Comments on: Microsoft opens Windows to the home

Bill Gates unveils plans to make Media Center software the centerpiece of the digital home.

[guebs007]

Future???

The new media center PC is fine, but where's the HDTV interface??? I want to use a PC to record HDTV!!! The future is HDTV. The people who have the money to spend on a computer for their entertainment systems are the one's who buy HDTVs. The manufacturers are cutting their own throats. I've only seen one that offers it yet.

[Prndll]

What a load of bs......

I find it incredably fascinating that Bill Gates can just completely overlook the RIAA and their fight to make sure that the music I have is theirs and NOT mine. Gates wants me to be able to move that music around my home! HA! This is complete nonsense. People have so much music on their harddrives because of P2P.

and about movies....
Hollywood does not want people to have movies on their harddrives. This would lead to sharing those movies over P2P. The only acceptable means of recording a movie now is on a harddrive that cannot be removed from the machine it's in. A machine that I would not own.

This is the peak of insanity.....

I wish these people would make up their minds. I am so tired of being told by one company that I can have all this, then being told by another company that if I use it, I will be arrested and my computer confiscated.

Just what about the law?
The RIAA sues little girls over what they say is her lack of respect for the law. They even go so far as to convince the government to dispatch the DOJ against those who amass the music that Bill Gates wants us to play throughout our homes. If there is to be an ounce of integrity or a shred of decentcy or even the tiniest bit of intelectual honesty here, why is Hollywood and the RIAA NOT creating lawsuits against Microsoft for doing the same thing (THE EXACT SAME THING) as KaZaa, Morpheus, or any other P2P network? It ALL is an attempt to goat people into doing the very thing that the RIAA claims is so illegal.

The truth....
The truth is that downloading a song, a movie, or a program IS NOT STEALING. NOTHING is being stolen.

I have a hard time swallowing all this from Bill Gates when I can't really use what he offers and still be concidered "obeying the law".

This whole Itunes/Ipod thing that many would consider the legal way is in itself a way that works against the people...NOT for the people.

And TIVO....
Well, can we just overlook the problem that TIVO has already had with selling information about people that should never have been acquired in the first place. TIVO can kiss my @#! too.

The bottom line....
I would rather do things the old fashioned way: with VCR's and analog cassete tapes than deal with all this craziness that very easily could destroy my life. Microsoft will never get money from me for this kind of insanity and I'm just about to completely stop buying music(of anykind). It's just not worth it. I have had it. I HAVE SO HAD IT!!!!!

I rarely goto the theater to see a movie as it is. So few of their movies are worth seeing anyway.

I have better things to do with my time and money............

[Thomas, David]

I feel ya, but ...

I feel your frustration, unfortunately it translated into a rant that
was not well put. You are right about the fantasy line Bill Gates
was promoting.

However, as a starving musician (turned to programming to eat),
i completely support iTunes. What on earth do you think is
wrong with it? TiVo, i can't speak to because I don't have it, but
if its about them selling viewing habits and info, TV stations
have done that since they had the capability.

Bottom-line, you are right about this free-for-all universe Bill
thinks he can get away with, unless they incorporate encryption
that requires all proceeds to go to microsoft first (then paid out
as royalties) ... that is probably what he is truly envisioning ...
control. But who the heck wants all the BS and security issues
that come with Microsoft to proliferate their home and daily lives
even more?

[Earl Benser]

Not In My House....

M$ gets into my computers only when absolutely necessary. I'm
not about to open up my living room to M$'s versions of
entertainment control - especially when M$ is so far behind the
power curve in that area.

The home entertainment area is one that requires major
competition and many alternative concepts - not a singular
corporate focus with virtually no consumer input.

Sorry, M$.

EyeTV beat's Bill to the punch

For anyone interested in this functionality without having to worry about viruses, check out Elgato Systems website for their various EyeTV products.

Yes they're built for a Mac, and they work in all corners of the world, with Analog or Digital TV. Bill eat your heart out!

EyeTV500 is the North American version that records Hi-Def and records with Dolby 5.1 to boot. Plus it's intergrated with TitanTV for free program listing.