Why Macs
Can't Watch City Hall Meetings
Hello Ann;
We checked on the status of the issues with Windows Media Player
and Mac OS 10 and there doesn't seem to be any updates since
our last inquiry. Below is a note that was forwarded to us by
our streaming provider in response to their inquires with Microsoft:
Hi Eliren,
Milpitas provides video files in Windows Media Version 9.
Unfortunately the codecs have not yet been finished for Mac OS
X, although Microsoft recently announced that they will soon
be available. The official quote:
"We are definitely planning to support WMA 9 Voice in
the upcoming release of Windows Media Player 9 Series for Mac
OS X. We showed the new player running with Apple's Safari browser
at their WWDC a few weeks back. We're shooting for fall release
to web right now and we'll keep the list posted.Thanks for your
patience"
Unfortunately Microsoft jumped the gun and forces newer systems
to encode in Windows Media Version 9 before the Mac OS X version
was available. As a result, we are required to make files in
9 format before some people can play them. Once Microsoft has
a stable release it will be available on Mac OS X and we will
add download instructions to our help file. This isn't just a
problem with Microsoft codecs however, several Apple codecs have
also not yet been completed for OS X and as a result some QuickTime
files will not play on the new operating system. Apple has said
that they are resolving these problems as well, and I would imagine
by the end of the year all the video problems that Mac OS X has
will be resolved. I will keep you and Teresa up-to-date as things
develop.
-Javier
More info is at Windows
Media Player for Mac OS X. As you will note, they
list the Version 9 player as "Coming Soon."
Based on our latest stats, about 2% the visitors
to our site are using a Mac O.S. and setting up a second
stream such as Real Media or QuickTime probably wouldn't
be warranted. So unfortunately, until Microsoft releases a compatible player,
we won't be able to support Mac Users for streaming
video. If we find out anything new, we'll keep you posted.
Bill Marion
Note from Ann Zeise
The GoMilpitas home page has the following system traffic:
Windows 90.83% - Mac 5.65% -
Unix 1.70% - Other 1.79%
In other words, over 9% of those interested in Milpitas are
NOT on Windows systems!
Those visiting my City Hall page, expressly looking for government
information, have the following systems:
Windows 92.22% - Mac 4.49% -
Unix 1.52% - Other 1.75%
If the City Hall site stats are reporting only 2% of traffic
as Mac users, either their tracking system isn't picking up all
Mac visitors, or Mac users are finding the City site so Mac-unfriendly
that they are not sticking around. Perhaps the City's server
is seeing Mac OS X users as visiting Unix systems!? Apple market
share is about 5% worldwide, so that should be the norm on any
site that isn't particularly about computers.
I watch QuickTIme movies quite often on Safari in OS X and
have not noticed any problems.
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