MS To Offer Windows Sans WMP, If EU So Orders

PSwim writes "Microsoft has said it will remove Media Player from Window, if ordered by the EU this week. The 'Windows-Lite' version will only be available in Europe. Best quote from the article involves its refusal to release networking documentation: '"The Commission says Linux would disappear" if Microsoft did not grant access to its documentation, Smith claimed. "But Linux is alive and well and I don't know any person at Linux or any Linux programmers who share the Commission's view."'"

first wtf post

[Anonymous Coward]

"...I don't know any person at Linux..."

WTF?

ha-ha-ha

[l3v1]

[...]Linux would disappear if Microsoft did not grant access to its documentation[...]

Muhahahahaha ! Ha-ha-ha ! Ha-...ha-...ha-ha-ha !

Sorry guys, I can't help myself, I just had a giggling spasm :D :P

If the EU so orders...

[rock_climbing_guy]

Last time I was in England, a cop stopped me and wrote me a speeding ticket. I'm contesting the speeding ticket.

I'm having a press conference tomorrow where I will announce that I will pay the speeding ticket if the court so orders. I just want to make sure they understand that going into the appeal hearing.

The version will contain a poison pill

[Anonymous Coward]

I predict Microsoft will make it's prediction that Windows will be crippled w/o the player come true by putting something into the software that annoys the end users.

Two things are funny here...

[shaka]

First, it's the EC and their stance that "Linux would disappear" - this makes me a bit happy, 'cause it means they'vre probably tried to understand what the fsck the case is about. On the other hand, it gives us a hint as to how much we can expect our politicians to actually understand about these matters. I really don't think, though, that it's too much to ask from an assistant to a member of the Commission to just explain that Linux is on more hardware than just Samba servers.

The other funny thing, which is absolutely hilarious, is that Microsoft's general counsel Brad Smith doesn't "know any person at Linux or any Linux programmers who share the Commission's view."

What, I know several people at Linux, they say it's a great place to work and they have a beautiful campus and stuff...

Re:Two things are funny here...

[0x0d0a]

What, I know several people at Linux, they say it's a great place to work and they have a beautiful campus and stuff...

The place has a lousy cafeteria, though. Herring this and herring that.

Re:I'd like to see

[EvilNutSack]

What the heck possessed me to write that? I blame it on delirium caused by the news that WMP cripple/RIAA ware is to be removed from Windows...

Limitations!

[hereschenes]

"Microsoft has said it will remove Media Player from Window, if ordered by the EU this week."

Wow. I always thought Windows had its limitations, but apparently you can only open one window at a time with this cut-down version! Hmmm, which one to open...

Re:On coupling os and software

[tobi-wan-kenobi]

congrats, you found the mistake i place into each of my posts on purpose.

Re:first wtf post

[Anonymous Coward]

What does he think Linux is - a company?!

no its a mythical place where cats chase dogs, water flows up stream and software is free and open and yet consumers, companies and the economy all benifit from it.

hmm after reading what i just read i don't even know what side i am taking

[e-mail]

Re:On coupling os and software

[goneutt]

I'd say windows is like a house of cards, but that is too straight forward. Windoz is more like an ancient rustbucket of a car that stops running if you remove that plastic figurine of the Virgin Mary on the dash.

Re:The version will contain a poison pill

[lastmachine]

I predict Microsoft will make it's prediction that Windows will be crippled w/o the player come true by putting something into the software that annoys the end users.

Little late: they did that in 1995.

Re:The version will contain a poison pill

[minus9]

"I predict Microsoft will make it's prediction that Windows will be crippled w/o the player come true by putting something into the software that annoys the end users."

Annoying software from Microsoft? Inconceivable!!

With apologies to Fezzik.

Rename

[aussie_a]

Microsoft has said it will remove Media Player from Window, if ordered by the EU this week and will bundle in a media player it calls "Yet Another Media Player" which is said to look completely different from WMP. It will have a different skin.

Re:The version will contain a poison pill

[minus9]

Oops. Apologigies to Inigo I mean. Get back angry mob!

Re:The other option being?

[Ford Prefect]

I'm confused; is 'Windows Sans WMP' a font of some sort?

I got Gill Sans free with my iBook. Is Windows Sans similar?

Re:the *real* Lite Windows

[fred911]

Isn't that called DOS?

Re:The version will contain a poison pill

[Phleg]

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

With apologies to Inigo.

they can't GIVE IT AWAY FOR FREE?

[Anonymous Coward]

Toyota includes tires on all their new cars! My own brand of tire has no chance to compete! Make them stop!

Re: at Linux

[TeknoHog]

The place has a lousy cafeteria, though. Herring this and herring that.

Well, herring, eggs, sausage, and herring. It's got not much herring in it.

Welcome to Windows XP (EU Edition)...

[jimicus]

Thank you for installing Microsoft Windows XP (EU Edition).

Windows is now checking Microsoft's website for updates and new features.........

New Features Available! Please choose what you want to download:

1. Windows Media Player. This is required if you want to play MP3s, watch videos or DVDs.

Meanwhile, at Linux Headquarters...

[Gannoc]

But Linux is alive and well and I don't know any person at Linux

I'm sure they imagine a giant L-shaped building somewhere in Helsinki, where foreign-speaking communists plot to find new ways to pirate MP3s.

Buh?

[Dr. Smeegee]

"I don't know any person at Linux "

Where is this "Linux" place? Is it like Disneyland? Can I take the kid and the dogs and hang out?

Re:I'd like to see

[JPelorat]

Ya know, you can actually write "sucks donkey balls" here.

It's not going to offend this crowd, that's for sure. =)

Re:On coupling os and software

[weave]

I find having a media player as part of my server OSes very valuable. Gives you something to do while running chkdsk over large file systems that just seem to randomly corrupt themselves.

Re:I'd like to see

[erroneus]

I cannot completely agree with your view about removing MSIE at all!

Using MSIE is my favorite way to download FireFox.

Okay that comes across a little like a stupid joke but really -- I use this method at work quite often. It goes a little like this:

1) Download and install Mozilla/Firefox (whichever)
2) Delete MSIE icons
3) Create copies of Mozilla/Firefox icons and rename them to "Internet Exploder" and change the icon's face to the blue "e"
4) ...
5) Profit!!!

My users think I removed MSIE and replaced it with Mozilla... and I'll just keep letting them think so.

Re:first wtf post

[Tim C]

Put a large mass at the top of the slope and let gravity do its work. [Note: mass may have to be very large.]

Re:first wtf post

[HermanAB]

Didn't you know? Linux is where Santa Claus and the Elves work...

Linus said so himself. So there you have it on the highest authority.

Re:Why is the media player so bad?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, and processing power is so hard to find these days, especially on PCs. I tried playing an Ogg file on my PC/AT (not an XT, but a real AT!) and it was too slow to do it in real time. I wish computers would get faster. I heard Compaq is working on a machine with an 80386 processor, but I don't know if it'll ever see the light of day.