I don't encode WMA files, but I do use WME to make WMV files. So far, I have seen few alternatives out there that make it as easy, and produce as high quality files at low file sizes. I can't stand using quicktime or realplayer, so I don't want to venture into that area and buy expensive programs that I won't know how to use anyway. The fact that WMP will be released for Macs is great for me, because now there's less of an operating system issue to worry about for my friends and I as we put files on our sites (we have an entire performance by our band up on our site, at decent quality for 3 MB files).

honestly, I don't care all that much about the future of these formats. For what I use them for, the present is all I'm concerned about.