Microsoft should retire WMA

Leander Kahney talks on his blog about the flak he's been copping from his recent WIRED article on Microsoft employees using iPods. (via Scoble). I know Microsofties in Australia (and a couple in Redmond) using iPods. I don't see what the big deal is. I bought mine just after I left MSFT, but I wouldn't have had much problem buying one while I was there. Let's face it - the MP3 vs WMA deathmatch is over. Microsoft just hasn't been able to get the industry to accept WMA widely enough for it to be a true standard. MP3 is the only portable format. I had to convert 10,000 tracks from WMA to MP3 when I bought my iPod and I don't want to have to go through that again. Microsoft needs to fight battles that make sense. God knows its fighting enough of them. WMA doesn't make sense.  Microsoft should retire it.

Comments

[Nicole Simon]

I am no MS follower but I can't stand this bashing of MS employees using Ipod being cheaters. MS does not sell hardware like the ipod so they still need to buy something.

But even though I rarely use wma (and defenetly not for anything I produce) I absolutly dislike it. Its absolutly not sexy. The market has spoken - but at the same time the producers want control.

Times are over for such a producer controlled market - the box of pandora has been opened and can't be closed again ...

[Mick Stanic]

So run that past me again mate...what exactly is wrong with the WMA format??? Because following down your explanation...oh sorry..none in the post ;) AAC is a waste of time as well...damn...some one should tell Mr Jobs and all those record guys who have done deals with Apple...And Nicole, the day i find an audio codec sexy is the day that I...well...you know what i mean ;)

And lets not get into the better audio quality and file size, on average, of WMA vs MP3...

Now..i'm not saying i don't agree with you both, but the MP3 format lacks something called DRM...something WE may have to worry about one day in the near future matey:)

[Cameron Reilly]

Mick, Mick, Mick... anyone would think *you* were the guy who worked at Microsoft.

1) DRM who gives a flying fuck. I don't right now and I can't imagine (yet) a scenario where I will care. I totally think the whole DRM thing is the reactionary and flawed. The only sustainable model for content is to give people a business model that provides them with value. If they don't want to pay you for your shit, then figure out something else to do. Or send them all to jail.

2) AAC, at least, has a POINT. Chapters (well MP4 has a point). It provides a benefit over and above MP3. WMA doesn't. File size??? File size??? Maybe I could give a shit when I was on a 56k modem, but today I'm downloading multi-gigabyte files, I don't care about 20% smaller MP3s.

See, this is why I am the business mind and you are the code monkey. :-)

[Nicole Simon]

Cam, Cam, it took you only 39 days to throw all your new year's resolutions over board?

DRM: this needs a new revenue modell, defenetly. Just locking everything up won't work, has not work, will not work in the future. Pandora's box.

Gadget box: I think you are too much in love with your media center to fall for an audio codec. But agreed, I need to come up with a more understandable explanation of what sexy in marketing terms is supposed to mean. ;)