SNOWLPRD  Nice work! Any chance support for Redmine could be added? That would allow us to use Freshlog at our company. =)  
(Version 20091028.1)

SNOWLPRD  Why on earth does this "developer" choose to submit the exact same app to MacUpdate, under three different product names, as if they are three different products?

Bulk Mac Mail 2.8

Mac Mass Mailer 2.8

1st Mac Mailer 2.8

Do yourself a favor and stay away from this nonsense.  
(Version 2.8)

SNOWLPRD  Why on earth does this "developer" choose to submit the exact same app to MacUpdate, under three different product names, as if they are three different products?

Bulk Mac Mail 2.8

Mac Mass Mailer 2.8

1st Mac Mailer 2.8

Do yourself a favor and stay away from this nonsense.  
(Version 2.8)

SNOWLPRD  Why on earth does this "developer" choose to submit the exact same app to MacUpdate, under three different product names, as if they are three different products?

Bulk Mac Mail 2.8

Mac Mass Mailer 2.8

1st Mac Mailer 2.8

Do yourself a favor and stay away from this nonsense.  
(Version 2.8)

SNOWLPRD  This is a new preference setting. I have no idea why VLC developers decided to turn it on by default. It annoyed me just as much as it's annoying you. Go to:

Preferences > Video

...and you'll see a preference setting called "Black screens in Fullscreen mode." Just un-check that setting, and that should solve your problem.

Hope this helps!  
(Version 0.9.4)

SNOWLPRD  I've used VLC for years and have always been a strong supporter, but the 0.9.x branch has been a frustrating exercise. The new features and polish are great, but there has been a large step backwards in reliability. It seems to work fine with AVI files, but every single MKV file I've tried has exhibited at least one of the following problems:

* Inconsistent seeking -- while sometimes it seeks properly, most of the time it does not.

* Seeking by dragging the playhead often causes VLC 0.9.x to hang permanently or crash outright.

* The movie inexplicably stops three-quarters of the way through the movie. VLC doesn't crash -- the movie just stops playing and the window goes dark.

There is no indication that the cause is with the MKV files themselves. Moreover, these same files exhibit no such problem in either (a) previous 0.8.x versions of VLC or (b) QuickTime with Perian. It seems clear as day to me that all is not well with the 0.9.x branch -- in its current state, it's just flat-out unusable for me.

If you find VLC 0.9.x acting strangely, try the QuickTime/Perian combination. I've been pleasantly surprised at its reliability and consistency. It may not have all of VLC's features, but for the love of Pete, at least it works!

(Footnote: There will undoubtedly be folks whose first instinct is to post something like this: "It works for me -- something else must be wrong with your set-up." Please spare us these trite banalities. I'm glad VLC is working well for you, but that is utterly orthogonal to this discussion. I can assure you that there is indeed something quite wrong with VLC 0.9.x.)  
(Version 0.9.4)

SNOWLPRD  While theoretically possible, it seems unlikely that the cause is with the MKV files themselves. I don't believe I've found an MKV yet that doesn't exhibit some type of seeking problem -- often times, dragging the playhead will send VLC into a permanent freeze or an outright crash. Moreover, these same files exhibit no such problem in either (a) previous 8.6.x versions of VLC or (b) QuickTime with Perian. I'm glad VLC is working well for you, but it seems clear as day to me that all is not well with the 0.9.x branch. It's just flat-out unusable for me whatsoever.  
(Version 0.9.4)

SNOWLPRD  After my review of 0.9.2 below, I had hoped that the release of 0.9.3 would address the seeking problems I mentioned previously. Alas, clicking on the fast-forward button while playing .mkv files still causes VLC 0.9.3 to seek *backwards* instead of forwards. It appears I have no choice but to revert to 0.8.6i until these bugs are worked out.  
(Version 0.9.3)

SNOWLPRD  My experience with 0.9.2 has not been very positive. Even after removing preference files, I cannot seek properly when clicking on the "quick forward" button or hotkeys -- it goes backwards instead. Seeking through .mkv files by dragging the playhead through the progress bar behaves very erratically. Reverting to 0.8.6h solved all my seeking problems.

I like some of the new changes in 0.9.2, but for me, VLC 0.9.x needs to go back into the oven for a while. I look forward to trying it again after these bugs are (hopefully) fixed in the next version.  
(Version 0.9.2)

SNOWLPRD  The only reason I installed this was to test video playback of the 2008 Summer Olympics from nbcolympics.com. I can't say the results were very pleasing.

Pros:

* Uses standard Installer.app

* Mostly self-contained in /Library/Internet Plugins/Silverlight.plugin -- the only other installed files are in ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Silverlight

Cons:

* Crashed Safari (3.1.2) every time I tried to play back a video on NBC's site

* Required me to use Firefox 3, which did work

* Lackluster video quality

While I applaud M$ for at least attempting to create a cross-platform solution (unlike WMV), they predictably haven't spent too much time making the Mac version work well. That being the case, I'm going to vote with my mouse fingers and find another source for Olympic video coverage.  
(Version 2.0b2)

SNOWLPRD  Wow. These near-daily updates are getting out of hand. This developer needs to realize that the "release early, release often" mantra can be (and currently is being) taken to the extreme. I'd recommend releasing at least *half* as often as this developer currently spits out new versions.  
(Version 4.1.7)

SNOWLPRD  Apps such as this one are less necessary now that Leopard includes a Japanese-English dictionary [link].  
(Version 2.2)

SNOWLPRD  Thank you for the information-free statement, Mr. Williams. WMV is indeed proprietary, but ostensibly Flip4Mac is no better positioned to implement superior WMV support than VLC should be. Thus the observation that Flip4Mac's WMV implementation is superior -- if true -- is perfectly valid.   
(Version 0.8.6a)

SNOWLPRD  Jeff: I can assure you that the message below was not written by a competitor, and your repeated accusations to that effect do you no credit. Just because somebody posts something you don't agree with does not warrant you accusing them of being a competitor, which is something you have done here again and again. I'm just a guy, and as I said originally, I have no vested interest.

I never claimed to know what data is being passed back and forth -- only that the "License connection error" message seemed to indicate that the app is phoning home. If it's not phoning home, as you claim, why does it say "License connection error?"

I disagree that the comments regarding the app's user interface do not benefit other MacUpdate readers. If other people have congratulated you on the new look and feel, then great! More power to you. I still stand by those comments.

Regarding the reviews... If what you say is true, then clearly my suspicions were misplaced, and I apologize most sincerely. While I have no way of verifying the source of the reviews, I'm sure that MacUpdate can do so and will act accordingly.

But honestly, Jeff... Why would you object to me listing open source alternatives? You say it "just isn't right," but offer no reasons. It's not like I listed a bunch of commercial products, right? I just thought people might want to know about some of the other options out there. If they feel that your product is the best one for their needs, they'll thank me kindly for my input and buy Dot.Tunes anyway, right?

Again, I apologize if I cast aspersions that were not accurate. But to ask that the comment be removed, in my opinion, is out of line.  
(Version 3.0)

SNOWLPRD  I highly suggest avoiding this software. I shall provide as much evidence as I can.

First: this software phones home. When blocked by Lil' Snitch, we get a nice "License connection error..." message, which at least is straightforward about the fact that Dot.Tunes failed in its attempt to phone home. Would it have been as straightforward if it had been able to successfully contact the mother ship? Somehow I doubt it, which I feel is a violation of the user's privacy. Yes, this version (3.0) finally introduces the ability to turn off the version update checks, but what about the license connection checking? It doesn't appear that can be turned off, and unless it fails, it appears that it is conducted surreptitiously and without the user's knowledge.

If you decide to block DT from phoning home, be prepared for a lot of cryptic "Error retrieving IP Address: 64" messages. Very annoying.

I'm not normally pre-disposed to a particular development environment; whether it's Cocoa, Carbon, or even AppleScript Studio, I don't care what was used to create the app as long as it's a good mix of form and function. Unfortunately, DT's RealBasic underpinnings show through in visually unappealing ways. Buttons look odd and out of place, scroll bars sometimes stop working entirely... It's just plain messy.

The following point may trivial to some people, but it's a particular pet peeve of mine: the menu bar lists the app as "DOT-TUNES (OSX)". There are several things wrong here. First, why the all-caps? It's ugly and unnecessary. Why DOT-TUNES and not DOT.TUNES as used on the developer's web site? Some consistency would really be a welcome change. But my main beef with this is the inclusion of (OSX) in the menu bar. "Oh really? I'm using the Mac version? GET OUTTA HERE! I could have sworn I was using an Amiga, but thanks for setting me straight." Seriously: what is the point of reminding Mac users that they are using the Mac version of the DT application? Like we couldn't have figured that out by ourselves? And finally, if you're going to write the name of the operating system in the title for some bizarre reason, at least get it right. There's a space in there: it's "OS X" -- not "OSX" -- and it looks absurd and unprofessional when you get it wrong.

By far my biggest complaint has nothing to with the software itself, but the way it's being promoted. Yes, that's right -- I'm calling shenanigans on the eleven shill reviews below this one. Seriously, take a look and then ask yourself the following questions: Why is it that there are only two positive reviews posted this entire year until November 21, when all of a sudden eleven rabidly enthusiastic reviews are posted in the span of a few days? Might this have to do with the fact that 3.0 was just about to be released, and somebody (cough, cough) wanted to push the less-than-favorable reviews further down the page and have them replaced with glowing reviews instead? Click on the author links to the left of each of these eleven reviews, and you'll find that not one of them has posted a review of any other product on MacUpdate. It sure looks an awful lot like somebody created a bunch of new accounts and used each one to post at least one five-star review of DT. The reviews even sound eerily similar to one another. Honestly, I think MacUpdate should investigate further and consider adding Jeff (guy behind Dot.Tunes) to the Developer Blacklist.

Even in the absence of all of the above, you know how sometimes you just get a feeling in your gut? Like something just ain't right? That's the impression this software -- and the way it is being promoted -- leaves behind. Feel free to reach your own conclusions -- I'm just trying to save folks some time. :)

Before I leave you to make up your own minds, please consider this: I have not addressed what the software actually does, because I was too disgusted to even get that far. I have no vested interest in the success of DT or, for that matter, any other software product. I am simply a concerned citizen that believes these issues should be brought to light.

One final thought: I'm sure that there are many fine commercial music-serving tools out there besides Dot.Tunes, but if you're looking for similar tools that are free and open source, there are many great ones out there. To get you started, please take a look at the following projects:

Jinzora

Subsonic

Jajuk

Ampache

MusicPD  
(Version 3.0)

SHINZA.COM  Easy to install, easy to use. This visualizer plug-in for iTunes simply downloads album covers and other images, pasting them endlessly on top of one another in the visualizer window. It only seems to work on the most popular music, and even when it does work it seems rather pointless -- particularly given the excessive number of CPU cycles consumed. While I applaud the author's ingenuity and his free contribution to the iTunes community, I think folks would be better off with Jacket: http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/yosemite/en/jacket.html  
(Version 1.0)

SHINZA.COM  This has always been a great performer for me. Kudos to the developer. The download link featured here points to 0.9.3 instead of 0.9.4. Visit the developer's site to download 0.9.4.  
(Version 0.9.4)