Microsoft’s Larry Osterman is here at PDC 2008 and I took the opportunity to ask a couple of questions about media in Windows 7. Windows Media Player is getting built-in support for AAC (as used in iTunes – but not when DRM-protected) and H.264 – but not ALAC (Apple lossless) or FLAC (open-source lossless). What about DRM in Windows 7, any change to the Protected Media Path? No, he told me; adding how frustrated he was by the common supposition that DRM somehow slows everything down in Vista. His line is that Microsoft supports DRM content, but does not in any way impose it.
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They don’t impose it, but will Windows 7 still INCLUDE it in the OS. If it has even a sliver of DRM embedded in the OS, you can bet that this’ll be the last OS normal end-users will use.
@Fred
Same as Vista AIUI.
Tim
Who cares if DRM support is included as long as it isn’t used for the majority of media files I use.
People get stuck on stupid things all the time…
It’s still possible to get flac playback in both Media Player and Media Center in Windows 7: http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/01/playing-flac-files-in-media-center.html