Tom Francis wrote:
On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 12:28:07 -0000, "thunder"
wrote:


On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 11:44:26 +0000, JoeSpareBedroom wrote:



Two months ago, I did a reformat/reinstall of XP Pro on my desktop machine.
WMP plays DVDs. I did nothing special to make it happen.

If I'm not mistaken, I think the problem lies with MPEG-2 being
proprietary. Somebody has to pay licensing fees to the patent holders,
via the Moving Pictures Experts Group.


Ah - that explains it then.

So shareware wouldn't be an option.

Oh well - off to purchase the appropriate player thingy doer.

I think you are supposed to pay for shareware also.... You just get to
try before buy and buy is on honor system.

--
Del Cecchi
"This post is my own and doesn’t necessarily represent IBM’s positions,
strategies or opinions.”

Tom Francis wrote:
On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 12:52:19 GMT, Alotta Fagina
wrote:


You wrote:


I don't want to pay for something that should be in the computer in
the first place.

Do you work for free, moron?

Microsoft has something called "Windows Media Center Edition". It costs
MORE than standard Windows because MS has to pay LICENSES to the people who
WROTE the **** that you want for FREE.

Where do you work? I want to come in and get some free samples. On second
thought, they're probably defective, like your thinking.


What part of the term shareware didn't you understand. Was it the
part of try it and buy it or the fact that it's cheaper than
professional versions?

Just curious you understand because apparently morons seem to have
difficulty with the concept.

It sounded like you were looking for something free. Glad to see that
you don't treat shareware as freeware.

--
Del Cecchi
"This post is my own and doesn’t necessarily represent IBM’s positions,
strategies or opinions.”

"Del Cecchi" wrote in message
...
Tom Francis wrote:
On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 12:28:07 -0000, "thunder"
wrote:


On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 11:44:26 +0000, JoeSpareBedroom wrote:



Two months ago, I did a reformat/reinstall of XP Pro on my desktop
machine. WMP plays DVDs. I did nothing special to make it happen.

If I'm not mistaken, I think the problem lies with MPEG-2 being
proprietary. Somebody has to pay licensing fees to the patent holders,
via the Moving Pictures Experts Group.


Ah - that explains it then.

So shareware wouldn't be an option.

Oh well - off to purchase the appropriate player thingy doer.

I think you are supposed to pay for shareware also.... You just get to
try before buy and buy is on honor system.

What a theory! Is that why it says "Free to try, $29.95 to buy" at
downloads.com? I thought they were kidding.

"Tom Francis" wrote in message

If I'm not mistaken, I think the problem lies with MPEG-2 being
proprietary. Somebody has to pay licensing fees to the patent holders,
via the Moving Pictures Experts Group.

Ah - that explains it then.
So shareware wouldn't be an option.
Oh well - off to purchase the appropriate player thingy doer.

Now you're catching on. Before swearing at Bill, it's good to get all the
facts. Huh?

I'm sure Bill would love to include the MPEG-2 decoder with Media Player 10,
but to have to license a skillion copies, especially when only X% of the
Windows users will even use it, would be silly.

-W

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message news:VZxVg.2461


What a theory! Is that why it says "Free to try, $29.95 to buy" at
downloads.com? I thought they were kidding.

A lot of shareware either stops working after the 30 day free trial until
you pony up, or has annoying nag screens that keep reminding you to register
it.

-W

"Tom Francis" wrote in message

Microsoft has something called "Windows Media Center Edition". It costs
MORE than standard Windows because MS has to pay LICENSES to the people
who
WROTE the **** that you want for FREE.

Where do you work? I want to come in and get some free samples. On
second
thought, they're probably defective, like your thinking.

What part of the term shareware didn't you understand. Was it the
part of try it and buy it or the fact that it's cheaper than
professional versions?

Just curious you understand because apparently morons seem to have
difficulty with the concept.

Ummm not so fast. You also *said* that Bill should have included it for
free.

Ever consider how many "freebies" already come bundled with Windows just
because it's in Microsoft's best interst to bundle all the freebies? All an
OS *owes* you is an OS to run and possibly maintain your hardware. Most of
the stuff under your "start menu" other than "system tools" and
"admisistrative tools" is freebies already. And back in the DOS days you
even had to pay a third party (like Norton) extra fome some of those system
utilities.

-W

"Tom Francis" wrote in message

Ummm not so fast. You also *said* that Bill should have included it for
free.

Well, let's put it this way. There is a DVD player in the machine.
The DVD player is recognized by XP, but will not allow anything to be
played on it.

Why put one on the machine in the first place if it can't be used?

It's like purchasing a car, but having to pay extra for a
transmission.

Doesn't make any sense.

Now you're getting back on the right track. I agree with you that if an OEM
builder (any OEM builder from Dell to Joe's Computer Shack) includes a DVD
player in the machine, that he outta spring for the CODEC to play the MPEG-2
files. But that's not Bill's fault unless Microsoft actually *built* the
computer. Same with a DVD burner... you need the Nero suite or something
silmilar to make it actually burn a DVD. I've seen that missing in OEM
systems too, from big name companies.

-W

"Tom Francis" wrote in message

So basiclly, I was sold a device that I can't use.

Love it - just love it. :)


NOW you're absolutely right.. see my other post. (It's the builders fault,
not Bill's.)

-W

Clams Canino wrote:
"Tom Francis" wrote in message
So basiclly, I was sold a device that I can't use.

Love it - just love it. :)


NOW you're absolutely right.. see my other post. (It's the builders fault,
not Bill's.)

-W



I would look on the Computer builder or the DVD mfg'ers web site for a
free player. Most of them have a stripped down DVD player available and
then they sell you the premium player for a very reasonable price.

"Clams Canino" wrote in message
ink.net...

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
news:VZxVg.2461


What a theory! Is that why it says "Free to try, $29.95 to buy" at
downloads.com? I thought they were kidding.

A lot of shareware either stops working after the 30 day free trial until
you pony up, or has annoying nag screens that keep reminding you to
register
it.

-W


Get out. You're kidding, right?