What is new in the Real download?

[Atamido]

In January of last year, the Real Player Basic download was named: RealPlayer10-5GOLD_bb.exe 10,495,520 bytes Now the download is named: RealPlayer10-5GOLD_rs.exe 13,526,432 bytes If the version of both is 10.5 Gold, then what has changed in the past year and a half to add on 3MB without changing the version number at all?

[bond]

moved

[Sirber]

new codecs maybe? or more adware ;)

[Waleska]

Does somebody still use Real beyond stream playback anyways? :D

[Sirber]

I mostly see Quicktime and WMP now for streaming

[karl_lillevold]

No adware, but it bundles the Rhapsody music player ("rs"), which is an optional install.

See http://www.rhapsody.com for info. It is RealNetworks' music subscription service. My biased opinion is that it's pretty cool. One can try it for free, just by installing a browser plugin. Enough advertising from me ... Sorry...

[unskinnyboy]

"No, Thanks" to the DRM-infested Rhapsody offer, but for curiosity sakes, what was the "bb" in RealPlayer10-5GOLD_bb.exe? Thanks.

[Sirber]

Basic Bundle? ;)

[karl_lillevold]

Probably something like that. I know it bundled Google Toolbar (optional install) for a while, at least.

[unskinnyboy]

Google Toolbar? Jeez. Not meaning to offend you, Karl (you are probably not even a decision maker for Real), but does it make any sense to bundle everything in sight and forcing a user to download all that, if all he wants is just the Real Player? Picture John Doe on his 56.6K saying this after downloading - "oh, boy. What a pleasant surprise! Look what I got with Real Player. Google Toolbar, yay! I have been looking everywhere for it."

[karl_lillevold]

Not my decision... what can I say? A company has to make money, and everyone expects everything on the Internet for free. Google would pay Real every time Google Toolbar was installed via the bundle..

[Waleska]

There's no problem with bundled software as long as you are warned about it before proceeding with an installation. I remember MSN Messenger used to install trash without the user's acknowledgment. In later versions this abusive method of "infection" was made optional.

[Sirber]

but does it make any sense to bundle everything in sight and forcing a user to download all thatI do that for RealAnime ;)

[Atamido]

Thanks for the response Karl.