Windows Media Player 10 : IN…MusicMatch Jukebox 10: OUT:

This past week has been an eye opener for me. For years I never used Windows Media Player unless I really had to use it…this week I had to use and the experience was not bad at all. Media Player 10 by far is a pretty nice player to rip and burn CDs. The latest version of MusicMatch has left a very bad taste in my mouth and I can’t brush my tongue hard enough to get the bad taste of my mouth (I’m over exaggerating but I do not like the latest version MusicMatch). Yahoo acquired MusicMatch and as always it was a really power little strong application. It focused on audio, you could record music from cassettes or LPs, the tagging was really nice but it’s really sad when some of the companies buy other companies and a was great app will be turned into “junk”

First and foremost I have older versions of MusicMatch so I was upset that whenever I was use my older version they stopped working. At first I thought the program got corrupted or messed up as some programs do from time to time but then I got to thinking about every time I would go and use MusicMatch a pop up window would ask, “do I wish to upgrade” or “another version is available” and I would click “No” and then it hit me, Yahoo reached inside of my system to have my program not function and to me that is just wrong to the 100th power. This is a legal copy of MusicMatch so how dare you come into my system and make me upgrade.

I finally broke down and downloaded the free MusicMatch Jukebox and at first it was pretty cool. Then this past week the headaches began. First, every single time I opened MusicMatch, that window would pop up, “to receive faster burning for CDs and ripping to your computer…upgrade to MusicMatch Plus. Now grant it, it’s only 20 bucks and I believe it’s a one-time thing where you do not have to upgrade again but that became pretty tiresome

Second, after so many burns you can not burn mp3 cds or data cds. I like burning my mp3s into data cd instead of mp3, this way I like because it keeps the songs in separate folders so when I use my Sony CD mp3 player I can scan to folders to listen to just one artist or I can shuffle the entire cd I have burned and this is a plus for me when it comes to this because Windows Media Player and iTunes does not have this feature so imagine my “ticked off” level going up when it a window pops up saying, “you have used your trial burn extension and you will not be able to use this function unless you upgrade to MusicMatch Plus.”

Now my geek brother Luis has told me about Windows Media Player for a while for burning and ripping cds so I tried it this past week and it’s not have bad…not bad at all. Score one for Microsoft. ^_^

A couple of things to let you know about Windows Media Player that I have come across. You may have to play around with it and find out exactly how to burn your cds because you have to make a Playlist first (just like iTunes). Once you figure out how to do that your okay. Another thing, Media Player 10 comes with the capability to burn in mp3 format. Media Player 9 did not and if you did you had to download a plug-in and it is not free. One more thing, do not download Windows Media Player 11 because from what I here DRM is all over this version so stick with 10 I think you will really like it.

Now you will have to go inside Media Player 10 and configure it to covert your tracks into mp3 and I would uncheck the box for “copy proctection” because this way when it comes to mp3 formatted cd you can play them in any player that supports that type of format. If you do not uncheck it, the cd will only play in Windows Media Players only.

Now for my older versions for MusicMatch…

I installed it and unchecked any box that will have me check for any updates for plug-ins, drivers, new versions because;

1. I do not need a new version
2. I will only use it now for just burning data cds

Down the road I may try the new MusicMatch but for now I will not because again, for a company to be able to reach into your system and disable an older, “legitimate” version of an application that I own is not cool to me at all. I will let you know how this systems work out for me and will give you an update later but for now I have found a new friend and it’s name is Windows Media Player 10…”Hey ya Joe…whad do ya know?” ^_~

{older versions of MusicMatch can be found at OldApps.com}

Note: Since this post I have tried to load my version of MusicMatch Jukebox on my other laptop and it will not let me do so. I have since moved on to Nero. I really do hate this because MM was a cool little program.

*sigh*

Everything thing, good or bad, comes to an end.