RSSGoogle-backed group calls RealPlayer 'badware'
By Ed Oswald | Published February 4, 2008, 3:24 PM
The Google-backed firm that offers analysis of websites and software says users should steer clear of RealPlayer 10.5 and 11, but Real disputes their analysis.
The site says that Real needs to more conspicuous about its intentions to install the message center application in RealPlayer 10.5, and the Rhapsody Player Engine in RealPlayer 11. It recommends that users install neither version until the issues are fixed.
On the page listing their findings, it first takes aim at the oft-criticized message center, and discloses that RealPlayer 11 fails to fully uninstall all applications associated with the program.
The message center is something that consumers have apparently complained heavily about, and has actually been made optional in RealPlayer 11. Calling it "advertising software," StopBadware says that the company fails to fully disclose its intentions.
However, in an interview with BetaNews, Real corporate communications head Bill Hankes called the description a stretch of the truth. The only things it "advertises" are updates to Real software and applications: no third-party advertisements appear.
"That's incorrect. In RealPlayer 11, you can decline the message center," he said. "Earlier versions were criticized by customers who said the message center was intrusive, so in this version we made it optional."
A second charge by StopBadware was that RealPlayer 11 fails to uninstall all functionality if the user chooses to remove the software. What remains is the Rhapsody Player Engine, which allows for the playback of files encapsulated in Real's DRM scheme.
Hankes described this issue as more of an oversight on Real's part. "We actually learned about the issue from this report," he said, saying that the characterization of Real deceptively installing software "was a bit harsh." It would be fixed in a future update.
The Rhapsody Player Engine can function on its own, however. Hankes gave the example of the Rhapsody Web site, where the application is installed on the user's computer to play files off the site.
"The user would see the download as an ActiveX control," he told BetaNews.
The last version of RealPlayer that didn't make me cringe horribly was Real Player 8, and that was more because the versions after were just so much more bloated... Back then, it was good. Since then, I've avoided installing it on any computer, and if a site requires it, either using Real Alternative, or just deciding to use alternate sites.
Score: 0
|Is that all they could find wrong with Realplayer? I guess basically breaking everything on the machine it is installed on isn't malware, it is just plain sh*tty programming...
Score: 0
|I'm not at all surprised. I've had the worst user experiences with Real Player
and haven't missed it at all since uninstalling it a long time ago.
Score: 0
|Everyone knows Real Player is crapware. I have known this before most people even knew that software could be bad. I have been steering people clear of Real since the beginning. Besides....who actually uses Real player (Besides the BBC)...I mean comon. Real Alternative is a suitable program for those rare "real" moments.
Score: 0
|Google still lists Real player in their "google pack"
http://pack.google.com/
Shame!
Score: 0
|I don't need a report to tell me to stay away from Real. I have given them a shot every couple versions to "correct" things but its always the same. It takes over my system. Even when I uncheck things in preferences, it still holds on. I will never use them. Plus I don't have to, there are good alternatives like real alternative to listen to .ram and .ra files/streams
Score: 0
|RealPlayer must look different on the Mac OS X side of the spectrum. No ads or any of that crap, and it asks you at start up if you would like to send random usage reports back to Real, which I declined of course. Since QuickTime in Leopard is pretty busted I use RealPlayer 11 all the time. But on Windows, totally different story.
Score: 0
|Those poor fools. Just make a better player than WMP (not hard!) that isn't a God-awful, user-hating resource hog full of browsers, search engines and annoyware. People don't want their media player to be a "suite" of endless panes and panels serving no practical purpose. Include the most common XP and Vista themes. Keep Rhapsody prices low and keep that device support robust and current. MINIMAL DRM - it doesn't take much to keep the average Joe on the straight and narrow. Provide optional integration with popular apps like Firefox. INCLUDE REPLAYGAIN SUPPORT and a volume normalizing function. Boom, you're back in the game.
Oh, and I do find the timing of this "report" interesting, just as Yahoo is hopping on the Rhapsody bandwagon.
Score: 0
|VLC anyone?
Score: 0
|http://fileforum.betanew...ative_Lite/1054136293/2
Enough said.
Score: 0
|Or...
http://fileforum.betanew...Codec_Pack/1080441198/1
K-Lite Mega Codec Pack. It's the only one I use anymore.
I agree though... that is a nice alternative. I've never had any issues with Real Alternative.
Score: 0
|I've been avoiding RealPlayer and QuickTime for years. If you really really need them, I agree that you should try RealPlayer Alternative and QuickTime Alternative instead. Some features might be missing though, I admit that I don't know much about them since I try to avoid them.
Score: 0
|Strange that Google's browser toolbar is packaged along with Real's player. Friggin google. I'm getting sick of them playing lily-white.
http://www.realnetworks....s/2004/real_google.html
Score: 0
|Bad bad bad! This bad boy needs spanking. This company needs to shake up its leadership and make some use of a corporate ethics adviser in a huge hurry. Enough defensive denials already. They blew a chance to be the internet video and audio standard by in your face unethical practices. It would take a lot to recover, but the only hope is to get rid of the current leadership and chart a wholly new course. I predict they will not do this and that they will become a footnote in the history of greed.
Score: 0
|Um, anyone with half a brain cell knows to stay VERY FAR AWAY from any Real Networks product (REalPlayer and others)
DUH!
Score: 0
|If you have to install RealPlayer then get the enterprise version and uncheck everything when you install.
http://www.realnetworks....products/rpe/index.html
Score: 0
|I agree that RealPlayer is badware (if not sh1tware too) and I really wish the BBC would hurry up and abandon the format.
Score: 0
|lol real nice.
Score: 0
|Seriously, has anyone used Realplayer as their #1 or #2 player for the last ten years?
Score: 0
|I avoid realplayer and its format like the plague.
Score: 0
|*EVERYONE* calls RealPlayer "badware".
Duh?
Score: 0
|