As a longtime fan of Windows Media Center, and someone who’s encountered more than a few problems with the software, I’m shocked and saddened by the loss of The Green Button.
For the past six years, this community forum has given users a place to ask questions, share information, discover new add-ons, read reviews, and, let’s be honest, vent frustrations. It offered arguably the Web’s most active forums relating to Windows Media Center. And now it’s gone.
Well, sort of. For reasons I don’t fully understand, Microsoft acquired The Green Button a couple years ago. And last week, the powers that be elected to shut down the site. Fortunately, many of the user forums were moved to The Windows Experts Community, ultimately landing in the decidedly bland-sounding Windows Entertainment and Connected Home section.
(Make sure to click the down arrow on the right side of the Browse Forums header, otherwise you won’t see the Windows Media Center-specific forums, only a list of the latest messages from the entire section.)
I’m not saying this move is an entirely bad thing, though I’ve seen a lot of posts from TGB regulars who are furious with Microsoft. And, to be sure, it’s hard to see the motivation behind uprooting a fiercely loyal user community and moving it under a corporate umbrella that feels, well, corporate.
That said, it’s still a good place to start if you’re looking for help with WMC. But don’t stop there; you’ll find another great community of users in the Media Center section of Windows 7 Forums. And take it from me: If you have a problem with WMC, there’s no better resource than your fellow users.
Contributing Editor Rick Broida writes about business and consumer technology. Ask for help with your PC hassles at hasslefree@pcworld.com, or try the treasure trove of helpful folks in the PC World Community Forums.