Windows 8 dropping the ability to play DVDs

[jp11]

50. Bull?

If you're left scratching your heads, the rationale behind dropping DVD support is simple: It's about the bottom line. Says Sinofsky, "traditional media playback scenarios, optical media, and broadcast TV, require a specialized set of decoders (and hardware) that cost a significant amount in royalties." Windows 8 will allow customers the option to install a Windows Media Center upgrade to allow DVD playback at extra cost, though Microsoft is not saying exactly how high that cost will be.

From the article, they want to save themselves the cost of giving you that ability for free after going to such an effort to have WMP try and be the end all be all media solution for windows operating systems.

The post and article aren't about the fact that there aren't other alternatives or that there are free ones it is about the fact that this formerly available option as part of the OS was removed and put behind a pay wall. Many people/companies will simply choose to pay MS over trying some third party application that 'might not be safe' or MS trusted/approved then have to support it.