OK. I'm sure you're sick of all the adoration you receive for Media Jukebox, but here's my story. I thought you'd appreciate knowing we dig what you do.
Years ago, I was a PC user and a registered owner of Media Center. I can't even remember the email address I used, and my activation information is long since gone. This was back before iTunes was the program it is now, before Musicmatch was bought out and killed, when MP3 was still a somewhat shiny, new format that required us to get licensing from Fraunhoffer (or whatever their name was) if we wanted to use it. This was back in the days when the iPod was still greyscale, and my RIO player was more than enough for me.
And I loved the program. Media Center did everything I, as a Windows user, needed. It beat the pants off of Windows Media Player, and it was more comprehensive than WinAmp and Musicmatch combined. All was shiny and happy and perfect (usually).
Then, I switched. To Mac.
As a Mac user, my choice was iTunes. Media Center was out of the picture. I went forward, got an iPod (the first of many) and was pretty happy with iTunes. Apple kept improving the program, and as they did so I noticed they were just incorporating features that had been in Media Center all along... But I was happy as a Mac user, and didn't question it.
Now, it's 2009 and I've switched back to Windows. The landscape is vastly different. Musicmatch is gone. WinAmp seems incredibly outdated. iTunes for Windows is a bit clunky and only works with iPods. Windows Media Player 11 is a schizophrenic, garbled mess that does inexplicable things and offers little in the way of user control. I was seriously wondering if anything would fit my needs.
I wanted something with the ease of iTunes, the ability to sync with my Creative Zen X-Fi, and the kind of user choice that seems to be missing in everything else. And then I remembered JRiver Media Center.
Bummer. I don't have any of my info. It's been ages since I owned it, and I doubt I could even dig up my email address. I can't justify a purchase now when there are (junkier) choices for free...
Then WAIT! What's this? Media Jukebox is now free?!?!
One download and a short scan of my Music folder later, and I'm a happy camper. Media Jukebox smokes the others, and makes Windows Media Player 11 look like an amateur production.
And so I come here to bestow the highest computer honor I can: You, sirs, have earned your place in my Quick Launch bar. Media Jukebox is one of my Must-Have items for Windows. I salute you for keeping up the good fight and giving people what they want (and need), and I am grateful that you have made MJ 12 free. That's just too cool of you.
As for Media Center... Well, I might try it again some day if my needs expand.
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Topic: A big thank you and kudos to the JRiver team. (Read 1150 times)