More bad news for Windows 8...

[moloko]

more I think about it I don't care. My next laptop will not have a physical drive. I will just rip stuff to ISO like I been doing either using an external drive or a works computer.

[PGHammer]

I wont lose any sleep over it, Ill just install my PowerDVD deluxe for DVD/blu-ray playback like Ive always done in the past........sorted!

Which has been the case since Windows XP. Software like PowerDVD has been part of the bundleware with new PCs (desktops and portables alike) and motherboards (for the DIY crowd) for at least that long. That is NOT going away. (Cyberlink has bundling deals with *all* the major North American PC and motherboard OEMs, and quite a few of the minor ones; impact of this on North America - none. The same also applies to the EMEA (thus impact there is also nil). Why should Microsoft duplicate what is already included with the hardware?)

[danerd]

hi giantpotato i would like to know how microsoft arrived at the 6% figure, its also nice to see that you dont care about spending money on something that used to be bundled with the system, it must be nice to have lots of money to throw around, unfortunatly not all of us are affluent like you and perhaps that is probably why we are quick to complain, so spare a thought for those of us who dont have money to throw around, and yes linux is looming as a genuine contender for microsoft.

[Ryoken]

hi remixedcat, i would like to know how microsoft arrived at the 6% figure, its also nice to see that you dont care about spending money on something that used to be bundled with the system, it must be nice to have lots of money to throw around, unfortunatly not all of us are affluent like you and perhaps that is probably why we are quick to complain, so spare a thought for those of us who dont have money to throw around, and yes linux is looming as a genuine contender for microsoft.

No it isn't.. Linux as a Desktop OS is still less market share than the OS on my Phone.. And that won't change.. Plus the same fees that MS needs to pay for MPEG-2 playback in windows, you'd be legally required to in Linux too.. it's all patent law..

MS gets the figures from the statistics sent back to MS.. and I'd still see 6% as high.. I can only think of a handful of people that use it that I know of, most use other programs like XBMC and the like.. and even if you add all the people that use all those together, I'd still be under the 6% mark of people I know with windows that would just look at me funny if I mentioned it..

Don't get me wrong, I'd like them to keep it, I HAVE used it.. but it's a very niche market, and there are better things their programmers can be doing for More of the market.. And if it's a viable market, then someone else will pickup where MS left off and make a product to do it..

Oh and I saw lots of people posting about codec packs and crap.

VLC is crap, I mean it'll play anything, but is very meh on the quality.

MPC is old.

k-lite codec pack might as well be a virus.

If you want a solution, look at MPC-HC [ Media Player Classic - Home Cinema -- http://xvidvideo.ru/ ] .. You don't NEED any codecs for it to work with 99.9% of stuff [ but if you want, you can install a codec and make sure it's preferred/used instead of the internal one.. ].. It's wonderful. It's got all the install and go of VLC, but with the ability to customize what codes are used, what splitters are used, renderers, etc.

[ThaCrip]

it does not really matter as any decent software nowadays can pretty much play it all.

who actually uses Windows Media Player for anything anyways? (i know i sure don't. 'Pot Player' is pretty much bu player of choice in general for most video formats)

[andrewbares]

xmbc, media portal for substitutes of media center, they both do the same thing, serve the same purpose.

media player classic or vlc also. for me it's a thing that should have been done for quite some time. wmc and media center are bloatware.

None of those media programs even come close to Windows Media Center for DVR and TV capabilities.

However, hardly anyone uses a PC as a HTPC. Cable networks in the US have made this near impossible anyways.

People do use their laptops for streaming Netflix and sometimes connecting it to their TV, which of course doesn't require a DVD.

[ncoday]

I'd say cue the trolls, but what exactly is the past tense version of the word cue?

Let's just look at this though shall we.... your beloved XP didn't include DVD playback either. It was introduced in Windows Vista, an OS which you no doubt hated. It wasn't free, you paid for it in the cost of the OS as there was a license fee Microsoft had to pay.

Giving people back the choice of which DVD playback app they want to use, and lowering the cost of the OS as a byproduct is a good thing. (assuming of course it does result in a price reduction for the OS. If it doesn't, then BOOO to Microsoft :) )

First post nails it. I don't want to have to pay for the cost of DVD codecs when I have no intention of playing DVDs in my computer. Thats what I got a TV for. People who want it can go find the DVD player they love and buy it!

[Ryoken]

First post nails it. I don't want to have to pay for the cost of DVD codecs when I have no intention of playing DVDs in my computer. Thats what I got a TV for. People who want it can go find the DVD player they love and buy it!

You realize the cost for the DVD Codec on your purchase price is probably 5cents.. Just saying, it's not cutting your purchase price by $20 or anything lol

[HawkMan]

You realize the cost for the DVD Codec on your purchase price is probably 5cents.. Just saying, it's not cutting your purchase price by $20 or anything lol

actually the license is 2 or 2.5 dollars.

[Ryoken]

actually the license is 2 or 2.5 dollars.

Still, hardly enough to get worked up about.. They will remove the codec, but are still gonna charge the same amount, and everyone knows it. MS is not gonna lower the price by $2 because it's gone..

[Growled Member]

I wonder if the next thing they will do is find that using players like VLC is illegal in Windows?

[danerd]

hi ryoken, it amazes me how you or anyone can say only 6% use a product i mean have you asked all computer users in the world what they use how on earth can you say that?, did you ASK EVERYONE?. your next statement regarding linux and i quote "and that wont change" unquote,it amazes me that you can say that, how do you know that it will never happen, perhaps you are a prophet.lol.

[Ryoken]

hi ryoken, it amazes me how you or anyone can say only 6% use a product i mean have you asked all computer users in the world what they use how on earth can you say that?, did you ASK EVERYONE?. your next statement regarding linux and i quote "and that wont change" unquote,it amazes me that you can say that, how do you know that it will never happen, perhaps you are a prophet.lol.

I think you need to look closer at the general population..

If you had a Browser, and a Word Program, and Solitaire, you have an OS that probably 70% of the population would never outgrow.

I mean I'm in IT, I know a LOT of techsavy people.. But I also know they are NOT the norm.. I would be SHOCKED if even 10% of Windows Users would know how to even launch MCE, much less use it. It is a Niche market. Accept it.

Hell I know what MCE is, I'm techy, and I have ~14TB of content on hand.. And I don't even use it.. it's more trouble than it's worth.. it looks nice and all, but I can do most things it does faster and easier with a wireless mouse and keyboard from my couch.. Only thing it's really any good for is as a DVR.. And I have no need for that..

Most people I know either don't keep their movies downloaded [ watch and delete ]. or stream it.. They have no interest in watching TV through a computer, and they are quite happy with the DVR's that their cable/dish co provide..

I can honestly say I know more people that have purchased a setup box for playback than use MCE or one of it's alternatives..

As for How MS gathers it's information.. Well my bet would be through Windows Update and other systems that provide anonymous [ but accurate ] information on your system.. Add to that only Home Premium+ even includes it, and a lot of comps are sold with Home Basic.

And as for Linux.. It's been around since the early 90's and what's it marketshare again ?

Despite it growing, Slowly, it's got no chance of a sudden growth.. Business wouldn't adopt it cause the masses know windows, and they don't want to retrain to use new OS's, and new Programs.

Home users aren't gonna change because their computer comes with Windows and they don't know any better..

And the PC Makers aren't gonna change cause people don't know what it is, how to use it, and as such, will go for a Windows box even if given a choice between the two..

You don't need to be a prophet to understand human nature.

And this is all above and beyond the fact that Linux, you get what you pay for.. it's free, and as such has **** support.. Even if you do install it, there's no real support for most distros, and asking for help leads to you being attacked for being too stupid to know how to use it, and go back to Windows/Mac.. Not to mention there's buggy hardware support, and software it hit and miss.. Some is as good as it's Windows/Mac Counterparts, and a lot of it is crap..

Linux is the Android Marketplace.. no standards, means a few gems, and a LOT of crap.. It's only chance is for a big company to come in and invest a LOT into a single distro, and build it up, with software, keeping a consistent UI, etc.

And I say all of this as someone who has used various Linux distros since late 90's till now.. Different is I'm not an idiolog.. I see all the falts that exist in it, which so many Open Source peeps tend to forget about because they simply hate Windows/Mac/whatever..

[HawkMan]

hi ryoken, it amazes me how you or anyone can say only 6% use a product i mean have you asked all computer users in the world what they use how on earth can you say that?, did you ASK EVERYONE?. your next statement regarding linux and i quote "and that wont change" unquote,it amazes me that you can say that, how do you know that it will never happen, perhaps you are a prophet.lol.

Actually the 6% is microsofts own numbers, from their own analytics received from millions upon millions of computers around the world. (remember that question when you fist start your computer? yeah that one). Also the actual number was far lower, 6% was the amount of people who actually started MC and used it for a few minutes only, people who used it actively was a fraction of that again.

[~Johnny]

Actually the 6% is microsofts own numbers, from their own analytics received from millions upon millions of computers around the world. (remember that question when you fist start your computer? yeah that one). Also the actual number was far lower, 6% was the amount of people who actually started MC and used it for a few minutes only, people who used it actively was a fraction of that again.

6% of 500 million is still 30 million, (or over 60 million of the current 1.25 Billion Windows users) and that's still quite a few boat loads of people using it whatever way you cut it. Even a fraction of that is still millions of people. I'd wager only 5% of Windows users use the command line or the run box, but they're not going to cut those. :p Still a daft idea to cut it - I can understand removing it from Enterprise versions of Windows and Windows On ARM, but what they've done is just lousy. If you wanted people to use it they could easily advertise it / more prominently place it.

[George P Global Moderator]

The goal they had with Media Center is done, it's been replaced by the Xbox. Honestly guys, it's not that complicated, they're not going to update MC after this probably so it's dead end. MS's "media center" idea was a HTPC, but now it's the Xbox. And the Xbox is the way more successful product for them at this point. Just add DVR to the next Xbox and you've got a solid media center/HTPC replacement unless you have issues with some formats, mostly MKV. But there are ways around those as well.

[omganinja]

This is a move in the right direction. Optical media needs to die already.

[HawkMan]

6% of 500 million is still 30 million, (or over 60 million of the current 1.25 Billion Windows users) and that's still quite a few boat loads of people using it whatever way you cut it. Even a fraction of that is still millions of people. I'd wager only 5% of Windows users use the command line or the run box, but they're not going to cut those. :p Still a daft idea to cut it - I can understand removing it from Enterprise versions of Windows and Windows On ARM, but what they've done is just lousy. If you wanted people to use it they could easily advertise it / more prominently place it.

I think you missed the fact about only a fraction of those 6% actually using MC and not just starting it for a few seconds/minutes.

[HawkMan]

6% of 500 million is still 30 million, (or over 60 million of the current 1.25 Billion Windows users) and that's still quite a few boat loads of people using it whatever way you cut it. Even a fraction of that is still millions of people. I'd wager only 5% of Windows users use the command line or the run box, but they're not going to cut those. :p Still a daft idea to cut it - I can understand removing it from Enterprise versions of Windows and Windows On ARM, but what they've done is just lousy. If you wanted people to use it they could easily advertise it / more prominently place it.

Also to cut it the other way, that is 1.2 billion MPEG2 licenses MS doesn't need to pay for, 1.2Billion x $2.5, seems like a lot :)

Yes there's a few million peopel actually using MC. But they're still a severely minor fraction, and the command line have to be there anyway, and resource wise isn't even close to MC.

[anthdci]

I use media centre all the time, but with the xbox as an extender, never on the actual PC. That is because my TV ariel comes into the room where the PC is, the ariel next to the TV is about 30 years old and is terrible.

[danerd]

hi ryoken, i am a retired IT developer just to get that out of the way, microsoft can only get figures if people are on the internet, what about the countless people who never use the net, my point is that nobody can put precise figures on what the population is doing on their computers and as for business not wanting to adopt LINUX, you obviously have not heard that the american DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ( BIG BUSINESS ) has awarded 28 million dollars to the LINUX comunity for a program to run their unmanned drones because the program they were using ( WINDOWS ) was unacceptable, i digress, the point of this forum is that microsoft has removed a feature from windows and in some cases forcing users to pay for third party applications depending whers they live and as johnny pointed out microsoft will make huge savings without passing them on to us.

[articuno1au]

Given that Microsoft haven't announced pricing, your assertion is baseless and inflammatory.

Feel free to think before posting.

I use media centre all the time, but with the xbox as an extender, never on the actual PC. That is because my TV ariel comes into the room where the PC is, the ariel next to the TV is about 30 years old and is terrible.

You are, fairly unfortunately, a fringe case.

XBMC would be your best bet (and far better bet tbh).

[danerd]

hi, +articuno1au,the reason i mentioned that microsoft will not pass the saving down to us is because to the best of my memory they have not done so in the past ( refresh my memory, i am 67 ) so why should thet start now.

[articuno1au]

Well, go from Windows 95 (the first on the NT based consumer OS's) cost point and account for inflation alone.

Microsoft's operating system is MILES below inflationary costs.

Even ignoring that, there was a price drop from the release price of Vista to the release price of 7. It's one of the sales points we pushed it out with.

[danerd]

hi +articuno1au,ask somebody in india if windows is MILES below inflationary costs, your telling me that windows 7 is cheaper than vista, not where i live lets face it microsoft is a business and its out to make money and i think that another poster here ( JOHHNY )has hit the nail on the head, i will end my post and thank you for your points of view.