[OT] Windows Media

[Mike Hicks <hick0088@tc.umn.edu>]

Well, I'm not sure if this really deserves the [OT] or not.  I seem to
be putting that in a lot of subject lines these days.

At random, I decided to write a little comment regarding the new Windows
Media Player.  Apparently, that software has blossomed from just a
player into a whole media management system.  This seemed to be a little
overboard to me, so I said, ``I'm glad I don't use Windows''.  Somehow,
I got the attention of someone at Microsoft -- the General Manager of
the Digital Media Division (or that's what he _wants_ me to believe
;-).  He wanted to know why I'm glad I don't use Windows..

Anyway, I wrote a message back to him describing my concerns.  I thought
the note was pretty good, so I'm re-posting it here.  I'm not Bruce
Perens or anything, so don't expect any particularly huge insights..

---BEGIN---
[snip what he said -- I didn't ask permission to quote, so I won't
quote..  My original comment is at
http://www.zdnet.com/tlkbck/comment/22/0,7056,88672-419581,00.html]

Well, I admit that I may be somewhat confused about the whole thing.  I
was working under the assumption that the primary purpose of this
software is merely to _play_ multimedia files.  I would say, give people
two options -- one program that is just a player, and the other thing
which can be marketed as a whole media management system..

Also, I am concerned that this will turn into yet another Microsoft
`solution', which will only serve to lock people into one media format
(which could be changed at any time, requiring upgrades, much like the
various document formats).  The idea of a Windows Media Audio-only
handheld player is particularly unsettling to me.  But if it makes you
feel better, I'm a Linux user, and you can just chalk that one up to
anti-Microsoft rhetoric..

Your product does sound very interesting, but there are just some
aspects to it that make me feel ever more paranoid..  The specifications
for MP3 are open enough to allow developers all over to create their own
media management systems.  I've even done some work on one myself.  I
don't know if the same can be said for Windows Media.

I very, very strongly suggest that Microsoft begin publishing its media
formats freely on the Internet.  Just as a compact disc produced 15
years ago can be played on any CD player today, a media file produced
today should be readable 15 years in the future (of course, it would be
wonderful if it can be read 1000 years from now..)  Also, you may
remember that I talked in my note about the OGG Vorbis encoding, which
is (hopefully) a patent- and royalty-free format.  If Microsoft is
willing to support the available standards, follow them, and NOT ADD
PROPRIETARY EXTENSIONS, the entire world would be thankful.  If you want
to break ranks from a standard, fine, just publish what you added or
changed -- and don't go around changing standards just because you can.

I guess I just have to ask for you guys to play fairly.  I know that I
probably sound to you like just another Microsoft basher, but I've taken
a good, long look at Microsoft's past, and I'm just concerned.  When it
comes to documents and media, you have to remember the need to preserve
these things.  Decades worth of material is now being stored in
electronic form, and much of it is in danger of disappearing into the
sands of time.  By keeping standards open, we can ensure that documents,
music, images, and movies will be around for future generations to
enjoy.  Today, we are lucky to be able to retrieve a document from five
years ago.  That is a terrible thing.

Sorry, my topic kind of drifted, but I hope this message will influence
you in a positive way.  Please take some time to contact the relevant
standards bodies to share information.  If you want to know more about
the OGG media formats, go to http://www.xiph.org/ogg/.  Once they get
over the shock of hearing from Microsoft, I'm sure they would appreciate
any input on how to make their format better, and would be happy to
provide any information that you need.  You could integrate their
library into you product if you like (it's licensed under the GNU LGPL,
so it can be linked into a proprietary program, provided that any
changes to the library itself are made available), or write your own.
Also, the maintainer of XAnim [http://xanim.va.pubnix.com/home.html]
would likely appreciate any information on how to decode Microsoft
formats, and in the least would be able to provide information on how to
create a binary plugin for his player.

Thanks for listening to this rant ;-)

---END---

Hopefully, I didn't say anything stupid..

-- 
 _  _  _  _ _  ___    _ _  _  ___ _ _  __   Strike any user when 
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[ Mike Hicks | http://umn.edu/~hick0088/ | mailto:hick0088@tc.umn.edu ]