The following is aimed more at the novice computer user, like myself,
although I'm starting to get a handle on it now.  :o)

I had an unpleasant experience installing Winamp when I got my first
computer a few years ago due to my ignorance regarding file associations.
I recently decided to take another look at Winamp, and I found the new
3.0 version of Winamp to be a _huge_ improvement over my former method
for playing Pianocorder WAV files, especially large batch files, using
Windows Media Player (WMP).

I have been using the WMP as my only player and mainly for playing
piano MIDIs and single or batch files of Pianocorder WAV files.  Of
course, the large batch files take up a lot of disc space and require
reconfiguring the entire file when making changes.  This is not
difficult but I have found a _much_ better way to access and play my
Pianocorder WAV files using the new 3.0 Winamp player.  Using the
Winamp player eliminates having to store large Pianocorder batch files
on the drive or on CDs.

I find the new Winamp 3.0 display easier to use.  Although it's still
A bit dark in appearance, you can make out all the controls, especially
if you use the double size option.  After fiddling about with the
buttons in the player and playlist for about 1/2 hour, I was able to
get a good feel for all the options available on the player.

Right clicking almost anywhere on the player will get you into the
option/preferences screen where you may set everything just as you
like.

You can easily load files or whole folders into the playlist, and you
can add, delete, and save files, even while Winamp is playing!  The
playlist button on the lower right is new.  With it you can save,
unload, and load playlists.  Of course the playlists are just
directories to your individual files, so unlike my previous scheme of
creating huge batch files, sometimes with duplicate songs, this saves
a lot of disc space, and is massively more convenient for manipulating
and playing the files, as all the individual song titles are displayed.

To associate or not to associate --

I still prefer to have the WMP as my default player, so I opted
out of the file associations when I installed Winamp.  To do this,
when installing Winamp, you will get a first page that asks what
programs you want the player to be enabled to play.  This however,
it not the "file associations" page so you can leave all checked.
After some more wizardry by the installer, the second page with the
file associations comes up.  Unless you want Winamp as your default
player, be sure to uncheck all boxes with references to file
associations.  In that screen you choose if you want a quick launch
icon in the tool tray, and/or a screen shortcut icon, etc.  You can
also re-choose these options after installation, through the player
options screen.

I still use PowerTracks for editing the MIDI files, then I convert
them to Pianocorder data with Mark Fontana's "Mid2pc10" MIDI to
Pianocorder-WAV software.  (Scroll to the bottom of the page in Mark
Fontana's Pianocorder Forum, http://www.voy.com/33099/, to download
Mid2pc10).  I still prefer the Windows Media Player while editing and
some other functions, but the Winamp cannot be beat for jukeboxing
MIDI and WAV files.

Winamp player is always free and is available at www.winamp.com

Now if only there was a version of Real Player that did not intrude
into every area of the computer, as it does, even when no files are
associated with it!

Tom Lear
San Francisco, CA