[Preston] MS Media Player

[(BPD) Martyn Ashworth]

Is this the same as when they were ordered to stop bundling Internet 
Explorer with versions of Windows aswell? I either missed the ending to 
that story or else i failed to see how they 'stopped' doing this. (apart 
from I think they stopped allowing that annoying internet desktop thing)

Realistically, i can't see Redmond ever going GPL (or any kind of Open 
Source) in a dramatic way. They'll just cover the world in red-tape and 
keep the lawyers busy for years. I certainly can't see them releasing 
the Media Player as GPL, the last thing they want is to lose the rights 
to sue because *nix has suddenly got a very similar mplayerX available 
for use.

Besides, are we really bothered? I'm probably not the worlds biggest 
media (ab)user in the Linux fold and i find a combination of OGLE and 
Xmms more than adequate (in fact, compared to media player i can still 
work at the pace *i want* whilst they're running!) for my needs.

I'm probably wrong (as I am in most instances) but despite all these 
*victories* over redmond the past few years i've never seen anything 
significant flow into the Open Source world from the outcomes.

As always, time will tell (she just can't keep a secret).

Martyn.



Garry Taylor wrote:

>Sorry not a Linux question,
>  Microsoft have now been ordered to ship versions of Windows without Windows 
>Media player.
>One the the best thing that has come from this is that Microsoft have been 
>ordered to release information about their API relating to Windows media. 
>This is somthing that has been kept a trade secret, hindering competition.
>
>Now that Microsoft have been told to do this, would it not be easier for them 
>to release Windows Media Player as open source GPL, and still bundle the 
>software with the OS. Or, is the problem due to the fact that Microsoft owns 
>the media Player?
>
>What do you lot think?
>I will be walking around with a big smilly on my face all day :)
>
>Gizard
>
>
>                                        
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Preston mailing list
>Preston at mailman.lug.org.uk
>http://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/preston
>
>
>