Comments on: MovieLink: How Stupid Can You Get? http://www.musingsfrommars.org/2006/04/movielink-how-stupid-can-you-get.html I've been observing personal computing behavior for a long time, and now I have some things to say. Here are my two cents about computing, music, software, and related topics. Sat, 02 May 2026 06:10:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Leland http://www.musingsfrommars.org/2006/04/movielink-how-stupid-can-you-get.html#comment-265 Leland Wed, 10 May 2006 20:14:06 +0000 http://www.musingsfrommars.org/?p=643#comment-265 Anonymous, you're missing the point. You go for the obvious just as the folks at MovieLink have done, without really using your brain. Sure, it seems to make sense, but then, didn't it also make sense for audio? As I noted, there were several competing audio download firms catering exclusively to Windows users before Apple opened up iTunes music store. There are problems with both Windows and with Microsoft's formats that make them factors to avoid in your thinking, rather than assuming they will save you. The other point is that the nonproprietary video formats Apple uses for its iTunes video and iPod are not only demonstrably superior to Windows Media, they are also available for 99% of the market, not just 90%. It costs nothing, and you don't even have to pay Apple a license fee to distribute content in that format. Not only that, it doesn't even require a download for millions of users because they already have iTunes installed, which can play video as well as audio. Let's see... 99% is better than 90%, isn't it? That's a fact, not an opinion. h264 video is vastly superior to Windows media... get Quicktime 7 and take a look at some h264 content to see for yourself. That's better, too. A company that's failed miserably at providing usable audio download service is one you trust to build a profitable video download service? Not on the planet I'm from, does that make any sense. I don't think the MovieLink folks factored these other considerations into their decision... that's the point of the article. And that's a polite way of putting it. I wasn't so polite the first time around... :-) Anonymous, you’re missing the point. You go for the obvious just as the folks at MovieLink have done, without really using your brain. Sure, it seems to make sense, but then, didn’t it also make sense for audio? As I noted, there were several competing audio download firms catering exclusively to Windows users before Apple opened up iTunes music store. There are problems with both Windows and with Microsoft’s formats that make them factors to avoid in your thinking, rather than assuming they will save you. The other point is that the nonproprietary video formats Apple uses for its iTunes video and iPod are not only demonstrably superior to Windows Media, they are also available for 99% of the market, not just 90%. It costs nothing, and you don’t even have to pay Apple a license fee to distribute content in that format. Not only that, it doesn’t even require a download for millions of users because they already have iTunes installed, which can play video as well as audio.

Let’s see… 99% is better than 90%, isn’t it? That’s a fact, not an opinion.

h264 video is vastly superior to Windows media… get Quicktime 7 and take a look at some h264 content to see for yourself. That’s better, too.

A company that’s failed miserably at providing usable audio download service is one you trust to build a profitable video download service? Not on the planet I’m from, does that make any sense.

I don’t think the MovieLink folks factored these other considerations into their decision… that’s the point of the article. And that’s a polite way of putting it. I wasn’t so polite the first time around… :-)

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.musingsfrommars.org/2006/04/movielink-how-stupid-can-you-get.html#comment-264 Anonymous Wed, 10 May 2006 08:54:53 +0000 http://www.musingsfrommars.org/?p=643#comment-264 Maybe some people should check out what the market is for Mac users , Linux Users and compare it to the market for those that use windows. You will then understand the "business" decision that drove movielink to only offer to support a Windows version. Thats like asking why are video games for Mac sent out so much later than windows. Why are there no video games for Linux? Its because the market is NULL and void. I dont care if the Ipod has taken off thats not someone buying a Mac over a Wintel box. I think Linux and Macs are great. I just have worked in the industry long enough to realize, try for the 90% desktop market then shoot for the last 10% Maybe some people should check out what the market is for Mac users , Linux Users and compare it to the market for those that use windows. You will then understand the “business” decision that drove movielink to only offer to support a Windows version. Thats like asking why are video games for Mac sent out so much later than windows. Why are there no video games for Linux? Its because the market is NULL and void. I dont care if the Ipod has taken off thats not someone buying a Mac over a Wintel box. I think Linux and Macs are great. I just have worked in the industry long enough to realize, try for the 90% desktop market then shoot for the last 10%

]]> By: Stephen Antonucci http://www.musingsfrommars.org/2006/04/movielink-how-stupid-can-you-get.html#comment-263 Stephen Antonucci Mon, 10 Apr 2006 18:44:41 +0000 http://www.musingsfrommars.org/?p=643#comment-263 Tony B, Maybe you are not informed but Linux is free! There are also plenty of Live CDs that allow you to run and check out Linux without ever loading it to your system, like Knoppix, Slax, PCLinuxOS and Ubuntu. Dual booting Linux is the norm for many users, so you do not need another machine. See my post http://www.reelsmart.com/2006/03/12/ubuntu-live-cds-try-linux-today/ Also, Macs are not expensive as you may think (many Windows users make this mistake). Mac minis start at just $599 and guess what you can dual boot Windows on them also using Apple's Boot Camp. See these post: http://www.reelsmart.com/2006/04/05/apple-unveils-boot-camp-to-run-windows-xp-natively/ OK, so now I have given you the information to become informed, you do not need another computer or money to try Linux and Macs are cheap and also run Windows. Snobbery aside, Tech savvy people would have already known this. But now you are armed with the info to become "informed!" Now find the time, or allow the people who are informed some respect. Stephen Antonucci ReelSmart.com Tony B,

Maybe you are not informed but Linux is free! There are also plenty of Live CDs that allow you to run and check out Linux without ever loading it to your system, like Knoppix, Slax, PCLinuxOS and Ubuntu. Dual booting Linux is the norm for many users, so you do not need another machine. See my post http://www.reelsmart.com/2006/03/12/ubuntu-live-cds-try-linux-today/

Also, Macs are not expensive as you may think (many Windows users make this mistake). Mac minis start at just $599 and guess what you can dual boot Windows on them also using Apple’s Boot Camp.

See these post:
http://www.reelsmart.com/2006/04/05/apple-unveils-boot-camp-to-run-windows-xp-natively/

OK, so now I have given you the information to become informed, you do not need another computer or money to try Linux and Macs are cheap and also run Windows.

Snobbery aside, Tech savvy people would have already known this. But now you are armed with the info to become “informed!” Now find the time, or allow the people who are informed some respect.
Stephen Antonucci
ReelSmart.com

]]> By: Tony B http://www.musingsfrommars.org/2006/04/movielink-how-stupid-can-you-get.html#comment-262 Tony B Sun, 09 Apr 2006 19:47:32 +0000 http://www.musingsfrommars.org/?p=643#comment-262 When I mentioned prejudice, I was referring to your characterisation of Windows users as stupid people, not your opinions about Windows itself - that may well be informed opinion, whereas your characterisation of Windows users cannot be. If I had some spare money, which I don't, I would love to get hold of a mac - and I if I had spare time and a spare machine, which I also don't, maybe I'd try running Linux, even if it's just to find out if there is anything behind the snobbery and elitism associated with these OS ;-) Tech savvy? Moi? Probably more than some and less than others. When I mentioned prejudice, I was referring to your characterisation of Windows users as stupid people, not your opinions about Windows itself - that may well be informed opinion, whereas your characterisation of Windows users cannot be.

If I had some spare money, which I don’t, I would love to get hold of a mac - and I
if I had spare time and a spare machine, which I also don’t, maybe I’d try running Linux, even if it’s just to find out if there is anything behind the snobbery and elitism associated with these OS ;-)

Tech savvy? Moi? Probably more than some and less than others.

]]> By: Leland http://www.musingsfrommars.org/2006/04/movielink-how-stupid-can-you-get.html#comment-260 Leland Fri, 07 Apr 2006 21:53:30 +0000 http://www.musingsfrommars.org/?p=643#comment-260 Oops! You're right... some of the smartest people I know use Windows. What I meant was, "Only technologically stupid people use Windows..." Everybody who's really tech savvy has given Windows up except when absolutely necessary. We use either Mac OS X or Linux, or some other Unix flavor such as BSD. Oh wait, there are three other categories of tech-savvy people who use Windows: People who run Help Desks, who write malware and viruses, and who are hard-core gamers. Sorry... if you're not one of those, but still think you're tech-savvy, you need to do some serious studying of the alternatives. If all you know is Windows, you will never know how technologically stupid you are! Just to clarify for those who came in late... Prejudice only exists when you have a negative opinion about something you know nothing about. I know a great deal about Windows, and I know how rotten it is inside. I also know a great deal about Mac OS X, and there's just no comparison. That's not prejudice... it's an informed opinion. What I refer to as prejudice is Windows users who have negative attitudes toward the Mac, yet have either never used one, have used one occasionally but never as a full-time computing environment, or haven't used one at all in the last 2-3 years. In that case, you have no basis for a negative opinion. You only have an emotional prejudice. Thanks for inviting me to clarify. Oops! You’re right… some of the smartest people I know use Windows. What I meant was, “Only technologically stupid people use Windows…” Everybody who’s really tech savvy has given Windows up except when absolutely necessary. We use either Mac OS X or Linux, or some other Unix flavor such as BSD. Oh wait, there are three other categories of tech-savvy people who use Windows: People who run Help Desks, who write malware and viruses, and who are hard-core gamers. Sorry… if you’re not one of those, but still think you’re tech-savvy, you need to do some serious studying of the alternatives. If all you know is Windows, you will never know how technologically stupid you are!

Just to clarify for those who came in late… Prejudice only exists when you have a negative opinion about something you know nothing about. I know a great deal about Windows, and I know how rotten it is inside. I also know a great deal about Mac OS X, and there’s just no comparison. That’s not prejudice… it’s an informed opinion. What I refer to as prejudice is Windows users who have negative attitudes toward the Mac, yet have either never used one, have used one occasionally but never as a full-time computing environment, or haven’t used one at all in the last 2-3 years. In that case, you have no basis for a negative opinion. You only have an emotional prejudice.

Thanks for inviting me to clarify.

]]> By: Tony B http://www.musingsfrommars.org/2006/04/movielink-how-stupid-can-you-get.html#comment-261 Tony B Fri, 07 Apr 2006 20:04:35 +0000 http://www.musingsfrommars.org/?p=643#comment-261 you make some good points and then spoil it all by saying windows users are "really stupid people". looks the the prejudice isn't restricted to the target of your ire. you make some good points and then spoil it all by saying windows users are “really stupid people”. looks the the prejudice isn’t restricted to the target of your ire.

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