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June 08, 2006
Why RealNetworks is a dead company walking
I don't know why it took me so long to see what any fool could plainly visualize: maybe it was the whirled peas blocking my view.
But I digress.
I was just over at Amazon trying to listen to a couple CD tracks and the penny dropped: if you choose Windows Media Player the thing comes on, starts up and plays, and when it's done you're right back where you were on Amazon.
But if you choose RealPlayer it automatically shuts down your web browser before it starts up.
That's absurd.
After you're done listening — assuming the thing even plays and doesn't give you an error message, as happened to me — you're sitting there with a blank screen, and you have to go back and reopen Safari or whatever browser you're using, then make your way back to where you were before RealPlayer took command of your computer.
Sorry, Rob — but it's game over for you.
June 8, 2006 at 02:01 PM | Permalink
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Comments
Real is nothing more then commercialized spyware.
Virtually impossible to uninstall not to mention the playback is far below what even WinAmp can accomplish with a few simple plugins.
I really don't understand why businesses and governments continue to use this ancient and dying video format.
Plus Rob Glaser a real big asshole! Sorry but he is.
Posted by: mliving | Jun 9, 2006 7:18:49 PM
I used to work for Real, the company is about as well run as the player you describe - it's been a dud for years now. The only fun part of working there was watching Rob's tantrums, hoo boy.
Posted by: OLH | Jun 9, 2006 6:29:51 AM
Yeah, I can't stand Real much any more -- they've tried to make some changes in their politics and their attention to users, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. As a result of this, I ended up working on trying to figure out what streaming technologies folks are using and what works out the best. If anyone is interested in checking out the survey, please go to:
http://www.iupui.edu/~nmstream/survey/
Hopefully, it will help sort out prejudice and fact about what these applications are actually doing (and you'd be helping figure out what technology works for distance education students by doing so :-)
Posted by: clifyt | Jun 8, 2006 11:18:44 PM
After playing on Napster.com for a while now, I'm no longer satisfied with the 20-second snippets on Amazon or iTunes. I've bought too many songs that I didn't like but I liked the snippet - and just as many that I didn't like the snippet but later heard the song and liked it. Free registration on Napster - you can listen to the WHOLE song five times for free.
Just say no to 20-second snippets! ;)
Posted by: Shawn Lea | Jun 8, 2006 4:57:06 PM
Sorry, When I am on Amazon, Real Player works much better than WMP, and it does not, not has it even shut my browser down. I think that is just you and your system configuration.
Posted by: Richard | Jun 8, 2006 4:46:55 PM
Joe, I stopped using Real's products long ago. It takes so long to buffer its ridiculous. It really upsets me because my local NPR station's webstream is in Real format, so I can't listen because I refuse to put up with Real's BS anymore.
PS - This is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while http://blog.photos2view.com/files/images/real_buffering.preview.jpg
Posted by: Andrew | Jun 8, 2006 4:18:29 PM
