Technofobe

After some recent searching for a good all purpose media player I ran across VLC. Here is the scoop on this little gem:

• It is multiplatform (Windows, MAC, Linux, Windows CD / PocketPC)
• It is Open Source software which means that it is completely FREE.
• It can play an amazing number of audio and video formats. Here is the feature list.
  
• All of the codecs are built in. This is a great feature because you don't need to go hunting on the internet for the one codec you need to play your file. Basically it just works when you play your file with VLC.
• It can act as a streaming media server. I have not fiddled with this functionality but here is the link to the info. Here is another great informational link on how to stream with VLC.

One of the cool features that may not have a lot of practical uses but is just plain neat nonetheless is the ability to play movies as your desktop background. So you can continue to use your computer while watching a video. I ended up watching more of the video rather than getting any appreciable work done.