Wired: Find the Download in a Haystack
RealNetworks' media player may be "free," but it certainly takes some searching to find the download. It is often hidden in relatively fine print and behind offers for fee-based versions that confuse visitors. This might help explain why Real's paid subscriber rate is so high, but it also explains why many video providers are starting to move to other technologies, like Apple's Quicktime and Microsoft's Media Player formats. Video providers must draw the line when their support resources are soaked up answering the questions of annoyed users who can't seem to find the right version.