snuxoll.com

    I've been testing Windows 7 happily for a few months now, it's stable, fast and probably the best Windows is going to get. Last week, after installing updates on my RC install, I was shocked to see ffdshow no longer handled the decoding of H264 video. Since Microsoft's crappy software is too stupid to figure out how to render AAS subtitles when I'm watching .mkv anime rips, I've relied on ffdshow to do this for me (and it's done a WONDERFUL job at it).

    But alas, Microsoft has decided that I'm incapable of choosing what codecs I use, and instead they've made it near impossible to use 3rd party codecs when an equivalent MediaFoundation codec exists. I can get the reasoning behind MediaFoundation, it's all about DRM for CableCard really, but are you actually going to go so far as to preventing me from replacing these and simply losing the functionality to play encrypted TV shows? Really?

    Thankfully, the wonderful people at the doom9 forums have come up with a (albiet ugly) solution.

    In case you're blind and didn't know I was beta testing Windows 7, then get out from under your rock. Well, while my full review is still a ways in the future, I figured I'd mention one part of W7 that hasn't managed to even remotely impress me, like all of its previous versions: Windows Media Player.

    So, after much careful debate I have a fresh Windows 7 install sitting on my 320GB HDD, waiting to be reviewed. As much as I like linux, there *are* some nice things in 7, and at the very least it's less sucky than Vista. Since I've only been playing with it for about 2 hours I don't have much to say about it yet (in a reformed fashion at least), but expect to see a full review on it by the end of next week.