BBC "Not In Bed With Bill Gates" 335
whoever57 writes "The BBC's head of technology denied rumors that a secret deal with Microsoft was behind the XP-only launch of the BBC's iPlayer. According to Ashley Highfield, the reason that the player only supports Windows XP is that only a small number of Linux visitors have come to the BBC's website. Why he would expect a large number of Linux-based visitors to the site when the media downloads are Windows XP only is not clear. He also thinks that 'Launching a software service to every platform simultaneously would have been launch suicide,' despite the example of many major sites that support Linux (even if this is through the closed-source flash player)."
Re:Lame reason. (Score:2, Informative)
<sarcasm>
I mean, imagine... releasing content on the internet... Without DRM. It would be a catastrophy! It'd lead to chaos, anarchy, pigs flying, snowballs having a chance!
</sarcasm>
Stats not about iPlayer (Score:4, Informative)
It should be clarified that he was talking about the root bbc.co.uk site NOT the iPlayer site, so it is clearer why the would expect Linux users to visit the site.
Did even the submitter read the article? (Score:5, Informative)
Based on Kontiki so no Linux version (Score:4, Informative)
iPlayer is based on Kontiki (owned by Verisign). Windows only, unless you're prepared to jump through virtual hoops, AFAIK. Reading through the user agreement: it's targeting UK-based computer users. Hmmm. Shall we build a Windows, Mac or Linux player? No-brainer, really, when the P2P distribution layer is Windows only.
Re:1% of user base (Score:5, Informative)
oh god, not this again... (Score:5, Informative)
The main reason why iPlayer uses Windows DRM is because the companies who produce content for the BBC didn't want their shows streamed without some kind of rights management, because, god forbid, it should end up on bit torrent. The cause of this is most likely ignorance on their part, because, as we all know, DRM stops piracy, saves lives, cures cancar and ends world famine.
The core code behind iPlayer is completely cross-browser, having worked on some of it, I know that it conforms to BBC New Media guidelines, which specifically state that all HTML, JavaScript, etc must be compatible with all major browsers (we even tested major elements of it in Firefox, and quite a few of the developers worked on Mac/Linux boxes)
There has always been a plan for a Mac/Linux version of iPlayer, but the current DRM requirements being imposed on the iPlayer Core team make it somewhat difficult for them to actually get working on it
Re:oh god, not this again... (Score:2, Informative)
When non-Windows players (Mac and Linux) don't have to pay a license fee and be excluded from services. Also, the worry is not about the Beeb management, but the iPlayer team many of whose senior figures are ex-Microsoft employees.
That a reason, if it is, to use DRM, not Microsoft DRM. Anyway, it's kind of silly---there are no digital rights management of broadcasts.
Well, sort of, there is plans for a streaming only version for Mac and Linux, but, again, that's unfair treatment to license payers.
Re:1% of user base (Score:1, Informative)
If you're interested, at least once apon-a-time, they even had a few FreeBSD machines doing some encoding and streaming.
I am just saying we do not have all the details and they probably had a good reason to not support Linux.
We do have all the details: they didn't support Linux because they needed[1] to wrap everything in DRM, and they claim that Windows Media is the only solution that allows them to do that. The problem with that argument is, well, it's crap. Flash can do cross-platform DRM'd media, for a start. Even Quicktime would have been a better choice than Windows Media[2]. So what we really appear to have is someone who chose Microsoft without any real technical evaluation, no concern for the BBCs own charter nor any oversight from anyone who cared. Now the people responsible are back-peddling and trying to make excuses for their decisions.
[1]: The requirement for blanket DRM is arguable, but not everything offered on iPlayer is wholly owned by the BBC so their hands are somewhat tied by the copyright holders.
[2]: At least Quicktime is available on Windows and OS X. Are DRM'd Windows Media files playable under OS X? I admit I don't know; I guess it's possible now I think about it. Can a Mac user confirm?
Re:Lame reason. (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Lame reason. (Score:2, Informative)
The BBC is a semi-independent government-funded agency, it does not have a "bottom line". It is a not-for-profit corporation.
Any organisation that complains about US$7 BILLION government funding being too small, clearly has big problems.
Nation shall speak peace unto nation (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Lame reason. (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Silly sod (Score:1, Informative)
For what it's worth, at one time part of my duties included analyzing logs for a heavily accessed government financial portal. We had three, yes, the number 3, total visits using Linux in a year. I'm pretty sure they were all me from a test machine, although I only remember going there twice.
Linux just isn't as popular as the people here want it to be. Instead of crowing how it must be a lie, try an figure out why, and change it.
Re:oh god, not this again... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Submitter is either confused or an out right li (Score:3, Informative)
No, Linux users are choosing to use Linux. Using Linux comes with some cost to the individual using it. Don't like, don't use Linux. Don't sit there and whine that you are not getting what you want and expect everyone to bend over backwards for you. Don't act like you are 20000 times more important than you really are.Funny, but 95% of the population seems like much of the people as reasonably possible.Then, you should, in the spirit of open source, volunteer to do the work for them.
In any case, you are just whining because the 5% that make up Mac users and the
You are a selfish brat. You want to be treated as special because of something you choose to do. If your choice should not effect what other people are required to do. Tell me, do you believe that because a few people choose to drink and drive that the rest of the population should be forced to stay off the road? Do you also believe that because a portion of the population chooses to smoke that smoking should be allowed everywhere including elementary schools, movie theaters, and hospitals?
You are not special. You do not have any special rights. No one should have to be forced to do something simply because you choose to be different.
Grow up and act like a responsible adult and live with the consequences of your decisions.
Complain to the BBC here! (Score:2, Informative)