Warm Up…
Yesterday, I posted Part 1 of this review detailing what I felt were some non-bug related issues concerning Windows Media Player 11 Beta 2. The problems stated, stemmed mostly due to functionality I’ve seen deleted from WMP10. I believe I’ve already made my case against trading functionality for looks, so today’s finisher will deal above all with some bug’s in this build, and some improvements over WMP10. Luckily for you, this isn’t a “10 Reasons You’ll Love WMP11.” article, layered with saucy compliments to Microsoft’s glory. No, no, quite fortunately for you, perhaps depressing for myself; I’m not being paid to puff up the next installment for the masses to drool at; here goes nothing.
*DRM…
Now, let me make this perfectly clear, I’m not expert on DRM in any context. I have never downloaded, for a price, DRM infected music. No, rather, I prefer to buy and rip CD’s. I’m a stickler for music quality, and I require something solid I can fall back on in the horrendous event my library were to disappear, or possibly a music-audit by the ever pressing RIAA. With that in mind, I can only really speak on things I’ve heard about the DRM infection on WMP11. Yes, I’m sure I’m only spouting what you’ve already read, but WMP11 does not allow you to back up licenses on protected music. I’m to understand that this means copying music over to your new computer is now restricted. Aside from the obvious downfalls to this, it just basically sucks. My advice to you is…drum role…don’t buy DRM infected music. Buy and rip CD’s, not Sony’s, its much better when all is said and done. Sorry, but at this time, I can not speak more pedantically on this subject. But I digress.
Bugs…
WMP11 has its fair share of bugs; let no one lie to you. As I’m not a prominent beta tester, I can’t relate this experience to anything previously; however I can say that most of its bugs seem minor and easily fixable, most. While rummaging around the interface, I’ve noticed I have to set an option multiple times before it finally sets in. This seems true all around for WMP11, happening rather sporadically. This kind of problem is the most fun to decode; imagine someone sitting down at their computer with you, trying to explain what happens every Saturday at 4 to 6ish when they open up media player and aim, then minimize to write in word while surfing only particular web pages. Annoying stuff, but I’m only assuming things like this will be fixed in time for a release client.
Other bugs were more prominent and consistent. For the life of me, I can’t get WMP11’s now playing tab to open video’s that fit to the player on start or resize. No matter what is set in this field, videos continue to open at only 200% its normal size.
Another, and a huge one indeed, issue I feel I should highlight deals with WMP11’s library search function. Perhaps it would be more proper to suggest this is a bug with the entire library. For whatever reason, WMP11 won’t recognize almost 20% of my music. I have no explanation for this what so ever. All of my music is organized in one folder located on my SATA drive. It is all completely folder-ized, artist->album->Songs, and it was all ripped in MP3 format. The only exception to this would be the several, I mean 5-6, songs I have stored as WMA files. This in no way accounts for the 1000+ songs it won’t let me claim. Please forgive me if this is a known issue related to DRM.
Finally, I’d like to call attention to the lack of detail almost every drop down menu has. I know I’ve already called attention to such functionality problems in the previous article, but I really feel that Microsoft should treat this like a massive set of bugs. Access to anything should be intuitive, with more then one way to get to it. WMP11 is a shining example of what would happen if programmers were only aloud to call functions/methods once in any program; complete anarchy.
Improvements…
Aesthetically, WMP11 wooed me from the start. I really like the way it looks and feels, not to suggest that all of this isn’t completely opinionated. But I think anyone migrating from WMP10 to 11 will feel like their computer is new…at least when the window’s maximized.
Starting out also seems rather easy. The interface is obviously not to my taste; however, I could honestly see anyone finding this player to be close in regardless to the movement and overall, well feel of iTunes. A big gripe of mine with iTunes is its insistent nature when it wants to do things its way. Thus, iTunes gurus may find solace in WMP11, though I don’t know any Mac zealots chomping at the bit to change.
Burning has gotten a bit easier with this installment. WMP10 has a burn list, and a default “Untitled List” used to create play lists on the fly. In order to burn your “Untitled List” it’s required that you save the list. Then you must click on the burn tab, and open the list to be burnt. This is a half assed walk around they have silenced with WMP11. When clicking on the burn tab, your “Untitled List” migrates to the burning menu, ready to go.
Finally and most importantly, WMP11 has gotten a huge revamp in favor of those with “Huge” libraries of music. Again, echoing what I’ve read, WMP10 was designed with the mindset that 10,000 songs is a ridiculously large library. WMP11, however, has been designed to fit libraries millions of songs long. This was ever apparent when moving about the library; I didn’t feel the hesitation WMP10 can have at times. I was able to scroll thousands of songs without a twitch. Some overhauling has obviously taken place beneath the hood of this new model.
Final Thoughts…
WMP11 is far from an upgrade to WMP10, plain and simple. Imagine a new car, dodge neon perhaps. Imagine an ’05 Neon with all the bells and whistles; its not the fastest or prettiest, but you’ve got a CD player, heating, air conditioning, windshield wipers, lights, a speedometer, tachometer, odometer, ABS, power windows and locks, steering wheel and two bucket seats. Now imagine an ’06 neon. This time, the car is faster, and looks pretty inside and out, but theirs no windshield wipers, lights, odometer, or bucket seats. Furthermore the speedometer, tachometer, power window/lock controls, and CD player are in the trunk. Now take the steering wheel and place it on the driver side door. Next put a giant Dodge emblem where the steering wheel used to be; thus you have a Dodge Neon 11 Beta 2…’06.
*For more information on DRM and WMP11, see below posted link.
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=34523
Thanks to Flying Fox for the link.
