Real Obnoxious
Feb 29, 2004
The one application that I try to stay away from more than any other is Real Player. Or Real One, or whatever the hell they call it this week. If Real Player, Real One, whatever, just did what it's supposed to do; which is to play video streams, then that'd be great.
Unfortunately, playing video streams is only a very small aspect of what Real Player does; Real Player, most prominently, is a small bastard with inferiority complex and delusions of grandeur, not too different from Napoleon. Although Real Player's task is simple and limited to a certain timeframe, Real Player defaults to running at all times, whether its limited functionality is needed or not, and claims a seat for itself in the throne commonly called the systray.
When you install Real Player, you can either choose an express install, or custom install. If you pick express install, Real Player simply installs itself with every option and feature turned on. If you choose the custom install, the process is a blend between an installer and a Pokemon-like game of gotta-uncheck-all-checkboxes.
Because, if you don't catch em all, Real Player assumes you want shortcuts to it on the desktop, in the Quick Launch bar next to the start-menu, in the top of the start-menu, another desktop shortcut to "free offers" from real.com, a third desktop shortcut to "Free Aol & unlimited internet", and last but not least, a special option in the windows search-menu called "Audio/video search". Note that Real Player does not just create a folder in the start-menu programs-folder, like most apps do, but claims a seat in the top of the start-menu, for quick and easy access. Besides all these short-cuts, Real Player also installs a shortcut in the programs-folder of the start-menu, and another folder, called "Real", in the programs-folder.
Real Player assumes you want to use the application as your primary player for basically every audio and video format and media available. After all, that's what most people would want, right?
When installing Real Player, the default option is to also install the Real OneSearch Internet Explorer toolbar. Product registration is, of course, mandatory, and since the good folks at Real assumes you've got a special interest in news and updates from Real, it also assumes you're interested in receiving "important news, upgrades and offers". When installing the free Real Player, it is also assumed that you want to immediately purchase and install the non-free version.
At start-up, Real Player sometimes recreates shortcuts in the start-menu, just in case you'd forgotten about it since you last deleted it. Whether you selected Real Player as the default player for CD or not, Real Player will assume you'll want to start playing a music CD's content in Real Player, when inserted. That goes for DVDs too. Real Player also assumes that the most common usage, and thus the default start-up view, is the Media Browser, where you can browse for video and audio-clips.
When you installed Real Player, it assumed that you were interested in news, upgrades and offers, but even if you unchecked those options, Real Player still assumes you're interested in receiving updates and other messages from Real. It also assumes you'll want to add any newly downloaded media to Real Player's media library, whether it's the default player or not. Also, whether you were interested in updates or not, Real Player assumes you want it to periodically download and install important updates.
Real Player can be configured for low CPU usage, or high quality, Real Player, of course, assumes you've got a powerful computer and that you'll want Real Player to use it.
Imagine for a while that you had manipulated the right people, somehow infiltrated Real Inc, and had gotten yourself an important and influential position as an executive there, how would you make the program more obnoxious, more invasive, and less likable to the average user, without making the other executives and directors suspicious?
Update: Those of you who came here via Google in hope of finding a viable alternative to Real Player, here are two versions which are supposed to be less invasive and obnoxious, see comments 18 and 37 (and they say blogs clog up Google's results...):
The BBC-version of Real Player (according to an employee at Real Networks, this is bullshit)
- The Enterprise Desktop version of Real Player (enter nonsense in the form)
If you liked this post, you might be interested in the posts that came after it:
- Real Reply I got several e-mail from people who used to work for Real Networks, they offer some reasons for Real Player's invasiveness and hostility, and their own perspectives.
- Real Proof I got an e-mail from a consultant who used to work for Real, he/she offers some interesting information about the attitudes at Real, and why the product sucks so bad.
Comments
I was thinking of the naming of that product yesterday. Obviously they have hidden the _imaginary_ part of the program so that it's users won't think about _complexity_ before installing.
Comment by David Pettersson at 00:07, 01 Mar, 2004 #
Boy - I couldn't have said it better. I really loathe RealPlayer for all of those reasons. Well said.
Comment by adam.b at 06:28, 01 Mar, 2004 #
Stopped using RealPlayer years ago. Really. If something's in .rm format then I just give it a miss. Simple. Fortunately nothing important requiring it has ever cropped, so I've never had to forego my stance on that one.
Comment by Ryan at 07:14, 01 Mar, 2004 #
Ah, yes. Much as I would like to avoid Real Player, a couple of sites, most notably the Danish radio, insists on using .rm files.
However, as described by Anil Dash, there is an alternative, which works quite well (and it is free):
http://www.dashes.com/anil/2004/01/08/a_real_alternat
No fuss, just playing those pesky files.
Comment by Henning at 08:56, 01 Mar, 2004 #
I've been using Real for playing MP3's for some time and really like it. I did try iTunes but it ate my processor - a few days was all I could manage before removing it.
My favorite site, BBC, also uses Real - another reason for keeping it.
Comment by Dolly at 16:35, 01 Mar, 2004 #
I avoid Real player like the plague because of the very reasons you mention. As an added bonus I've found it almost impossible to fully uninstall.
Comment by Michael at 16:55, 01 Mar, 2004 #
. . . how would you make the program more obnoxious, more invasive, and less likable to the average user, without making the other executives and directors suspicious?
I'd have it install Gator or something similar at the same time ;)
Comment by mark at 17:07, 01 Mar, 2004 #
I remember one version of RealPlayer that took the obnoxiousness to an entirely new plane. After I had unchecked the various media types Real was set to appropriate (all except .rm and .ram, basically), I clicked "Next...", and it re-checked all the boxes right before my eyes! That feature didn't last long.
Comment by Nick at 17:40, 01 Mar, 2004 #
One thing Dolly, BBC listener, didn't mention is that the BBC has a (supposedly) adware free version of the RealPlayer on their website. I never really noticed all the Real problems as I use the OS X version and it's fairly benign -- It's just a single application that you can trash pretty easily. I guess our teensy market share hasn't made it worth Real's while to add all the spyware.
Comment by brian w at 17:51, 01 Mar, 2004 #
Real Player is one of the most miserable pieces of software garbage I've ever had the extreme displeasure to have to deal with. You know you're dealing with a truly egregious piece of software when it makes Windows Media Player seem unassuming and friendly.
Comment by Robert D. at 17:56, 01 Mar, 2004 #
I'm glad someone mentioned the OS X version of the real software. I still think it's crap, but they haven't over-engineered the heck out of the OS X version, nor added in all of the noxious spyware or extraneous icons.
It's just a simple app. Drag and drop from the disk image to install, and drag to the trash to delete. It doesn't try to take over any of the other formats on the computer, and just plays realmedia streams. That's it.
Comment by Neil at 18:01, 01 Mar, 2004 #
I think RealPlayer isn't friendly to users because users aren't the main audience anymore. RealPlayer makes money with advertising and other business to business deals. The audience is almost an afterthought at this point because so many content providers (like BBC) have already chosen their format for delivering content. They also want people to upgrade to their for-pay "pro" version--which has less annoyances, I'm guessing--so it's in their interest to make the free version annoying.
Comment by pb at 18:57, 01 Mar, 2004 #
You forgot to mention that Real isn't even that good at streaming video, its intended function.
Comment by Dan at 19:24, 01 Mar, 2004 #
I used to enjoy listening to untelevised NFL radio broadcasts on nfl.com, free by the way, until they chose RealPlayer to handle their media streaming. The service is now 9.95 per month, which is not a problem in and of itself, but was a nightmare to configure and only works about half the time.
Now,if someone chooses to deliver their content by RealMedia I just assume it is of no importance and move on.
Simply, the worst piece of software ever written!
Comment by Michael Myett at 20:13, 01 Mar, 2004 #
Ah, yes! Let the Realplayer hating continue. I've hated Realplayer since I can remember, and I've recently found a solution: Real Alternative. It installs a beefed up version of the classic Windows Media player, and the Real Codecs so you can watch stuff through whatever program you'd like.
http://home.hccnet.nl/h.edskes/mirror.htm
Comment by Chad Poirier at 20:50, 01 Mar, 2004 #
The registration is the best part, trying to think of an e-mail address nobody else has used. All the best are taken.
RealOne Setup 1
RealOne Setup 2
RealOne Setup 3
Unable to display this message
Buffering
Don't you just love it?
Comment by Thomas Edwards at 22:51, 01 Mar, 2004 #
Now I don't know if it's just on my computer, but I can't uninstall RealPlayer...how's that for invasive? Even if I go through the control panel to uninstall AND delete the folder from the Application Data and Program Files folders, the program still pops up from time to time since it assigned itself to all my other files. Bastard app.
Comment by karsh at 23:34, 01 Mar, 2004 #
If you click on the link here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/audiohelp.shtml?help
You get an ad-free, nag-free, spyware-free version of Real Player, thanks to the good old BBC and their unique deal with Real.
Because the BBC is publicly funded, it couldn't justify using a third-party app that pesters BBC licence fee payers for more money - so they threatened to pull out of the Real deal (pardon the pun) if real didn't offer a nag-free version of the player.
Oh - the reason the BBC still use Real, is because:
1. It works.
2. It's available on all platforms.
3. The basic player is free and is a relatively small download.
4. You can't download streams (live, or on-demand) and play them later from your PC (without using illegal stream recording software)
5. It does both audio and video
Apparently, the BBC are moving towards Windows Media PLayer.
Comment by RB at 10:25, 02 Mar, 2004 #
I'm not usually one to buck rant trends however:
-on OSX real player works fine no ads easy simple
-real player doesn't try to hijack streams like WinMediaPlayer does sometimes
-I prefer iTunes and QuickTime players
-the BEST format is MP3 or which keeps propritary fingers OFF digital audio unlike real player and media player
-it is the format [MP3] not the player: keep your damn player codes off my sound files: I want my sound to come from anywhere, file anywhere and go anywhere, my choice. MP3 files do this
IMHO re-recording streaming audio from my computer for my use is not illegal or immoral and it ought to be a hell of a lot easier than it is now. If I want to share not broadcast, not sell, sound files I have recorded that is fine too. There are a couple of programs out there that make sticky finger sound files into MY MP3 files.
As long as WinMediaPlayer tries to suck-up market share with monopolistic practices, I ain't going there, period. Give it up Bill. I vote for an even playing field for players and sound files, that I manage not some jerk-water streaming lawyer.
Comment by Steve Harrington at 14:51, 02 Mar, 2004 #
As I've written before, RealOne is a crappy application by a ridiculously mercenary company. Jogin writes a few days ago about his experience with Real and I found through Kottke's message boards that the BBC offers a free, ad-free, painless,...
Trackback from Deckchairs on the Titanic at 16:56, 02 Mar, 2004 #
I actually have to use RealPlayer to view a weekly press conference as part of my job. Launching the application, it's just as likely to make use of my little office's entire DSL pipe (blocking all efforts of my coworkers to access the Internet) as it is to buffer/crash every 1.5 minutes. I've noticed that almost all NPR programming is available on RA only, which means there are still enough Real Audio servers out there to make our lives miserable for years and years.
Comment by Jason at 17:35, 02 Mar, 2004 #
The OS X version doesn't seem to be quite as parasitic--what I find even more infuriating is the fact that Graphic Converter seems to like thinking that it can handle *.rm files, thinking that they are some sort of proprietary NASA vector graphic format.
Comment by Ryan at 17:37, 02 Mar, 2004 #
Just my personal experience of the horror that is realplayer: after trying to upgrade (Why? Why did I do that?)to the latest version (probably the endless realupdate nagging finally got to me) realone at first stopped working completely, as starting the program just resulted in a few seconds of hard disk churning and then nothing. Then, after 3 or 4 uninstall and reinstalls (using different downloads, and I even tried the so-called bug free bbc version) I got the best result of all: realone plays all mpg files etc, but does not play realmedia files! At all! And yes, I did use the program which is supposed to wipe all realmedia files from one's hard disk, several times, in fact (it doesn't remove realplayer registry entries, though; funny, that). So you have my heartfelt thanks for pointing me to the real alternative download site: I have a program which lets me watch the handful of real media files I had saved, and I never need use real player again.
Comment by Jeanne at 22:06, 03 Mar, 2004 #
Its been over 4 years since I last had to touch Realplayer, and I've never felt better in my life.
Comment by Dan at 06:31, 04 Mar, 2004 #
I use OS X and only have Real One for .rm streams. It really is a piece of crap. Nobody's even touched the interface yet. It's horrid. The app itself is cumbersome with custom-drawn UI widgets and slow playback even on fast systems. It's in pretty much the same boat as Windows Media Player for the Mac.
You know, Apple's installers put a lot of code and images on my hard drive so other programs wouldn't have to reinvent the wheel, and so that there'd be some manner of consistency. Why don't programs use them? Drumbeat is also notoriously guilty of this crime.
Truthfully, QuickTime Player is the only video/stream app I can stand. It's not perfect, but it's light and does what I want it to do and no more.
Comment by Chris Vincent at 06:11, 05 Mar, 2004 #
You forgot to mention Real's web site, a sort-of computer IQ test that tries to trick you into downloading the pay version and used to install a spyware "download manager". (Does it still do that to the poor Windows users?)
Comment by Nate Silva at 07:42, 05 Mar, 2004 #
Mac OSX version naturally has different "features" but I'd certainly hate to het into an argument as to which platform has the most and/or most obnoxious. Wouldn't that be a platform battle royal?" Since am familiar with current (free) Windows version as well I might comment that Mac version seems to have more opportunities to override/eliminate obnoxious features, but suspect that's only because OSX version is likely younger, still ""in development," and Mac users can have some hope of having more of the same obnoxious features, or at least the opportunity to be annoyed as Windows users.
One note: while your idea about someone infiltrating their executive ranks is an interesting idea, be advised that all resumes have to indicate that the applicant was formerly employed by Disne, terminated prior to April 1, 1993, and has been unemployed since that time. Interesting means of keeping a tight hand on the rudder misdirecting the ship, no?
Comment by Steve at 08:33, 05 Mar, 2004 #
He, he. Another Real Hater here. Your last paragraph sounds straight out of Eastern Standard Tribe the novel by Cory Doctorow, where tribes from different time zones battle each other through the technique of bogus consultant advice. One of the things they try to care of is not to make the "client" suspicious. I guess Real Networks falled completely into their hands...:-)
Comment by Alfredo Octavio at 13:37, 05 Mar, 2004 #
when RealOne first came out and i was forced to register with their website in order to even *use* the software, i decided that i too could be a bastard.
i signed up with the email address fuckoff@127.0.0.1 and the password was also fuckoff.
it's easy to remember and they can't spam you, even if they try. feel free to use it whenever you need to install, or painfully re-install this app.
Comment by AnonymousBastard at 16:15, 05 Mar, 2004 #
Unfortunately, we'll be stuck with RealPlayer so long as content providers employ their format. While we can debate the merits of Real with eloquence, this website (and forums like it) aren't at all representative of most computer users.
To slay this beast, then, we need to convince the providers that Real is a terrible evil, not the users. Though not an easy task, this can be done. See the fellows at NPR's Car Talk:
"Car Talk will now be available via the Windows Media Player, rather than RealMedia. That's right, we're unceremoniously dumping RealMedia.
Why? Because, for a long time, we've had tons of complaints about RealNetworks. And the one that ticks us off the most is the perceived trickery they use to sell their premium products. This is just our opinion, mind you, but it's shared by enough of our listeners, that we finally decided to take action.
Here's the problem. In order to hear our audio, you have to go to Real.com and download their "free" RealPlayer. But when you get to the web site, the free player is harder to find than Osama Bin Laden at night. And the site seems to do everything it possibly can to get you to "buy" a player instead. You have to work very hard to get the free player. And we think that stinks. And get this. It stinks so much that it even makes Microsoft look good by comparison. That's something, huh?"
Comment by dce at 16:19, 05 Mar, 2004 #
The one thing that infuriates me about the OS X RealOne Player is that if you close the window, expecting it to behave like all other Mac apps that allow a program to run with no windows open...you quit the application. And it takes a *long* time to re-launch.
Comment by dzd at 16:34, 05 Mar, 2004 #
The "Real" problem with Real Player is on the server end of things. Dan's comment hit it on the nose - it cannot stream worth a damn. The proprietary and expensive server-side streaming software from Real uses some of the worst video codecs and most of the great codecs are simply not available when you convert a video file to a Real stream file.
Personally I've been absolutely blown away at the power and quality of the free Apple Quicktime Broadcaster used to serve live or static streams. It is easy to use and configure. Best of all the quality is incredible and you can use just about any video codec such as the great Sorenson codec. Anyway check it out and you'll wonder why we ever see any company choosing to pay big bucks for "Real pain-in-the-ass" software!
Comment by Randy at 16:40, 05 Mar, 2004 #
Heh. You haven't lived until you've had to install RealWhateverItIsToday in a 24 station lab. It was like a carpal tunnel factory.
Comment by Brad Rhine at 17:07, 05 Mar, 2004 #
I gave up on Real when Real One came out. Whatever content there is out there, I don't miss it.
Comment by -b- at 17:44, 05 Mar, 2004 #
Thanks to a combination of wanting to stream BBC stuff and the firewall in place in university accomodation, I do use real player. I recently dowloaded what I though was the BBC version, but that doesn't seem to have changed everything, I still get adverts.
However, I've not registered it. If you hit "cancel" when it asks you to register, it still loads up. After about a week or so of doing this, it seems to give in. Added to a combination of personal and university firewall blocking out most of the other "sevices" and careful set up (I associated it with Real Media files only), it works happily for me for what I wanted it for, and nothing else. If you know how to control it, it isn't too much of a problem.
Of course, if the BBC could just get round to reviving its project with Ogg Vorbis streaming, then we'd all surely be laughing
Comment by Al at 17:45, 05 Mar, 2004 #
The only thing I use Real for is watching pron .rm files. It feels appropriate, somehow....
Comment by AkiZ at 18:28, 05 Mar, 2004 #
Real themselves make an adware-free version of their product, designed for corporate users to deploy on their hard-disk images. It is called Realone Enterprise Desktop, will not be advertised anywhere, and can be obtained after a filling in a form here http://forms.real.com/rnforms/products/tools/red/ with fake information.
Comment by xarph at 18:39, 05 Mar, 2004 #
As an OS X user and avid BBC listener I find myself in total agreement with Steve Harrington (Comment 19) above.
RealPlayer on OS X is inocuous enough, but the fact that somehow Real persuaded me to subscribe - and now dock my credit card an small but regular monthly fee (which is proving very hard to extricate from), is pernicious in the extreme.
I find it extraordinary that the public-funded BBC have plumped for a proprietary commercial product. To learn (comment 18 above) that the BBC is moving towards Windows MediaPlayer beggars belief, and suggests that if anything Lord Hutton may have been too lenient.
Comment by Chris Bunch at 18:46, 05 Mar, 2004 #
No single software program has caused me more headaches than real player and real One player. As mentioned, they constantly run in the background interferring with memory and jazzing up my other programs.
But I have yet to find a suitable alternative and I have tried many.
Comment by tallglassofmilk at 20:00, 05 Mar, 2004 #
Steve Harrington (#19) said:
the BEST format is MP3 or which keeps propritary fingers OFF digital audio unlike real player and media player
Sorry to burst your bubble, but MP3 is proprietary (in a sense) too -- it's patented by a German corporation, and any encoder developers or broadcasters have to pay a licensing fee.
If you want a *truly* non-proprietary digital audio format, you should go with Ogg Vorbis.
Comment by Aaron at 20:41, 05 Mar, 2004 #
how would you make the program more obnoxious, more invasive, and less likable to the average user, without making the other executives and directors suspicious?
That's easy. A big, flashy background "live desktop" or whatever it it called, so that links to real.com are a misclick away. Install myself as a screensaver that sucked all available bandwidth on idle playing ads.
Reskin IE to be Real branded.
OK, that last one is probably a step too far.
Comment by Sniffy McNickles at 20:51, 05 Mar, 2004 #
RealPlayer 10 shows _significant_ improvement in behavior. Give it a chance some time. I think they're feeling some shame.
Comment by Jason at 23:53, 05 Mar, 2004 #
We need a new term for software that's as obnoxious, clingy, and in-your-face as RealPlayer. "Facehuggerware," perhaps.
Comment by Scott at 01:27, 06 Mar, 2004 #
I haven't had a machine with the Real Player installed on it since last decade. Reasons for my boycott include deceptive marketing tatics, poor quality, and heaping amounts of arragance no doubt acquired at the same time as the company's wealth.
Comment by J. Tarbell at 01:50, 06 Mar, 2004 #
I join in with remarks here about Real Player being a big-assed bastard. Why must users be the play thing of CEOs with over-stuffed egos bent on dominating the video market.
A side note. Like it or not, Bill Gates recently secured Windows Media 9 as the default codec for HD DVDs.
Comment by Eric at 06:30, 06 Mar, 2004 #
Eric, you are incorrect. WM9 is only one of 3 formats given PROVISIONAL approval for the HD DVD spec.
http://theregister.co.uk/content/54/35972.html
But it just isn't going to happen. I have a friend who worked at a TV station doing experiments in sending WM format video data between their studios and the transmitter, in a demonstration project for Microsoft. They had virtually unlimited bandwidth and unlimited budget, MS wanted to prove they were capable of perfect quality transmissions so broadcasters could use WM over Internet instead of conventional analog lines. But despite everything MS engineers could do, the project was a disaster. People started calling up the station asking why the picture was so fuzzy, it looked like crap, even though it was supposed to be lossless compression. MS admitted defeat and walked away from the project after spending millions of bucks on it.
Suffice to say that nobody will be producing HD DVDs in WM format.
Comment by Charles at 08:13, 06 Mar, 2004 #
I run a media lab, and sadly I have to keep RealOne on my disk image because certain content providers (even good ones) are married to the format.
A note on MPEG4 playback. RealOne will not play .mp4 without the Envivio (3rd party) plugin. Even after the envivio install, it pukes up an error dialog box claiming invalid media type, which if you are smart enough to ignore, the file will finally play. It will do this every time.
For reliable .mp4 playback you have to disable Real as the default player for rtsp, which of course it asserts automatically over more robust players, like quicktime, that have no problem whatsoever with MPEG4.
Due to the RealOne glitch, getting reliable client-side delivery of MPEG4 outside of a controlled lab environment (on students' machines in their dorms, e.g.) requires copious instruction.
Yeah, I can't wait for Real to go down in flames.
Comment by Zach at 18:40, 06 Mar, 2004 #
The only thing I use RealOne for on my PowerBook is listening to Coast To Coast AM. I consider it a better alternative to Windows Media Player (for Mac)!
To Real's credit, RealOne is certainly much better than the "virus-like" nightmare for Mac OS 9 and earlier that they were offering. Let's hope that it continues to get better.
QuickTime Player certainly sucks, with its poor buffering of incoming data, irrespective of connection settings...
Steve
Comment by Steve Klingsporn at 22:32, 06 Mar, 2004 #
I'm running OS X as well. I had a similiar problem with Real where I thought I was paying a one time fee to get a full version, but instead I was subscribing to some sort of service that docked my credit card every month. I was hardpressed to comprehend what Real was offering that was worth $29.00 a month! I was also hardpressed to get Real to stop charging me. Bastards. Bastards all.
Comment by Brian at 19:55, 07 Mar, 2004 #
I too wrote a rant about RealPlayer, back in 2001 or so.
http://krellan.com/rant/real.html
The version of RealPlayer I reviewed, RealPlayer 8, was probably a low water mark for them. Horrible indeed.
I installed RP 10 and it is actually a bit better and friendlier. Not 100% ethical yet, but getting closer. I look forward to trying the Open Source versions of the player (Helix, etc.)....
Comment by Krellan at 06:49, 08 Mar, 2004 #
I use a Mac running OS X and I'm still not impressed by Real Player. As much money as they dumped into it, you'd think they could keep it from totally futzing up my iBook.
Personally, I prefer Quicktime for everything. It's fast, it works, there's only one ad, but unfortunately the rest of the world doesn't see it that way. Even the Windows Media Player for Mac doesn't kill my machine half as effectively as Real Player (it still runs like an overweight tree sloth, though).
But mostly, it doesn't lock up my iBook.
"It was a really good paper ..."
Comment by ace at 07:32, 08 Mar, 2004 #
What I want to know is why virus scanners do not stop you installing the RealVirus?
Like most of you I am once bittern forever shy, I would only install it on my worst enemy's machine now.
I do wish I could view more of the BBC's content, but the price is too high.
Comment by sideshowjon at 09:28, 08 Mar, 2004 #
mplayer is a good alternative for realmedia files on linux and I think Mac OS X also (unix based systems)..even has a GUI
There's also a somewhat beta plugin for netscape/mozilla.
http://www.mplayerhq.hu/homepage/design6/info.html
Comment by Endsley at 09:30, 08 Mar, 2004 #
I hate Real Player too, and I have ignored content in Real-format for years. Recently however, I found out about Real Alternative from http://www.k-litecodecpack.com/. It plays everything I tried to play with it, while you don't even notice it's there. Really good.
Comment by Roel Schroeven at 11:21, 08 Mar, 2004 #
I use RealOne at work and fucking loathe it. Its got it's grimey fingers all over my PC, constantly pops up windows, crashes, and uses way to much CPU. The way Real try to trick you into paying for it is scandalous.
At home on OSX, its bearable, it keeps to itself and is reasonably stable, but because of MPlayer there is no need for it. Im sure there is a Windows version too.
Comment by dust breeding at 12:34, 08 Mar, 2004 #
If you have a collection of .rm and .ram files that you can't live without, you can use an old version of RealPlayer downloaded from http://www.oldversion.com that does not mess around with your PC.
Realplayer 8 is the last version of RealPlayer released before RealPlayer One which is the first version to use devious tricks to hide the checked no-spam/adware/malware checkboxes. Although RealPlayer 8 also has some opt-out ad thingies, at least in RealPlayer 8, they are easy to find and disabling them is straightforward. The only annoying thing about my version of Reallayer 8 is that occasionally, it asks me to upgrade to RealPlayer One, but this is easy to ignore.
As you can see from the front-page of oldversion.com, RealPlayer 8 is one of the most popular downloads on that site.
Comment by anonymouse at 16:28, 08 Mar, 2004 #
NEWS FLASH: Real Player is a virus! lol Really, that's what I think of it...it has the same properties as quicktime that always has to install itself at startup in the background as well for no usefull reason IMHO.
Comment by roy at 18:53, 08 Mar, 2004 #
Here's a link to download old versions of RealPlayer:
http://proforma.real.com/real/player/blackjack.html
Slightly differently than the link posted above since this is "official" from Real (whether or not that's a good thing is obviously up for debate).
RealPlayer 8 ain't so bad once you get all of the crap and notifications turned off.
Comment by kris247 at 20:17, 08 Mar, 2004 #
real alternative - ;)
Comment by Myke at 07:38, 09 Mar, 2004 #
Real Alternative will allow you to play RealMedia file without having to install RealPlayer or RealOne Player. Supported are: RealAudio (.ra .rpm), RealMedia (.rm .ram .rmvb .rpx .smi .smil), RealText (.rt), ReadPix (.rp). It also supports RealMedia content that is embedded in webpages.
RealMedia .smi and .smil files are not fully supported, only the first part will usually be played. This is a limitation of the current Media Player Classic. The RealMedia Browser plugin supports Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla and Netscape.
Comment by Myke at 07:40, 09 Mar, 2004 #
I wish I could identify with all the problems people are having with Real hijacking their CPU, defaulting to use all file extensions, installing badly etc etc.
Unfortunately I can't.
That's because the freaking thing always makes my computer hang! I tried installing it a few times on my Windows 2000 system. Each time I double-clicked on a Real media file, the computer would hang. How's that for bastard app!
I've only read about 28 of the comments so I suppose someone else has already said all this
Comment by Murli at 10:23, 09 Mar, 2004 #
There is only one good thing about RP as far as I'm concerned: It gives us a standard by which we can judge other garbageheap apps.
Comment by Michael Heilemann at 10:36, 09 Mar, 2004 #
Real Player really is the plague, sadly I listen to recorded radio streams from the bbc so I googled my way to real alternative which does the trick and doesnt seem to do anything other than let me play the file I want. Real should allow a codec only install...but we all know they wont, so thats why everyone should go and look for the real alternative codec pack!
Comment by stu at 19:00, 09 Mar, 2004 #
does anyone know why the BBC refuses to provide an MPEG4 stream or an Ogg feed. Real is awful, and WMP is worse. Why on eart are the BBC helping Microsoft monopolise yet another market?
Comment by custard cream at 11:00, 10 Mar, 2004 #
This is the precise reason that i will NEVER install real. For instance CNN has a subscription service that i would pay for if it was not based on Real products. After my first experience with Real One I will NEVER install it again ever.
Comment by James Ison at 17:53, 10 Mar, 2004 #
Whats the law on streaming a BBC service yourself? I've had enough of Realplay trashing my PC at work - I've used the free Windows Media Server to stream a BBC radio station from my always-on broadband connection at home from my radio hi-fi to listen to at work, exactly the same connection speed as the BBC's official stream but with full FM quality, no connection drops or pestering me to buy stuff. This even works for re-broadcasting TV using a £20 TV capture card. Not sure I should be doing this though...
Comment by Rob at 14:23, 11 Mar, 2004 #
One more point to mention is that it sounds like there is going to be a lot of work from the BBC generating even more Real Content. It looks like thousands of archived BBC shows will be converted into online clips. The full article can be found here.
It doesn't mention which format this archive will be in, but no prizes for guessing which one it is going to be. Unfortunatly the sheer volume of these clips appearing on the BBC site will probably mean that users will be stuck with this choice for a very long time and shape the chosen format in the future. This could will be the online version of the TV format war with Marconi-EMI VS Baird that happened in 1937 . As I understand it the main reason that the Marconi-EMI format won was due to the amount of broadcast content for BBC audiences, the basics behind the Marconi-EMI system are still being used to this day. Who knows if Real continue to be the BBC's choice of streaming technology, in 50 years time we'll all be watching stuttering ad-driven online clips on our home media centers...
Comment by Rob at 14:51, 11 Mar, 2004 #
This blog entry explains why publishing our A/V resources in Realplayer format would be raining hell on our users. Personally I think all the streaming media formats have major flaws, but the one thing I have to say about Microsoft Media Player is that...
Trackback from Legal Aid University at 17:13, 12 Mar, 2004 #
One of my friends has been having problems with iTunes on her PC. Looks like Real Player moved all the music she had added to it so she thought she'd lost it all. I use a mac on OS X so I've not had that problem. Has anyone else?
Comment by Caz at 19:08, 12 Mar, 2004 #
I have not used real in about 2 years. Back when I did use it, it couldn't even stream video at a deacent quality on a T1 line. QuickTime could stream video better on a dial-up than real on the T1.
Comment by Matt at 21:29, 12 Mar, 2004 #
I've always hated realplayer but a few days ago I was on a site that had an old music video that I really wanted to see. The video was in realplayer format. Foolishly I went against the bad experiences I'd had with realplayer and my instincts blinded by the video I would have liked to have seen, installed.
"Ooohh you idiot!" I cried, as realplayer refused to play the file, bringig back painful memories of old.
"How could you be so stupid!" I barked as i looked at my realplayer infested system. Then I sobbed as everytime I tried to uninstall the message "uninstaller componant missing" flashed up again and again and again, AAARRGH.
I stumbled upon this site whilst looking for some way of getting rid of it. Good to see I'm not alone.
Comment by pete at 02:58, 13 Mar, 2004 #
Well, I installed the enterprise version of Real Player and it will not start under any circumstances.
Also, Real Alternative refuses to play a few Real Media files I've downloaded, and if I install it along with another version of Real Player, it renders Real Player unusable. It -deletes- DLLs that Real Player needs.
The alternative isn't any better than the official solution.
Comment by David Silva at 03:44, 15 Mar, 2004 #
Speaking of obnoxiouness, I had to download Quicktime for Windows today and so went to the normal place on the Apple site: Quicktime > Download and clicked the big 'Download Quicktime' icon. Doing this would indicate that I wanted to download Quicktime, no? So would you believe, it proceeded to download the whole iTunes package for me! Excuse me, but I wanted just Quicktime - not iTunes.
It turns out there's a tiny little link on the page that says 'QuickTime Standalone Installer', and clicking this takes you to the right place to download the standlone player. The big 'Download Quicktime' button is a rude little con to get you to download iTunes. Bah.
So, it seem Apple is being a bit obnoxious itself on this one. Not quite as bad as Real, but still, annoying nonetheless.
Comment by Charles Roper at 01:03, 18 Mar, 2004 #
I concur! A well articulated critique.
As an IT professional Real%noun%player is on my list of daily hassles to sort out for people. Removal of this uses up a lot of my time after the people i serve have installed it. They don't know any better so it's not their fault. Even if you advise them that their system will never be the same again they will still do it! They just want to be able to utilise some of the functionality available on the web e.g viewing news sites video reports...like www.bbc.co.uk
We live in a society of choices. Real player subverts this in a small way. I'm all for the functionality it provides but not the invasive nature of it's installation.
It takes advantage of people's ignorance with all it's 'bells and whistles'. Let's hope that some more developers produce better alternatives that give people a choice about what they want to get out of the Internet.
I live for the day when real player gets targeted by angry DDOS attackers. Possibly by all the people they have upset...only joking!
I do concede that new software development has to be paid for by some means....porn is the cash cow for the Internet usually....BUT i also object to the real ethos of cannelling THEIR rubbish to you....
There ....that's my spleen vented for this week
Comment by Andy in the UK at 00:07, 19 Mar, 2004 #
Couldn't agree more with all of the above.
Question: installed real alternative
Tried Real alternative but having no joy in getting it to stream archived material on Opera (works ok on Explorer).
Any tips?
Comment by Nick TIms at 17:24, 19 Mar, 2004 #
The "Real alternative" (and the corresponding QuickTime alternative" mentioned in post 4 work great. I've been using them for a few months on my XP system, and I've been able to view a number of .ram and .qt files without installing the bloatware from Real or Apple.
Comment by Max at 16:10, 23 Mar, 2004 #
Hello,
everyone who considers removing the Real trash but still owns some RealVideo files is encouraged to try out the "RM Converter" from www.boilsoft.com. This cute little utility can convert RM files to AVI and even vice versa (but who might ever want to do that??). I'm not sure if that is 100% legal, but it worked well for me.
Another nice thingy is "Streambox VCR Suite 2" (try to find it using Google), which can rip Real streams straight to your HD.
Oh, yes, and if anyone at Real is reading this: F*** you all. Calling your software a piece of crap would be ways to nice to describe its terrifying annoyance. One can make money without dirty tricks. There are millions of people out there who do honest work, why just can't you?
Comment by Andy at 02:00, 25 Mar, 2004 #
...relentlessly eschewed all respect for the customer’s privacy, religiously enforced a proprietary audio format, and purposefully misled customers...
Trackback from compooter at 02:50, 29 Jun, 2004 #
The BBC is developing an open source video compression codec called Driac. Good to see the BBC looking to provide alternatives to the spyware-ridden bloatware that is Real Player, and Windows Media Player. Jogin explains better than I can what I hat...
Trackback from Leigh's persistent thoughts at 16:08, 23 Oct, 2004 #
The discussion has been closed on this entry. Thanks to everybody who participated.