Comments on: Real to plug Windows media support into Linux

Will release open-source software that lets Windows video and audio format files play on a Linux computer.

[rklrkl]

So what about Real's own codecs?

Interesting to see that they've struck a deal with MS w.r.t. Windows Media codecs, but will this let *any* Open Source programmer take the Windows Media codec source code from the Helix player and use it in their own project without having to strike some special deal with Microsoft? If not, then this isn't truly Open Source, surely?

And what about Real's own audio/video codec source code? Is that going to be Open Sourced too? If not, then again isn't this announcement somewhat underwhelming?

[steven zhang]

The realplayer is not an opensource project, the opensourced one is helix p

The different is the codec, all private codecs are not opened, such like rmvb, wmv, mpeg4 video.....

I think if real open source WMV, mpeg4 video, they will have legal problem. But at least , they should open source it's own audio/video coed.

[PCCRomeo]

Real doing the work, Microsoft getting the benefit...

That's all their 'alliance' is all about. Microsoft has enough problems writing programs for Windows...

[freqmd5]

Microsoft has problems.... makes me sick

one thing is for sure... thier hiring process could use an overhaul.. microsoft is getting raided.. has been for quite some time.. and its so large and disconnected.. the managers avoid applicant pools because its so time consuming... seems like only the well connected get jobs.. its amazing how many tech companies are sheltering people who truley dont deserve to be there... and all the work falls on a few who sacrifice everything to just be able to pay their rent and drive a sports car.. while the execs consume millions

[freqmd5]

media player gui will probably have back door...

most have.. i switched to xmms.. it was the most secure one around... but then xmms became increasingly difficult to install..

[wgilbert5]

xmms

Mepis Linux comes with xmms pre-installed.

[DarkPhoenixFF4]

Closed Source Module

MPlayer can only play Windows Media Player files using the closed source DLL from Microsoft and some glue code.

[freqmd5]

media player gui will probably have back door...

most have.. i switched to xmms.. it was the most secure one around... but then xmms became increasingly difficult to install..

[joshuasmythe]

Linux already has one

Mplayer already plays those formats and pretty much every other conceivable format. And it works damn well too.

Guess this is just marketing hype

[printempo]

MPlayers can play, but not all

MPlayer and MPlayer-plugin cannot play some streaming contents such as Yahoo Japan movies, Gyao Japan's free movies etc. I am expecting that I would be able to watch Gyao movies with Linux!

[Captain-Atari]

It's still not easy

I have set up quite a few linux desktops for my self and family and the Multimedia PLAYBACK is the most troublesome part. Out of the box the lack of DVD play capability and Full Windows media support makes a quick easy setup impossible. While I am able to get these features in place IT'S STILL TO MUCH FO HACK for the mainstream crowd. Corporate deployments of Linux will have skilled support in house to do these kind of things but home users won't. This is a giant step in the right direction.