RealNetworks continues to crank out some of the crappiest software on the Internet. I downloaded the newest version of RealPlayer yesterday (which is to say that my old version of RealPlayer downloaded it without my consent), and the "improvements" I noticed included: new round beveled buttons that take up more space than they should in the interface; increase in general interface clutter; the inability to play Quicktime videos after RealPlayer's installation, even though I specifically gave RealPlayer no permission to play or associate itself with any non-RealMedia files; the installation made me restart my Web browser; it didn't re-connect me to the video I was trying to play before the installation occurred; and the program installed itself back in my task tray and made me jump through hoops to get it removed. In short, RealPlayer is programmed mainly for the benefit of RealNetworks and not for that of their users. If at all possible, I'm going to avoid using their player in the future.
...is a weblog about the liberal arts 2.0 edited by Jason Kottke since March 1998 (archives). You can read about me and kottke.org here. If you've got questions, concerns, or interesting links, send them along.