Yet another reason to dislike Windows 7

So here’s the scenario: I needed to play a DVD on a Netbook that runs Windows 7. Now before you get all uppity and justify why this can’t be done or shouldn’t be done, let me explain that I understand the limitations as far as processing power and graphics. No, a Netbook doesn’t have a DVD player so you shouldn’t be able to play DVDs. But I can still load ISO images into it.

But anyway, using CloneDVD and AnyDVD I made a copy of the disc and using VirtualCloneDrive mounted the ISO image into Windows. However, I was stymied by the Windows 7 error that no DVD playback codec was installed. Really? You couldn’t include the damn playback codecs in the Starter Edition?

And it seems I’m not the only one who wants to play a DVD on a Netbook. As soon as you do a Google search multiple articles come up, but they all have the same answer. You either need to upgrade Windows (which is a crap answer) or install the free VLC DVD player.

Within minutes of finding the answer I had VLC loaded and the movie was playing. And it played just fine. It got choppy every now and again, but it obviously works. But it’s not so much that the DVD codec was missing, it’s more the total contradiction of how Windows works. If you right click on the ISO image you get the option to "Burn the image". My question is, how? To what? There’s no DVD burner! If the argument is movies don’t play since there’s no DVD drive, why the hell does Windows 7 Starter offer a choice to burn a DVD to a non-existent burner? And then if it did burn the DVD it couldn’t use it, it doesn’t have the codecs!

Make up your mind Bi-Polar Windows, are you going to work with DVDs or not?