Microsoft and RealNetworks Resolve Antitrust Case Damn. Real Networks sucks so bad. It has been the pariah that I never can seem to truly be rid of. It pains me to hear that Real Networks seems to be getting a leg up here. NO. I don’t want pop ups thank you. NO. keep your crazy software that wants to reinstall itself all the time to yourself. Get out of my systray. No I don’t want “free” aol or internet. And god no. I do not want you as my primary media player. I don’t want the Real OneSearch Internet Explorer toolbar or any of your other spyware. I don’t want to have to “register” my product with you and I don’t want to be kept updated with your product news and updates. I hate you.
Perhaps they’re different now and perhaps I’m not giving them a fair shake as my only feelings about them are based on about six years of them trying to sell me things, making my toolbars flash with “update” requests and being told that whatever it is I wanted to play couldn’t play because I need yet another download from them. Quite frankly I wish they could be driven out of business.
Whether valid or not I have pretty strong feelings that they suck at present. I’ll stick with Windows Media Player thank you very much. Maybe they are trying to reinvent themselves as a consumer media company but here’s a hint. Change your name. People hate you. At least Gator had the good sense to change their name to Claria.
Nice rant! I so agree with you. I have a couple of friends that work there, even they are embarrased to admit it most of the time…
Off the subject: I noticed you like to use God in your phraseology, but you always use it in the lowercase, what gives? If you were to say, for example, “any Tom, Dick or Harry would be able to figure that out,” would you leave the T, D, and H capitalized or would change those to lowercase too? Just curious… because readers like me who believe in God would find that disrespectful. (Just a heads up if the thought hasn’t crossed your mind.)
I think of God with a big G as the actual diety and god with a small g as mere slang. Perhaps I shouldn’t use it at all. No offense meant to anyone for sure.
If you want to play RealMedia content without installing their bloatware, “Real Alternative” is a handy little codec. No ads, registration, etc.
http://www.codecguide.com/about_real.htm
Real used to have very intrusive software. That changed recently. I don’t find their stuff intrusive at all. Saying their stuff is bloated is dating your use of product. I don’t particularly like their player but it’s not what it used to be.
Dano, sometimes you only get 30 or 40 chances to make a first impression.
Thanks for reminding me how much I hate Real as well. It has been years since I deleted all its tendrils and hooks from my machine and swore I would rather never see a particular clip than ever download Real again. That was several years ago, and I had honestly forgotten how much I hated them. Thanks to your reminder, it will take more years and dozens and dozens of positive comments from trusted sources before I ever consider their horrible software.
I just downloaded rhapsody before I realized it was REal networks. I had the account canceled within 5 minutes…unfortunately, Real probably has come up with a way to still steal my money. I hate Real so much. You’re right about the name change. Rhapsody almost had me until I saw Real.
I hate Real so much that now instead of asking “really?” when they say something unbelievable. I simply say ‘sucks?”