Microsoft Halting Windows Media Player for Mac

[Randall]

wow. never seen flip4mac. installing it now. what about browser plugins?

You don't need them. QuickTime will launch when the link is clicked in any browser you have, assuming that you set it as the default for that file type.

agreed... this really sucks for web radio fans. Windows media streams are pretty much the standard everywhere.

No it doesn't suck. It's better then WMP for the Mac. Flip4Mac does do streaming. And I heard that they are working out a deal with Microsoft to support the encrypted (DRM purchased) Windows Media content for Mac. So you can be asured that this is a great thing. WMP for Mac sucked anyway, and QT + Flip4Mac work great. 😀

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/flip4mac.mspx There you go.

 

[swindmill]

Why are VLC and MPlayer being brought up in the thread? I have never been able to play a single .wmv file in either one.

As for Flip4Mac, I installed it, but Safari is still streaming .wmv files in WMP. Anyone know how to correct this? -- the appropriate box is checked in the preference pane for streaming through flip4mac

 

[Randall]

Why are VLC and MPlayer being brought up in the thread? I have never been able to play a single .wmv file in either one.

As for Flip4Mac, I installed it, but Safari is still streaming .wmv files in WMP. Anyone know how to correct this? -- the appropriate box is checked in the preference pane for streaming through flip4mac

Then you weren't using it right. It plays eveything that's not encrypted with DRM.

You have to delete all traces of Windows Media Player from your system. Use spotlight search.

 

[nagromme]

I'm sorry, but I don't see Microsoft ever fearing this from Apple.....That would be a whole David vs Goliath thing....without the stone.

When I say MS must be worried, "worry" doesn't have to mean "worried about of being put out of business."

What MS has to worry about is damage to their business--not overnight but long-term--and that's enough. Selling OS X to PC makers would do significant long-term damage: lost sales of MS's core profitable product, Windows.

MS has shown they are worried about lots of things. Linux. iPods/iTunes. With OS X on Intel, Apple has moved higher on that list for certain.

MS has always had the ability to significantly damage Apple's business (by canceling Office for Macs). Now, Apple has a new ability to damage MS's business in return! If they have to.

And don't assume because a company is on top now that they will always be on top forever. That's not how history has gone in the past. Microsoft is not immune to all harm--and deep down they know it.

 

[Randall]

"Fear" doesn't have to mean "fear of being put out of business." All MS has to fear is damage to their business--significant long-term damage, in this case: lost sales of their core profitable product lines.

MS has always had the ability to significantly damage Apple's business (by canceling Office for Macs). Now, Apple has the ability to damage MS's business in return. If they have to.

Microsoft is hosting Flip4Mac free version on their website. What is the problem? And why is MS supposed to "fear" it? I say better to admit defeat and offer a superior alternative that Mac fans like better anyway, then to continue to make a crap application. Kudos to Microsoft on this one for not continuing to peddle garbage at us, and working with Flip4Mac to get a free version out to the public. 😀


If you listened to the keynote at all, you would know that Microsoft and Apple have an extended agreement on Office for Mac (the one product they make that is excellent) for another 5 years in the future.

 

[nagromme]

Microsoft is hosting Flip4Mac free version on their website. What is the problem? And why is MS supposed to "fear" it? I say better to admit defeat and offer a superior alternative that Mac fans like better anyway, then to continue to make a crap application. Kudos to Microsoft on this one for not continuing to peddle garbage at us, and working with Flip4Mac to get a free version out to the public. 😀


If you listened to the keynote at all, you would know that Microsoft and Apple have an extended agreement on Office for Mac (the one product they make that is excellent) for another 5 years in the future.

He wasn't talking about Flip4Mac specifically--my post he was replying to was a more general one about why MS should be worried about Apple. (I've edited my reply to restate that.)

My original post mentioned that Office commitment--you are correct, and I see MS being more willing to meet Apple halfway in some instances BECAUSE Apple has new power over them.

 

[Randall]

He wasn't talking about Flip4Mac specifically--my post he was replying to was a more general one about why MS should be worried about Apple. (I've edited my reply to restate that.)

My original post mentioned that Office commitment--you are correct, and I see MS being more willing to meet Apple halfway in some instances BECAUSE Apple has new power over them.

Yeah I agree. I didn't understand your previous post clearly, so thanks for straitening that out. Apple and Microsoft working together on Office for Mac is a great thing. I only hope that the partnership will go on for a long time. I am a little worried about it, seeing as how MS contiunes to pull the plug on things like IE and WMP. 😱

Then again, those pieces of software were terrible compaired to Office.

 

[B. Hunter]

Unlocking Files?

Quote:
Originally Posted by LaMerVipere
If you try to just trash the App, OS X won't let you because Microsoft put a bunch of locked files in the package contents. You're going to have to drag the App out of the trash, right-click it and SHOW PACKAGE CONTENTS and click around a bit until you come to folders for different languages. All of those folders contain locked files you're going to have to unlock.

"At least this was the case the 3 or so times I installed WMP and then tried to delete it 5 minutes later!"



How do you unlock the language files?😕

 

[BenRoethig]

I'm sorry, but I don't see Microsoft ever fearing this from Apple.....That would be a whole David vs Goliath thing....without the stone.

Stone? More like a rocket launcher. The dual core-EFI future favors OSX a lot more than windows. While Apple has verbally stated they will not license their operating system to other systems, there is nothing physically preventing them from doing so. A new CEO or Steve Jobs changing his mind could change this in a heartbeat. Microsoft has to proceed as if Apple is planning to license.

 

[corywoolf]

No Digg, Old news.😛

 

[swindmill]

Then you weren't using it right. It plays eveything that's not encrypted with DRM.

You have to delete all traces of Windows Media Player from your system. Use spotlight search.

Are you referring to FLip, MPlayer, or VLC? Do I have to delete WMP in order for another player to play wmv files, or just "open with"?

 

[shamino]

Then you weren't using it right. It plays eveything that's not encrypted with DRM.

You have to delete all traces of Windows Media Player from your system. Use spotlight search.

More specifically, you need to delete the plugin from /Library/Internet Plug-Ins.

 

[Bengt77]

Don't feel like reading the whole thread...

...but just had to say something about that remark from both Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer about iPod and choice. Well, at least the iPod and the iTunes software can be used on both major platforms, whereas Windows Media Player from now on can only be used on Windows. And besides, is it not so that any bought content through any of the WMA-based online music stores can't be played at all right now on the Macintosh version of WMP anyway?

Gawd... first they talk about lack of choice when referring to both iTunes and iPod, then they do this. Stupid, stupid people. Erm... will this cause another lawsuit against Microsoft's acting c.q. misbehaving as a monopolist?

 

[risc]

I paid $9 something for flip4mac player a while ago, when I check my license now it says I have flip4mac import which is nice, a $20 upgrade for free. It also allows me to finally convert wmvs in to divx so I can play them on my Elgato EyeHome, and not only that it can take WMV HDs and convert them to DivX for a much smaller file size and constant playback speed something I'm not getting when I play the original WMV HD files, all for no lose of resolution or quality. Nice job!

 

[PlayUltimate]

This Is Really Why!

agreed... this really sucks for web radio fans. Windows media streams are pretty much the standard everywhere. no idea if flip will work, but if it cant, I seriously would consider purchasing a mac in the future.

This is exactly why Microsoft pulled Media Player for Mac. Consumers will have again have to look at the "compatiblity" issueof their hardware when making computer purchases. Prior, with Media Player & Office it was not necessarily an issue. NOW it is. This is terrible news!

I hope Apple has some rabbit to pull out of their hat.

 

[Randall]

Are you referring to FLip, MPlayer, or VLC? Do I have to delete WMP in order for another player to play wmv files, or just "open with"?

I was referring to MPlayer in the first line of my reply, and the second line was toward deleting the WMP application in order to have Flip4Mac take over the windows media filetypes. You could also ctrl-click yada yada, but just deleting the damn WMP works easier. 😎

This is exactly why Microsoft pulled Media Player for Mac. Consumers will have again have to look at the "compatiblity" issueof their hardware when making computer purchases. Prior, with Media Player & Office it was not necessarily an issue. NOW it is. This is terrible news!

I hope Apple has some rabbit to pull out of their hat.

NO it's really not bad news at all. flip4mac does do streaming, so you're fine!

 

[Randall]

I paid $9 something for flip4mac player a while ago, when I check my license now it says I have flip4mac import which is nice, a $20 upgrade for free. It also allows me to finally convert wmvs in to divx so I can play them on my Elgato EyeHome, and not only that it can take WMV HDs and convert them to DivX for a much smaller file size and constant playback speed something I'm not getting when I play the original WMV HD files, all for no lose of resolution or quality. Nice job!

Are you gonna change your name to cisc after the intel transformation? lol 😉

 

[d.perel]

This is exactly why Microsoft pulled Media Player for Mac. Consumers will have again have to look at the "compatiblity" issueof their hardware when making computer purchases. Prior, with Media Player & Office it was not necessarily an issue. NOW it is. This is terrible news!

I hope Apple has some rabbit to pull out of their hat.

maybe they can wait until most people realize that WMP sucks. Or, file some sort of monopoly lawsuit... but really- who listens to internet radio, and more importantly, what dunderhead buys a computer based on whether or not it is compatible with certain types of internet radio streams? Podcasts are the way to go, or use AOL radio for Mac, if you must have internet radio. And, by the way, iTunes does have radio built in

 

[Krevnik]

Then you weren't using it right. It plays eveything that's not encrypted with DRM.

If you are talking about MPlayer or VLC, not quite. Those only play up through version 7 of the codec. Windows Media 9 (WMV3 is the fourcc) still needs WiMP or Flip4Mac to play correctly. The OSS guys just haven't been able to figure out exactly what WMV9 is doing differently to get solid support for it.

 

[Stewie]

I use VLC for my video files as it plays pretty much everything (including wmv) and you don't need to pay to watch full screen (like Quicktime).

I certainly won't miss WMP for Mac.

VLC is always my first choice. If that doesn't work I try mplayer and only as a last resort will I try Windows Media Player.

 

[Randall]

maybe they can wait until most people realize that WMP sucks. Or, file some sort of monopoly lawsuit... but really- who listens to internet radio, and more importantly, what dunderhead buys a computer based on whether or not it is compatible with certain types of internet radio streams? Podcasts are the way to go, or use AOL radio for Mac, if you must have internet radio. And, by the way, iTunes does have radio built in

Hate to break it to you, but WMP only sucks on a Mac. The majority of Windows users have no problem with it. you can think of it like QuickTime on Windows, which also sucks. 😛

If you are talking about MPlayer or VLC, not quite. Those only play up through version 7 of the codec. Windows Media 9 (WMV3 is the fourcc) still needs WiMP or Flip4Mac to play correctly. The OSS guys just haven't been able to figure out exactly what WMV9 is doing differently to get solid support for it.

You're right my mistake. I have always been using MPlayer on x86, so the essential codec pack always gave me the full functionallity. Guess what? Now that Mac is switching to x86, you'll be able to get Windows Media 9 stuff running with these codecs!

 

[stunna]

When I say MS must be worried, "worry" doesn't have to mean "worried about of being put out of business."

What MS has to worry about is damage to their business--not overnight but long-term--and that's enough. Selling OS X to PC makers would do significant long-term damage: lost sales of MS's core profitable product, Windows.

MS has shown they are worried about lots of things. Linux. iPods/iTunes. With OS X on Intel, Apple has moved higher on that list for certain.

MS has always had the ability to significantly damage Apple's business (by canceling Office for Macs). Now, Apple has a new ability to damage MS's business in return! If they have to.

And don't assume because a company is on top now that they will always be on top forever. That's not how history has gone in the past. Microsoft is not immune to all harm--and deep down they know it.

Microsoft is only worried about IBM.

 

[crap freakboy]

WOW love Flip4Mac....thx for showing me it

 

[grobbins]

No need for WMP or the ****ty RealPlayer. 😉

What trouble have you had with RealPlayer 10?

 

[~Shard~]

WOW love Flip4Mac....thx for showing me it

Yeah, I just recently heard of this app as well, and will eb downlaoading it soon. Finally I can play WMV files on my Mac!