I wanted it initially because several sites that I like to visit on
the web will only play their programming on realplayer,(I like the old
time radio programs).
Now, it is a quest for victory. I am doing something wrong, and it is
bugging me.
There are many sites that use programs that have no equivalent in
linux. I am a pragmatic centrist when it comes to software. EULA is
just another way of saying 'respect me', and I can give them that.

I agree with you whole heartedly that Real is a bloated annoyance and
is less useful than many oss alternatives. But it is also the one that
seems to be popular on the particular sites I want to use. The
Webmaster chooses what production software to use on his/her site. I
don't want to start trying to force some particular software on the
webmaster. Therein lay death for the web.

If the oss community really wanted to make some inroads into the
proprietary software market, they would encourage Real and Adobe and
all the rest to start charging $10 to $15 to download the player so
that these companies could cut that goose open and get all the Gold at
once. I don't think it will happen, but it would be a good hobby.

Another way to answer your question is to look at how much trouble I
am having just to get RealPlayer from a commercial site. Do you truly
want me cluttering up this board with endless hours of whining and
wimpering as I try to sort my way through downloading source code,
configuring, making directories, making files and then getting flamed
because I still can't figure out how to make the #%$@ thing run. I
don't think so.

My computer has given me RealPlayer 10 and told me to be happy with
it. I will be obedient.