Existing users, 
This is possibly one of the most sad applications I have seen here on VT. With each new piece of media (be that music or video) that is produced and distributed in Windows Media format is one less that other platforms can usefully use, and one more that locks people into the Windows platform, and this application does nothing but encourage this sad trend.
Until there is good cross-platform support for Windows Media, it is always going to be this way. The only alternative, media producers, is to use Quicktime or generic MPEG-4 both of which are effectively and widely supported on all major platforms.
Certainly, as Mac users, its should be our duty to boycott an application that, in the long-run, encourages our life using media to be hell. Somehow it doesn't seem right that people can exploit the platform to create and edit this media, then effectively convert it all off the platform when they want to distribute it.
Please let's stop encouraging Windows Media use as much as possible. There are better alternatives!!!
Version:
Sad
Feedback Type: Commentary
Contributed by: CraigP Friday, January 21 2005 @ 03:04 AM PST
Product Platform:
Used Product For: Have Not Tried
Recommend Product: NO
Comments
Sad - CraigP
So, surely, the solution here is not to shoot the platform in the back by exporting to this format, but rather to convince the other higher-up that WMV isn't the best way.Every time I encounter WMV I wonder how it has managed to become so proliferate. When you choose what format to produce, the only thing WMV seems to have going for it is that it can only play on Windows... How about MPEG4? A format that will play on EVERY platform there is. Natively supported in Quicktime, mplayer, and even Windows Media Player.
Can someone please tell me why MWV is so great, and has become so popular, when there are much better (cross-platform) alternatives out there?
Monday, January 24 2005 @ 04:06 AM PST
Sad - cseeman
There's nothing anyone can do most of the time to persuade corporate IT people to allow another (Quicktime) player on their servers. Again, I fight this and I'm unemployed.FWIW many (most) professional compressionists feel the output of WM9 Encodes are excellent. Have you read any of Ben Waggoner's stuff?
Yes WMP9 (and 10) stink compared to the control you get from Quicktime Player but in the "ccorporate marketplace" that's just not as important as a good looking encode at an effeciant file size.
I'm a Mac die hard but the reality is WM9 is an EXCELLENT encoding algorithm and the business community will stick with it.
I've got clients who want WMV HD from DVCPRO 50 (720P) source and Quicktime isn't doing anything like that until H264 is out and widespread.
Let's not even talk about MPEG4 which Apple has not implemented the best quality of (there are a varieties of MPEG4 BTW).
Thursday, January 27 2005 @ 09:01 AM PST
Happy - Not Sad - cseeman
CraigPI've been a Mac user for 15 years. I do corporate videos. My clients REQUIRE that I deliver on Windows Media. I boycott that and I'm UNEMPLOYED.
Being able to do Windows Media 9 on my Mac means I DO NOT HAVE TO GET A WINDOWS BOX TO DO THE CONVERSION.
People setting up in house corporate media departments can now BUY MACS and still deliver WMV files required by the "boss." Perviously the "boss" would FORCE you to buy a PC, using the execuse you had to deliver WMV for the company server.
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Friday, January 21 2005 @ 07:37 AM PST