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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Applications > Is Windows Media Player Evil?

Is Windows Media Player Evil?
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: London/Plymouth, England
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Oct 22, 2003, 02:28 AM
 
I want to listen to www.xfm.co.uk on the net, as I have no radio. But it requires windows media player. Downloaded it, but it seems to be a bit of an in depth install - something I'm scared of with microsoft. Is it worth putting it on, or should I get a work around.

Plus can you edit the radio stations found in itunes?
     
Mac Elite
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Oct 22, 2003, 02:53 AM
 
Installing WMP shouldn't do anything bad. I think the only thing aside from the app that it installs is the internet plugin.
Mac OS X 10.5.0, Mac Pro 2.66GHz/2 GB RAM/X1900 XT, 23" ACD
esdesign
     
Senior User
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Oct 22, 2003, 10:21 AM
 
Please consider the open source MPlayer app.
It plays WMA strems perfectly...

It's cocoa GUI with commandline backend.

You can find it on versiontracker.com
     
Posting Junkie
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Oct 22, 2003, 12:58 PM
 
mplayer is ok, but VLC is very good too. I'd reccommend it since one of it's major core functions is streaming/receiving media. It works very well for me to receive internet radio based on WiMP codec. It has trouble decoding WiMP video codec 3 or WiMP 9. But so does WiMP player for Mac.
I could take Sean Connery in a fight... I could definitely take him.
     
Posting Junkie
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Oct 22, 2003, 12:59 PM
 
Oh yes I almost forgot: Windows media player *is* evil!
I could take Sean Connery in a fight... I could definitely take him.
     
Mac Enthusiast
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Oct 22, 2003, 02:13 PM
 
no, just misguided.

:-)

it won't hurt anything, other than your eyes everytime you launch it, to install it and it's nice to have access to the occassional tidbits that use this format only. rare, but you know, it happens.

kent m is not a member of any public groups
     
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Oct 29, 2003, 04:34 PM
 
hi: i just downloaded vlc to try to listen to
http://www.therandirhodesshow.com/streaming.html which requires windows media player. i can not figure out at all how to get vlc to play this station.

In VLC i've opened network and pasted in the url, but i get an error message. i'm doing something wrong here. could someone point me in the right direction. thanks. eric
     
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Oct 29, 2003, 09:05 PM
 
I noticed that the current version of WiMP for the Mac can't handle the video codec version 9.
     
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Oct 29, 2003, 10:25 PM
 
I had to dissable my "file vault" security in order to succesfully install. Microsoft has an older version, so if you want to get it, get it from apple.com/downloads/macosx
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Posting Junkie
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Oct 30, 2003, 05:14 AM
 
true that WiMP for Mac can't handle WiMP9 video, but it can do WiMP9 audio.
I could take Sean Connery in a fight... I could definitely take him.
     
Professional Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Oct 30, 2003, 09:59 AM
 
Originally posted by Apfhex:
Installing WMP shouldn't do anything bad. I think the only thing aside from the app that it installs is the internet plugin.
It also installs an "internet" plugin called DRM Plugin.bundle.
DRM = Digital Rights Management
Yes, WMP is evil!
/mal
"I sentence you to be hanged by the neck until you cheer up."
MacBook Pro 15"/2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo/4 GB DDR2 SDRAM/200 GB Hitachi HD/8x SuperDrive/Mac OS X 10.6.1
     
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Oct 30, 2003, 10:58 AM
 
I would say it's 1% evil, and 99% hot gas.

-Owl
     
   
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