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It's not that they're bullshitting people

It's that they think people are too stupid to catch it.

Read this article about the latest BBC hire in the Beeb's IPlayer division.

Now, by itself, not really a big deal. Hiring someone for that post with that kind of experience makes sense. Microsoft as the source is no better or worse than Apple or Google. However, now read these three paragraphs:

A central area of potential co-operation is the BBC iPlayer project, for which the BBC Trust last week gave final approval following an open consultation. The proposition will use Microsoft Windows Media digital rights management to restrict playback of programming to within a specific time window from first transmission.

In its consultation, the BBC Trust received responses from thousands of members of the public. Over 80% of them said they thought it was very important that the catch-up service was not simply limited to users of Microsoft software. The BBC Trust will require the corporation to achieve platform neutrality within a reasonable timeframe but it has not specified a timeframe.

Microsoft recently announced a new initiative, Silverlight, which will enable playback of media protected with Windows Media digital rights management on Apple OS X computers, which goes some way to providing cross-platform compatibility.

Now, I know I'm a cynic, but somehow, I'm seeing the only !MS platform support being done via Silverlight, and when Linux users who pay taxes for the Beeb get left out in the cold the Beeb will throw up its hands and say "We have to protect our IP, and Microsoft hasn't released a Linux plugin. Whattya gonna do?" When the Windows version of Silverlight gets features that "alas, require Windows", (This is speculation, based on Microsoft's rich history of fucking over the !MS OS user base with regard to Windows Media. WiMP 10/11 Mac anyone? WiMP anything Linux? Right.), the Beeb's going to say "Well, gotta have the DRM, sorry guys, go yell at Redmond."

<sigh>

The BBC should at least try to hide the degree to which they're fellating BallmerGates.

Technorati Tags: Bullshit, Microsoft, TEH STOOPUD

Categories: Mac Matters, Other

Posted by John C. Welch at 01:38 | Permalink

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It's that they think people are too stupid to catch it. \n\nRead this article about the latest BBC hire in the Beeb's IPlayer division.\n\nNow, by itself, not really a big deal. Hiring someone for that post with that kind of experience makes sense. Microsoft as the source is no better or worse than Apple or Google. However, now read these three paragraphs:

A central area of potential co-operation is the BBC iPlayer project, for which the BBC Trust last week gave final approval following an open consultation. The proposition will use Microsoft Windows Media digital rights management to restrict playback of programming to within a specific time window from first transmission.\n\nIn its consultation, the BBC Trust received responses from thousands of members of the public. Over 80% of them said they thought it was very important that the catch-up service was not simply limited to users of Microsoft software. The BBC Trust will require the corporation to achieve platform neutrality within a reasonable timeframe but it has not specified a timeframe.\n\nMicrosoft recently announced a new initiative, Silverlight, which will enable playback of media protected with Windows Media digital rights management on Apple OS X computers, which goes some way to providing cross-platform compatibility.

\nNow, I know I'm a cynic, but somehow, I'm seeing the only !MS platform support being done via Silverlight, and when Linux users who pay taxes for the Beeb get left out in the cold the Beeb will throw up its hands and say \"We have to protect our IP, and Microsoft hasn't released a Linux plugin. Whattya gonna do?\" When the Windows version of Silverlight gets features that \"alas, require Windows\", (This is speculation, based on Microsoft's rich history of fucking over the !MS OS user base with regard to Windows Media. WiMP 10/11 Mac anyone? WiMP anything Linux? Right.), the Beeb's going to say \"Well, gotta have the DRM, sorry guys, go yell at Redmond.\"\n\n<sigh>\n\nThe BBC should at least try to hide the degree to which they're fellating BallmerGates.\n

Technorati Tags: Bullshit, Microsoft, TEH STOOPUD