Multiple User Media Accounts
I wish there were a way to designate certain media (recorded TV shows, videos, music, etc) as only viewable by certain members of the family by using a rating system (i.e. G, PG, PG-13, R, XXX, etc). So when little 7 year old Susie signs onto the computer to watch her media, the computer will know she is age 7 and only show her media rated G and PG. The media could be user-rated or, in the case of recorded TV shows, network rated. The existing parental controls is a good 1st step, which I think is already available in Vista. However, it's okay if you have one kid or have kids that are about the same age. But what if you have a 5 year old and 15 year old. What the 15 year old is allowed to watch and listen isn't the same as the adults in the house but it's more than what the 5 year old can watch and listen. That's why I'd like to see much more than 2 types of accounts in Media Center: full access and limited. Plus the multiple user account system would be a great way to filter out media. My wife may record "Desperate Housewives" and other shows I'd never want to watch. It would be great if you can tag and associate a show with user account(s). Therefore, when I sign into my Media Center account, I can simply view the media that interests me. However, if I wish to view ALL media that may not be tagged to my user account (and I have the proper permissions to do so), then I should be able to un-filter my media so I can see ALL media that is available - not just the media I am usually interested in. Another great feature of using multiple accounts is that you could sync your media better. For example, let's say I start watching a show in the living room. Then I stop it and go to the bed room to continue to watch it on a Media Center extender. When I go to the bedroom, I sign into my user account and it continues where I left off. I get tired and decide to stop the the TV show. In the morning, I sync my Zune and watch the rest of the show during my commute. Because my Zune is synced to my user account, when I start watching the TV show on my Zune, it starts where I last left off in my bedroom. Likewise, let's say during these 2 days that I was watching the show, my kid wishes to watch the same show. Because they have a different user account, they don't start where I left off, nor do they mess up my bookmarked position of the TV show. They have their own separate viewing bookmark associated with their user account. Furthermore, let's say when I finish watching my TV show, I decide to delete the TV show. However, my child is still watching the show unbeknown to me. Media Center should be smart enough to know to ask if I really wish to delete the show, because my child is 55% done watching the TV show. As you can see from the scenarios I laid out, the multiple user account would be a more refined user experience. Windows 7 should always attempt to take Media Center a step further. (Originally started at this thread: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itpromedia/thread/c985a012-3a1c-4eae-9732-f25071cbf874 )
May 14th, 2009 11:03pm

Jaxim - Might want to post that under the Have Questions About the Windows 7 RC (Part 2)thread.Posts on that thread are routinely collected anddelivered to the development team.However, since Windows 7 is now in RC mode, that feature is not likely to make it into the current version.If thedevelopmentteam, however, likes the idea, theymay use it in a future release.
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May 15th, 2009 1:53am

thanks for the advice!
May 15th, 2009 3:01am

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