Why is Windows Media streaming so poor?

I dislike Windows Media Player 9 more and more every day.
I seem to always have problems with windows media streams. Usually, some portion of the video plays, and then stutters, and then stops. Then refuses to re-buffer.

I have a fast cable connection thats always reliable EXCEPT when dealing with WMP (Real and QT work fine), Older TiBook, Firefox

I tried increasing the buffer to 90 seconds, no help.

When possible I try to download the video directly if there's a link. Sometimes I'll look at the code and rebuild the url and download the file directly. Strangely enough, when the download option is possible, the whole file almost always downloads quicker than it took to fill the 10 second buffer. Isn't THAT interesting. (and proves that network conjestion isn't the issue)

I tried using ASXRecorder X to save the stream as a file, but I haven't gotten that program to work once.

This seems to happen nearly all of the sites that use WMP streaming. But never with Real streaming, or QuickTime streaming.

What's the problem?

Incidently, after 30 min of clicking link after link on Miscrosoft sites, I still could not find a place to pose this question.

I'd like to help you but I can't. I do know exactly how you feel.

One word. Windows. If it's Windows it's going to be slow.
But bashing aside because I happen to like Windows....I don't know but I too would love to know.