It is terrifying!
Cannot come up any thinking at this moment.

----------------------------
Excerpt from Tux Magazine Vol.8:

If you do not have songs in wma format, don¡¦t create or download any songs in that format. If you have legally obtained songs in wma format and you want to use Linux to listen to these songs, here¡¦s what to do. Find a program that does not rely on Windows files to convert wma songs into a nonproprietary format. Convert the songs to a nonproprietary format and then listen to the songs on Linux. What if there is no such thing as a program
that converts these files without the use of codecs found only in Windows? If you have songs in wma format, it¡¦s a nobrainer that you already have a copy of Windows. But if you don¡¦t, buy one. Use a program on Windows to convert these files to a nonproprietary format. I¡¦m telling you to use the program on Windows because it prevents Microsoft from claiming you broke an end-user license agreement. Copy these converted files to media (such as a CDROM or DVD), delete Windows and then listen to the songs on Linux.

Moved to General. I feel no fear, not sure why anyone else would want to either. Care to elaborate?

A cheaper (no windows) and less complicated option would be to install a linux player that supports the files (mplayer, the wma player for xmms etc). The only thing I can think of where this would be a problem would be if you're runnning a business that needs to use wma files and you happen to live in the US (I'm told that there are some patent issues).

The question I have is: Is the w32codecs for mplayer a "clean-room" implementation, or are they copyed from Windows?

If they are done as reverse engineering, I can't see a major problem but if they are copyed from Windows then there could be.

A far better solution is to use music in a non-propriety format like ogg vorbis, and perhaps use a Windows machine to convert to ogg legally...

--Ian

The major problem is with DRMed music.

The legal downloads are $0.99 but it should be $0.49 with the labels getting less. The only problem with this music is that it has DRM, either protected aac or wma, chose your poison :P

What happen to the old and reliable cds? They come with lyrics and a nice package and can be played everywhere and riped and listened... hmm... there's the copy-protected cds...

I don't know but music labels give few options (that fully respect the customer) for legal owning.

With .wma files I guess the better thing is to sell the "right" to a helpless soul or forget about it and delete it ...or never get them in the first place.

wma is the shiznit, I encode all mystuff with windows media player (i dont purchase online music i still buy cd's). ogg does not meet my needs just yet (mainly because not many mp3 players play ogg). Of course I do all my encoding at work and transfer to my mp3 player