Scobleizer - Latest Comments in Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Harold — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:22:20 -0000

Very informative article - I'm sure there's even more good stuff to come.

About your design, what is the theme is being used at the moment? I'd love to know the name of it.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Andy Winters — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:10:52 -0000

@ Molly C - I'm with ya on the subscription! The video portion needs a major overhaul!!!

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

John Maas — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:14:45 -0000

Podcasts do rock out. I'm not fully antiquated as much as I'd like to be, but I see myself becoming addicted! http://www.capatrex.org

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

David Wise — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 16:02:14 -0000

Podcasting growth slower than expected:

http://www.cbc.ca/technolog...

I wonder if this might have something to do with wmp11's rather shocking continued refusal to play nice with podcasts. I consider myself an advanced user, yet I'm sick to death of the silly hoops I need to jump through just to get podcasts properly and automatically linking from wmp11 to my samsung z5. I download using juice, run a shell script command to properly change the genre to a wmp11 readable format, then set up autoplaylists, because juice and wmp11 don't always play nice with updating the regular playlists. All in all, it's an irritating process to what, in itunes, is practically a 1-click solution. It's enough to make me regret buying a wmp-based media player. I'll be picking up an ipod for sure for my girlfriend, unless someone over there gets their heads out of their collective asses.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Stephen E — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 22:38:40 -0000

I downloaded ver 11 of media player expecting to be able to find the podcasting setup....
So now it's back to iTunes.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Sabina — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 20:07:27 -0000

I just downloaded WMP 11 and cannot figure out where I can find the total number of music files I have in the LIBRARY. Old WMP 10 always gave you the number on the bottom left hand side of the screen. HELP!!

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Ken Dryden - environmental pro — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 05:44:55 -0000

WMP handles Mp3’s just fine and has given that option for ripping cd’s since WMP10. As far as AAC, that’s an Apple proprietary format. As far as those features are concerned its a moot point. I fall back to a basic premise that I follow on formats and that is “How much does it cost to get the software to create it?” Once again, the last time I checked Windows Media Encoder is free while Quicktime pro is $39.95.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Cooper Jones — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 05:14:56 -0000

I use Juice as an aggregator, and it will automatically build WMP playlists. Great. But, in WMP11, when you view an item in a playlist, you can’t delete the item. That means it’s almost impossible to use playlists to manage podcasts, since cleaning up old podcasts is essential.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Scott Brison — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 04:39:23 -0000

I've got the Windows Media Player 11 too, and its very good and comfortable programm! I'm glad that I've got one! :)

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Nigeria — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 10:46:30 -0000

I have been using the Windows Media Player 11 and while it lacks some great functionality it is a great product. I also use it in creating media files for my website http://www.360Nigeria.com

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Scott Brison — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 06:01:48 -0000

Very entertaining issue. I haven't heard of this one. It will be necessary to visit you on a thicket!

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Randall Lind — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 12:15:19 -0000

What sucks is the fact WMP 11 replaces most of my albums folder.jpg files with blank gray cd jpg's ok nothing at all.
The sad fact is on my mp3 drive all looks normal. Then I open so see folder.jpg is now replace with {9999} album art and a folder.jpg which is all hidden.
I could careless about Podcast etc I don't see why a already bloated player needs to become even more bloated. We got a lot of podcast software already Todd complains about bandwith all the time but he is will not be happy til podcasting is in every player I say screw it. MS can't release vista podcasting option will delay it another 5 years!!

MS should not allow people to download beta only RC's it really screws up crap.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Spatial Mongrel — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 03:12:11 -0000

Agree completely with the post by you, Robert, and thanks for it. I, like many others, spend 15 minutes searching through the help file to figure out how to get podcasting working. I couldn't believe Microsoft would actually leave it out!

Post 7 - I completely agree - this drag-and-drop feature is ESSENTIAL and is a huge hole. Silly to remove it.

Post 46 - I also use Juice and am frustrated by the same playlist problem. Why on earth can't I jump to the library from a playlist? Urge? Bah.

Too bad we need to vent about WMP11 here. Hope members of the development team look at your site!

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

it — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 06:15:58 -0000

this is sure a great story i have learned so much .
i will apply to my site http://www.sure23.com/
will also upgrade to media player 11

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Robert — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 14:40:49 -0000

A simple person comments: Regardless of all the discussion, I am a podcast junkie, and will stick with ITUNES until WMP makes it simple to subscribe, update and delete podcasts. Make it simple MS!

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Dennis Moynihan — Mon, 29 May 2006 15:26:26 -0000

What is driving me nuts about WMP11 isn't just the lack of native podcast support, but some very basic design problems that make it almost unusable for working with podcasts. I use Juice as an aggregator, and it will automatically build WMP playlists. Great. But, in WMP11 (and I think this differs from 10), when you view an item in a playlist, you can't delete the item (with a right click context menu or delete key). That means it's almost impossible to use playlists to manage podcasts, since cleaning up "old" podcasts is essential. You have to find the item in the library view to delete it, and that's nuts because the ID3 tags for podcasts can be very inconsistent (meaning that "audio12432.mp3" might have an album, might be different than the last episode, etc.

This highlights a lot of VERY inconsistent design cues in WMP (10 and unfortunately carried over to 11). For example, in the now playing window, you can right click to "find in library". But, you can't for the same item when viewing it in a playlist. And dumb things like having to set a switch to decide if the "delete" key removes the file, or just the item from the library (why not have a better design, like Azureus' delete menu option). Too many secret buttons on the screen, rather than just clear, functional design (the list pane arrow, for example). A good app should never be a treasure hunt to use.

Using WMP seems very tedious. I was really hoping for a functional redesign with the 11 beta, and it almost seems like it's nothing but a new skin (excluding Urge, which I won't be using anyway).

Sigh.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Georg Holzer — Thu, 25 May 2006 04:14:05 -0000

A question to ROBERT: Is there any chance that the final product will ship with podcast-support?

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Cameron Reilly — Wed, 24 May 2006 20:15:23 -0000

yeah Robert I'm confused by this lack of podcasting as well. I met with Sean Alexander, Keith Ballinger and some of the guys from the WMP team back in Feb 2005 before I hooked up with you and Buzz at Demo. That was a full 4 months before iTunes had podcast support. I was pretty convinced then that WMP would have podcasting support before long. 15 months later - nada. Quite disappointing. I agree with Todd - this is going to slow down podcast adoption. Having it in iTunes is great, but 50 million iPod owners is nothing compared to Microsoft's reach.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

John C. Welch — Wed, 24 May 2006 07:30:48 -0000

RL, try again. AAC is the audio component of MPEG 4, and as such is an open standard. Apple applies its proprietary DRM to the AAC files on the iTMS, but AAC is not "Apple's" audio format.

So, yeah, again AAC, Open Standard, not proprietary.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

RL — Tue, 23 May 2006 23:39:45 -0000

Last time I checked, WMP handles Mp3's just fine and has given that option for ripping cd's since WMP10. As far as AAC, that's an Apple proprietary format. As far as those features are concerned its a moot point. I fall back to a basic premise that I follow on formats and that is "How much does it cost to get the software to create it?" Once again, the last time I checked Windows Media Encoder is free while Quicktime pro is $39.95. Now one might argue that MS is playing the Netscape vs. IE fight by offering the software free of charge, which is a legitimate arguement, but to downplay the lack of supporting competitors' proprietary formats is a non-starter. One could say that Windows Media Encoder should support mpeg (an industry standard)encoding formats like media player supports mp3, that might be a discussion to have. Although I will say what's good for the goose is also good for the gander. If you hold MS to these high ideals then hold every single other company that competes with them to the same standard. It's only fair.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

John C. Welch — Tue, 23 May 2006 22:30:52 -0000

Yep...if Microsoft comes up with a name, it will be:

Windows Media Player, with Automatic Downloads of Audio and Video file that you can transfer to a plays for sure device and listen to at your leisure!

Apple has:

iTunes, now with Podcasting.

and they wonder why Apple's doing so well.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Goebbels — Tue, 23 May 2006 20:01:14 -0000

Of course, it's not a tech issue, and of course, it won't be added. Two reasons... pointed to by James and Molly.

#1 - podcasts are predominantly mp3 or aac and Microsoft will not support that.

#2 - Sorry, Molly, but the name issue was decided long ago... People accept PodCast and will not accept any of these silly alternates as an alternate name... Microsoft will never accept the name PodCast so they will not support it.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

RL — Tue, 23 May 2006 18:29:34 -0000

Robert, you are right to point out the lack of podcasting support, although I never missed it. I wish I could say that it was a feature I wanted, but unfortunately I still have some dinosaur habits and could not imagine spending the time to listen to all the possible podcasts I might subscribe to. Though its this dinosaur thinking that must be overcome at MS to make the company succeed. I will say this about WM11. It's a little bit more than just a nice gloss, its ability to create playlists are leaps and bounds above the old WM10. It's even more user friendly and I love the navigation menus. I have Real (ADVERTISING) Player, and I-Tunes and I can say I still prefer WMP. WM11 is still an improvement over WM10 and I think, Robert, you have thrown a dual gauntlet at the development team. One is add RSS support to WMP11 and do it quick enough for the final release. Let's see if the team picks up the gauntlet and wins your challenge.

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

Goebbels — Tue, 23 May 2006 18:08:00 -0000

Blah, blah, blah....

"Hey presto."

Ha, ha, ha!!!!!

Re: Windows Media 11′s lack of podcasting gets noticed

John C. Welch — Tue, 23 May 2006 15:15:14 -0000

Better tab support? With that inane moving "new tab control"? Oh yeah, that's fantastic.."where do i click for a new tab? Well, it depends"

IE being an OS - Level component is a major reason for it being such a great way to pooch the OS. That's probably not a fantastic thing to brag about Molly. Microsoft did indeed invent Ajax, and then did nothing with it, because all they care about (still), with one exception, is trying to force you to use Windows, and punishing you when you don't. I bet Ballmer prays for that to happen every night.

Microsoft had USB support years before the iMac, but the USB market was nothing until the iMac. Inventing something, then not doing anything with it is useless.