Hi nhcatsteve, I think another, more forward-looking option would be to change the code you use in your page to default to the HTML5 audio player, with a fallback to a plugin, whether Flash (presumably the most widely supported), QuickTime, or Windows Media Player.

(Of course, I've seen the opposite suggestion also, to fall back to HTML5 if the preferred plugin is not available.)

I don't mean to make it sound trivial, since browser support for HTML5 audio is uneven at best. To read about a podcaster's recent experience setting up the native HTML5 audio player with a plugin fallback, check out this blog post: Fallback HTML5 audio tags for a simple MP3 podcast are harder than you'd think - Scott Hanselman. If desired, you can get a Flash MP3 audio player from this WordPress plugin: http://wpaudioplayer.com/ (MIT License).

Microsoft will not issue a new WMP plug-in for Mozilla Firefox because it views Firefox as a competitor to its Internet Explorer. Mozilla seems to have *purposely* disabled the WMP plug-in in Firefox 21. Other browsers like Google Chrome incorporate WMP and you don't need to install any plug-ins as in Firefox. Mozilla should do the same because many online videos only play with WMP. Thanks.

Hi groucho3, Mozilla maintains a separation between Firefox and proprietary/patented code (like Flash and Windows Media Player). Might be a philosophical or a financial issue, I'm not sure. Either way, I suspect that bundling in plugins is unlikely in the near future.

this is totally a mozilla firefox issue. saying otherwise is simply pusillanimous ...anybody with half a brain can figure out that this plugin was accidentally on purpose broken by someone at mozilla. I am sure there are a number of memos floating around mozilla instructing its minions how to lie to people about this, which is shameful....so much for open source integrity......more like open sores.....at least at mozilla

Hi firefuxxx, Mozilla changed a folder location and provided an optional setting to keep checking the old location. I don't remember why it was made optional, it certainly would have made life easier if it were turned on by default. Anyway, the change had nothing to do with a desire to break any plugins.

The problem, as you can see from reading this thread, is that there wasn't a clear explanation of this change early enough, so the initial troubleshooting wasn't effective. If only someone had issued a memo!! Today, the closest thing to a memo is the following support article, and there's no need to leak it: Windows Media or other plugins stopped working after Firefox update.

I'm locking this thread since the original question was posted almost five months ago (April 6 2013) and has been solved.

This thread contains all of the information needed to solve the problem, including a Firefox Support article, Windows Media or other plugins stopped working after Firefox update .