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Barney_Rubble
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 2699
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Everyone seems to rave about Windows Media Player 9, but I don't like it. 
> I don't like the "auto playlist" feature.
> I don't like the "ratings" feature. If I didn't like a track, it wouldn't be on my computer anyway.
I've disabled these two, so they aren't a problem any more, but the rest of my gripes aren't so easily resolved.
> The alphabetical sort doesn't work properly, possibly because I've got "too many" tracks (about 75) in some of my playlists.
> Editing playlists to correct this deficiency is much more laborious than with earlier versions that didn't have the auto-sort feature.
> For some unknown reason, a few wav entries can't be edited, to type the singer's name in for example, with particular performers having to remain anonymous. Perhaps it doesn't like their music?
> When editing newly added tracks, the "auto complete" feature is worse than useless, remembering only a few names and failing to differentiate between performer and title.
> I don't like the gigantic "information" box that appears whenever the cursor hovers over a listing, completely obscuring the next half dozen entries, when all I have to do if I want to find the details is to scroll sideways.
> On entering a playlist, I don't like the way the entries are slowly written down the screen, wasting several seconds when I'm trying to find a particular track.
> The "artist" listing, a useful feature of version 7, now only includes tracks copied from CD, whereas before it showed everything.
> In the "privacy" settings, I've unchecked all the boxes connected with internet access, "sending unique ID" etc, but this doesn't seem to make any difference. It still wants to "phone home".
Most annoying of all though, it periodically refuses to play anything copied from CD, insisting that I go on line to ask Bill Gates' permission to "migrate my licences". What the hell's that all about? I've bought the CDs, and I wasn't aware that Bill had joined the "Performing Rights Society" (or whatever they're calling it nowadays), so why should I have to get Micro$oft's permission to play my own music?
More worrying is the message saying I can only do this a limited number of times. It happens about every couple of weeks, so how long am I going to be able to play music on my PC?
I'm planning to add a second HD later in the year, after which I'll be reinstalling Windows, and this will be my opportunity to ditch WMP 9 and revert to the much more user-friendly version 7.
Finally, does anyone know what happened to version 8? They seemed to go straight from 7 to 9, or did I blink and miss it?
There is intelligent life on Earth, but I'm only visiting.
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putasolutions
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 12276
Loc: Infinity and beyond
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Barney, Lets start from the bottom
WMP is an XP thang, so dinnae fret about that
The "artist" listing, a useful feature of version 7, now only includes tracks copied from CD, whereas before it showed everything
Go to Tools | Options | Copy Music Tab
Click the File Name button in the Copy Music to this location
Choose your Options
It is still there in the Media Library, you have to expand All Music and Artist
I personally don't have the Copy Protect options checked, nor do I have the computer acquire licences in the Privacy section
On entering a playlist, I don't like the way the entries are slowly written down the screen, wasting several seconds when I'm trying to find a particular track.
Smaller Playlists or a faster computer would solve that 
I don't like the gigantic "information" box that appears whenever the cursor hovers over a listing, completely obscuring the next half dozen entries, when all I have to do if I want to find the details is to scroll sideways
Actually it was there in WMP7
Of all the Things I've lost, I miss my mind the most
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Barney_Rubble
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 2699
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Thanks Puta, but I still don't like version 9.
I have fully exanded the "artist" listing, but my wavs and mp3s aren't included.
This thing about playlists being slowly written down the screen didn't happen in version 7.1. The list scrolled up as required, with no noticeable delay.
A faster computer would certainly reduce the delay, but I'm on 733MHZ already. I know that's pretty modest nowadays, being 2½ years old (or 2½ years out of date), but the state isn't very generous to people like me who aren't able to work, so this one will probably have to last for the rest of my life, and when the internet changes (as it will) to the point where I just can't use it, my then ancient machine will just have to be used for all those non-internet jobs it's doing already every evening (when my unmetered access stops and I'm too tight to pay "per minute").
You're probably right about the "information" box being present in version 7, but I don't remember it, so it can't have been as obtrusive as it is now.
Finally, having been forced to "migrate" my licences twice yesterday for no apparent reason, I can't wait to get to the point where I can reinstall Windows and revert to a Media Player I can get on with.
There is intelligent life on Earth, but I'm only visiting.
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