2, Interesting)
Unzip, run the seperate hotfix-style executables, right-click-install on a few
Way to go, Microsoft.
Re:WGA? Pfft. (Score:2)
Of course, I must be some kind of luddite with WinAMP 5.2 in classic style.
CDTEXT (Score:2)
Updates (Score:2)
Re:Updates (Score:2)
Screenshots (Score:5, Informative)
No, seriously. Am I the only one who thinks that the screenshots [com.com] are rather unimpressive? I clicked through every single shot and read the description of the features. I can't find anything special.
Feature Creep in WiMP (Score:5, Insightful)
l I'm even aware of at east one open source media player project based off the WiMP 6.4 design (has essentially the exact same look and feel, but is supplied with all the good codecs), namely "Media Player Classic" (here [sourceforge.net]).
Since 6.4, which was last distributed with Win2k (though the auto-update features try their darndest to sneak the newer versions in), WiMP has gotten progressively worse. Version 9 was a disgrace, and 10 was even worse. Seems like the only innovation Microsoft has to offer in media players is bundling in more DRM features that no one wants, useless and ugly skins, and support for their own worthless WMV/WMA formats.
Please, don't use this new "feature"-laden crapware. Microsoft should take a hint from VLC or mplayer, and realize that we don't want the useless junk they're piling on. The reason why VLC and mplayer are so great is they do one thing and do it well: play media. Period.
Mature software (Score:2)
Re:Feature Creep in WiMP (Score:5, Informative)
Of course, if you are in the know this much, you might also know about media player classic, which is a vastly supperior media player anyways. It also has a media player 6.4 look to it.
Already leaked by Microsoft themselves (Score:3, Insightful)
Media Player is Mediocre (Score:2)
Is it really "leaked" when... (Score:2, Informative)
Maybe I'm missing how this is news, but I saw these screenshots months ago.
Leaked? (Score:2)
Windows Media Player responds... (Score:2, Funny)
"I don't leak. You leak!"
(Best talking space-ship urination joke ever!).
Having had a look at the screenshots of WMP 11... (Score:2)
Why is it always designed for non professionals? (Score:3, Interesting)
I always use Windows Media Player Classic because it does so much more than the media player when it comes to playback control and it works better overall, and has a better interface.
Microsoft is trying to make it into itunes, rather than turning it into a real media player. It is a one big button ui. Any advanced video control functionality is either missing or hidden (i cant find them)
They may have a pretty skin, but the player itself always falls short of being a real video player.
They want to be itunes, and not a real video player for all who need it. Apple does it far better with quicktime on the Mac, and their PC version while not as good as the mac version is still useable for content creators/video editors.
The Microsoft Media Player on the other hand is a toy, thats chasing Itunes.
My music is already in Itunes Microsoft... If the media player 11 interfaces with my Ipod i'll maybe consider it, until then... i dont really care about the itunes like features.
Microsoft has always been late to the party, and they do this weasel like catch up strategy, that never satisfies...
WMP 11 is just another Microsoft mess. Get it right or get rid of it. Its fucking version 11 already.... How many versions do you need before you add real video playback controls?
Re:Why is it always designed for non professionals (Score:2)
More of the same, people are blind. (Score:3, Informative)
I'm seeing more of that [com.com]... like the recent WSJ rejection of all Linux because the distro tried would not work iTunes (and a few "complex" M$Office docs) [wsj.com]. It's too bad people don't see the magic combination of:
VLC 0.8.5 leaked, too! (Score:3, Informative)
Plus, Windows Media Whatever doesn't work on my Linux box
timothy
Re:Windows Media Player? (Score:3, Insightful)
No, Definately not. But it's an excuse to bash Microsoft, and so here it is! =_)
Re:Windows Media Player? (Score:3, Insightful)
NOT slashdotted (Score:5, Funny)
Re:NOT slashdotted (Score:2)
Re:Bad headline, I thought "Memory Leak" (Score:2)
Re:This is Old News. (Score:2)
When the major providers begin distributing content through MPlayer we'll have something to talk about. Until then, iTunes and WMP 11 will have mind and market share.
Re:This is Old News. (Score:2)
Re:This is Old News. (Score:2)
Re:This is Old News. (Score:3, Informative)
Hell, it sucks under Linux!
Response from an Apple fanboy. :) (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:I fail to see why this is interesting... (Score:2)
You can easily turn of the "update license" crap in the options menu. I have plenty of non DRMed (b/c I ripped it from my CDs) music and don't have any problems w/ licenses.
I don't think there is one other free media player out there for Windows that can stack up to WMP, and if WMP11 can deliver on fast/instantaneous search across huge (100+ GB) music libraries then it's the best hands down from my perspective.
Re:I want my player to just play media (Score:2)
I didn't even know WMP ran on your Windows 3.1 box...