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Why Linux Users Should Be Furious At BBC
osweekly.com — Recently the BBC had a bit of a wake up call regarding numbers and how many Linux users were really out there. Why does any of this matter? It has to do with something the BBC provides called the iPlayer. Seriously, relying on ActiveX is so "1990's" that it's painful, and as luck would have it, the Linux users who wish to use this BBC player...
techie34290- 725 diggs
- digg it
- schestowitz, on 01/15/2008, -23/+17
Watch the BBC Director lying as he gets grilled about this (new):
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.os.linux.advoc ... - wipeout140, on 01/15/2008, -6/+52You can use the flash version as well now - meaning no ActiveX and all the shows as normal
- Phocion55, on 01/15/2008, -5/+14ActiveX
*shudders* - CapEnt, on 01/15/2008, -1/+11Using ActiveX is plain sick... they should remove this cancer and leave the flash version as default.
- OpCzar, on 01/15/2008, -1/+4Remove the cancer, leave the flesh?
- helloyamadotcom, on 01/15/2008, -11/+2Are you kidding me? Linux fanboys hate flash just as much as ActiveX.
Hey, Lets use Java! (...)- jellygraph, on 01/15/2008, -2/+5You are completely wrong
- Acolyte357, on 01/15/2008, -1/+2and a troll
- TechCF, on 01/15/2008, -2/+3Flash? No flash for me ... no 64 bit flash exists...
- jrbrewin, on 01/15/2008, -10/+3boo hoo. i just shed a tear for you.
get a tv, or a mac, or a windows install, and quit your whining. you're probably not even in the UK, and paying a license fee.- PJBovoNox, on 01/15/2008, -7/+1You couldn't be more right. Shame you got dugg down :(
- CapEnt, on 01/15/2008, -1/+4Nspluginwrapper allows me to use the 32bit flash on my 64bit firefox under linux.
- jellygraph, on 01/15/2008, -2/+2gnash?
- jrbrewin, on 01/15/2008, -10/+3boo hoo. i just shed a tear for you.
- Phocion55, on 01/15/2008, -5/+14ActiveX
- jmpeagle, on 01/15/2008, -37/+7maybe BBC doesn't want Linux users to view any of their stuff ...take a hint
- dinostabOMG, on 01/15/2008, -4/+15BBC is partially public, so it isn't quite that simple.
- godisdead, on 01/15/2008, -0/+5Every last frame of the content on iPlayer is publicly owned. They're cordoning off public property for use by Microsoft Windows users only. In any other country in the world people would be in court or in jail - but this is Britain, where no such common sense ever stopped the BBC from doing what ever the ***** it likes.
- dinostabOMG, on 01/15/2008, -0/+3You're right - I was thinking of NPR, which is partially public. The BBC is fully public. Thanks for the correction.
- godisdead, on 01/15/2008, -0/+5Every last frame of the content on iPlayer is publicly owned. They're cordoning off public property for use by Microsoft Windows users only. In any other country in the world people would be in court or in jail - but this is Britain, where no such common sense ever stopped the BBC from doing what ever the ***** it likes.
- GMorgan, on 01/15/2008, -1/+6It has no choice in the matter. The BBC doesn't set policy, it implements it.
- godisdead, on 01/15/2008, -1/+1You don't know what you're talking about.
- GMorgan, on 01/15/2008, -0/+2No actually I do. The BBC Trust (a separate company) sets policy and the BBC (what we all know as the BBC) has to follow it.
- godisdead, on 01/15/2008, -1/+1You don't know what you're talking about.
- dinostabOMG, on 01/15/2008, -4/+15BBC is partially public, so it isn't quite that simple.
- dbbblondon, on 01/15/2008, -4/+75Well i've been watching the iPlayer for the past few weeks on Ubuntu, I don't know what the f.uck this guy is on about.
- kazamx, on 01/15/2008, -6/+11You can stream content, but you can't download it like Windows users can.
- fritzek, on 01/15/2008, -2/+13Anything, that can be seen, can be saved as well.
- godisdead, on 01/15/2008, -0/+3Short of screen-capping it's hard to do, because they split the stream up into short randomly named FLV files.
- fritzek, on 01/15/2008, -2/+13Anything, that can be seen, can be saved as well.
- ravkass, on 01/15/2008, -5/+0Can you please reveal your method.
- troye, on 01/15/2008, -0/+8get it from your firefox browser cache.
1. type about:cache in address bar (in FF)
2. search for ".swf" --> Ctrl-F search string ".swf"
3. locate and view said materials or store it on your hard drive for safe keeping ;) - TechCF, on 01/15/2008, -1/+2I have not. Ubuntu 64-bit.
- kazamx, on 01/15/2008, -6/+11You can stream content, but you can't download it like Windows users can.
- qetuo, on 01/15/2008, -9/+18Linux user should be able to use iplayer just like the mac users had to fight to use it to. At the end of the day we are forced to pay for a lincense fee, they should do what we want. Not want microsoft wants!
- godisdead, on 01/15/2008, -1/+2It's the BBC trust which has made it difficult for non-Windows users, because their all too busy shutting each other's dick in the board room door to notice that 45% of their own users opt-out of the Microsoft tax.
- theodenking, on 01/15/2008, -2/+1You're not forced to pay a license fee. That's like saying I bought a car and was forced to pay for it.
- kevincannon, on 01/16/2008, -1/+1This has been discussed many times and the facts are all available: The BBC has stated that they intend to make their software work on Linux and Mac. It is now part of their remit set by the BBC trust. The BBC released a windows only version first because it was far easier to get that to market working for 95% of it's audience and then get it running for the other 5% at a later date than holding everybody up for a small segment of people. They have stated this. The new online Flash version of the iPlayer works in Windows/Mac & Linux, and is an example of how they are proving their commitment they stated a few months ago.
It may take time for a full implementation to happen on Linux & Mac too, but it's clearly the direction they're going from their actions in the last few months.
They only thing to realise is that the Linux version will have some kind of copy protection, because there's no way to provide free 'rentals' of shows without some method of stopping renting being the same thing as buying.
- kazamx, on 01/15/2008, -4/+23Since this whole thing has kicked off with the BBC and Linux, I find I pop onto the site at least once a day. I flick through a few pages, maybe load a video or two. If nothing else it helps pad the numbers a little. Maybe if more Linux users did this it would be even harder to ignore us.
To be honest I understand why companies ignore us at the moment. Linux has somewhere between 0.5 - 1.5% of the market. I remember when I first started using Phoenix (now firefox) we had 0% market share and no one wanted to sort the problems with their sites out. but as Firefox started to get between 5-10% of the market, pretty much every site made sure they worked.
With the eeePC, gOS Everex PC, and Cloudbook all running Linux and expected to sell over 10 million units this year. I see Linux usage increasing. Over time all these problems will go away as long as we can get the usage figues up.- dbalaski, on 01/15/2008, -3/+9
Also, as I've noticed before, there is a bit of arrogance about accepting new ideas not born at the BBC or the UK... I agree -- once it starts to cost them $$$$, their tune will change.
- dbalaski, on 01/15/2008, -3/+9
- 350Zed, on 01/15/2008, -13/+36"Furious"???
If this makes you "furious", you clearly have too little real responsibility in your life.- fatloui, on 01/15/2008, -6/+11yeah, just what i was thinking, clearly this linux user needs to light up and chill the ***** out
- DeadPanDan, on 01/15/2008, -5/+3The argument here is that they've gone out of their way to create a player that will not have full functionality in Mac or Linux. It would be EASIER to create a cross-platform application with full functionality for all. They have apparently been spending a lot of time and money to prevent full functionality on all systems.
- TotalHalibut, on 01/15/2008, -1/+3You don't seem to understand, they don't necessarily give a ***** about the same things you do.
- DeadPanDan, on 01/15/2008, -5/+3The argument here is that they've gone out of their way to create a player that will not have full functionality in Mac or Linux. It would be EASIER to create a cross-platform application with full functionality for all. They have apparently been spending a lot of time and money to prevent full functionality on all systems.
- fatloui, on 01/15/2008, -6/+11yeah, just what i was thinking, clearly this linux user needs to light up and chill the ***** out
- naio, on 01/15/2008, -29/+17Do you REALLY think BBC will give a damn to their 3 ou 4 linux users? Of course they will focus on their millions of windows users, it's simply a matter of business strategy. It is EXPENSIVE to develop for a 'niche' market.
- orbingpunk, on 01/15/2008, -14/+12As stated a few comments up, with the Linux revolution on the horizon and new computers coming pre-installed with Linux, your "3 or 4" linux users is a ridiculously flawed made-up number. It may be a bit more expensive NOW, but not for long. If the BBC wants to be on top of the game with their demographic (as I'm sure they'd like to be), they'll hurry up and get some linux support going.
- niallabrown, on 01/15/2008, -7/+10You would have to be stupid to digg the last comment down. Its happening now are you not paying attention? There will be millions of eeepc's manufactured next year alone and there are announcments right left and center of new PC's running Linux out of the box. People are out of their minds if they beleive that Linux is still just for geeks.
- kretik, on 01/15/2008, -10/+8The "Linux revolution in the horizon" bit probably did it. You get tired of hearing about how it's going to take over the world Real Soon Now.
Linux - taking over the world since 1996.- bjornski, on 01/15/2008, -5/+5It's the year of the Linux desktop!
- orbingpunk, on 01/15/2008, -2/+6Okay, bad wording on my part. How's "the increased Linux userbase on the horizon"?
- niallabrown, on 01/16/2008, -0/+1There wasn't an Internet infrastructure, online community resources like kiks or pool of programmers to support the development of linux on the scale needed at that time. Things change, deal with it.
- kretik, on 01/15/2008, -10/+8The "Linux revolution in the horizon" bit probably did it. You get tired of hearing about how it's going to take over the world Real Soon Now.
- niallabrown, on 01/15/2008, -7/+10You would have to be stupid to digg the last comment down. Its happening now are you not paying attention? There will be millions of eeepc's manufactured next year alone and there are announcments right left and center of new PC's running Linux out of the box. People are out of their minds if they beleive that Linux is still just for geeks.
- GMorgan, on 01/15/2008, -7/+17No it's not. It's quite easy to make portable software. What is difficult is to write software for one platform and then move it to another. The BBC cannot hide behind this excuse since they knew it had to be portable when they started.
- VikOlliver, on 01/15/2008, -10/+11If you think there are only 3 or 4 Linux users watching the BBC, you've genuinely lost the plot. There are thousands. Second off, if they used an Open or cross-platform product in the first place, then they wouldn't have to retrofit a "niche" market.
What were they thinking? "Sorry all you millions of OLPC users, you're not allowed to watch BBC educational content." If you're not cross-platform, you are choosing to limit your potential market.- naio, on 01/15/2008, -11/+5Sorry to shatter your dreams, but Negroponte's initiative is being PWNT after Asus released their XP-compatible Eees.
- CapEnt, on 01/15/2008, -3/+5Dream on... troll.
- Phocion55, on 01/15/2008, -3/+6Wow MS finally squeezed XP onto the Eee? That's like trying to fit Rosie O'Donnell in a gym locker. Impressive.
- Acolyte357, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1Who the ***** would put XP on the EEEPC, are you trying to see how slow you can make it run or just give yourself a headache?
- naio, on 01/15/2008, -11/+5Sorry to shatter your dreams, but Negroponte's initiative is being PWNT after Asus released their XP-compatible Eees.
- Phocion55, on 01/15/2008, -5/+5Ahhhh there's naio. You haven't been trolling in the Linux articles for the past few months. I was starting to get worried.
- naio, on 01/15/2008, -8/+2Have you been missing me, my fellow anti-MS troller? :-)
- jellygraph, on 01/15/2008, -0/+4they should have designed things properly to begin with
- orbingpunk, on 01/15/2008, -14/+12As stated a few comments up, with the Linux revolution on the horizon and new computers coming pre-installed with Linux, your "3 or 4" linux users is a ridiculously flawed made-up number. It may be a bit more expensive NOW, but not for long. If the BBC wants to be on top of the game with their demographic (as I'm sure they'd like to be), they'll hurry up and get some linux support going.
- amneosis, on 01/15/2008, -27/+12Quite whining Linuxbitch, it's got a Flash player now, I use it on my superior Mac.
- sdlvx, on 01/15/2008, -6/+13superior?
HA! - 10GunSalute, on 01/15/2008, -4/+21Mac fanboys who can't stop bashing windows...that's pathetic. But Mac fanboys who bash *Linux*?! Have they gotten *that* retarded?!
- HonoredMule, on 01/15/2008, -4/+7It's nothing new. It's the classic "I spent half my savings on this beast, so it HAS to be better" mentality. Financial investment = emotional investment.
So what's the Linux fanboy's excuse? It's ACTUALLY better...socially and philosophically, and sometimes technologically too.- GMorgan, on 01/15/2008, -1/+5Most often technologically you mean.
- HonoredMule, on 01/17/2008, -0/+1I opted for a conservative statement no rational person could deny except in blatant ignorance.
- GMorgan, on 01/15/2008, -1/+5Most often technologically you mean.
- HonoredMule, on 01/15/2008, -4/+7It's nothing new. It's the classic "I spent half my savings on this beast, so it HAS to be better" mentality. Financial investment = emotional investment.
- naio, on 01/15/2008, -4/+5I hate Apple fanboys, but I HAD to digg amneosis's comment. :-)
- sdlvx, on 01/15/2008, -6/+13superior?
- Mesmorize, on 01/15/2008, -8/+17You guys need to calm the ***** down. "Furious"? That's way overboard.
- over900000, on 01/15/2008, -9/+4THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!!
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s257/MyDoom111/ ...- Tanktunker, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1Did they draw Linus Torvalds or something?
- ToscaDisco, on 01/15/2008, -5/+37I call *****.
I use the iPlayer on Linux, it works fine and has done since it was taken out of beta (New year). I've just watched Louis Theroux Behind Bars on Fedora 8 (it was excellent), about an hour ago
The bit that doesn't work without ActiveX is the iPlayer download manager. It uses an ActiveX plugin as part of it's DRM (so you can't download a program and then share it via p2p etc, not that you would bother as all the iPlayer programs are free anyway). It's OK that the download manager doesn't work on Linux though, cos it's crap. Why would I want to download and save a program to watch later? If I want to watch it later, I can just stream it while I watch it. They're fixing it anyway - so pretty soon you will be able to download using the download manager, if you're an idiot and want to use that part of it
Typical sensationalist crap. Made up. Literally. Why are you muppets promoting a ***** story that isn't true to the front page?
Digg nil, BBC 1- sirhomer, on 01/15/2008, -4/+1Don't talk about muppets that way! :(
*Hugs Fonzy*- bjornski, on 01/15/2008, -0/+3Fonziy?
That mid-30's biker who hung around with high-school kids in Wisconsin?- tdous, on 01/15/2008, -0/+2Now THAT would have been a muppet! You could have a whole range with painfully specific character backgrounds.
A 1960's astronaut, in his 50's, writing his autobiography while drunk on 40s.
An air hostess with hooks for hands on the transatlantic route making endless coffee spilling jokes.
A schizophrenic zookeeper and animal rights activist who keeps letting the creatures loose and tranq-ing them back again.
An outwardly happy New York hot dog vendor who dreams above his station and entertains thoughts of suicide on a daily basis.
- tdous, on 01/15/2008, -0/+2Now THAT would have been a muppet! You could have a whole range with painfully specific character backgrounds.
- bjornski, on 01/15/2008, -0/+3Fonziy?
- tdous, on 01/15/2008, -3/+1"Why are you muppets promoting a ***** story that isn't true to the front page?"
Cos it's anti-MS I'd guess. Well sort of. I mean it's anti-BBC and from what other commenters tell me MS is "up their ass". - thepretext, on 01/15/2008, -0/+0BBC 2, BBC 3, BBC 4...
- kazamx, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1Cbeebies FTW
- sirhomer, on 01/15/2008, -4/+1Don't talk about muppets that way! :(
- bingobongony, on 01/15/2008, -14/+8Yeah...sure they did. I am sure the BBC really cares that a tiny percetnage of peopel couldn't view their video.
- CarzorStelatis, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1Funny, because where I come from taking people's money and then refusing to provide the service they paid for is against the law.
- HanSolo69, on 01/15/2008, -5/+7What about Linux users who don't give a ***** about the BBC because they don't give a ***** about Linux users? Should we still be furious?
- sirhomer, on 01/15/2008, -1/+3With all this ***** it sounds like a real orgy going on. Who's ***** who again?
- momsshizzle, on 01/15/2008, -24/+10Good for the BBC. Linsux.
- phaedrusiszen, on 01/15/2008, -1/+6Saying that says you don't understand Linux. It has it place. For me Linux fits better with what I want from a computer. If Microsoft's products satisfy that need for the users, then good for them. I don't like Windows, but I'd be wrong to say it sucks. It works for many people.
- nickcharlton, on 01/15/2008, -0/+3I'm not so keen on Windows either, but I use it when I need to and use Xubuntu when I can. I mostly use Mac, but that's only because I like that too. I think people need to start choosing what they use rather than everyone dubunking things because thats the way they do it. The simple fact is, Linux gives choice.
- Phocion55, on 01/15/2008, -6/+6Block. Report. Repeat.
- bjornski, on 01/15/2008, -6/+2You reported that comment?
You really are a douche, aren't you?- Phocion55, on 01/15/2008, -2/+2I guess so.
- bjornski, on 01/15/2008, -6/+2You reported that comment?
- thailand1972, on 01/15/2008, -3/+4"Linsux."
Does she? Do you have her number?
- phaedrusiszen, on 01/15/2008, -1/+6Saying that says you don't understand Linux. It has it place. For me Linux fits better with what I want from a computer. If Microsoft's products satisfy that need for the users, then good for them. I don't like Windows, but I'd be wrong to say it sucks. It works for many people.
- Leiterfluid, on 01/15/2008, -5/+20"I do not support those who do not support my choice of operating systems."
The BBC is government funded. I'm sure they get all the support they need.
"How Are 16,000 People Not Getting BBC's Attention?"
Easy. The population of London is over 7.5 million. 16,000 means doodly-squat.- sirhomer, on 01/15/2008, -0/+3I don't get how British people don't give a ***** to have to pay a license fee to own a TV. It's *****. Imagine having to pay a license fee to News Corp everytime you buy a TV in the USA, Fox News is of course the most popular and respected (barfs in mouth) news station in the USA.
- thailand1972, on 01/15/2008, -0/+5They do give a *****. Especially because the BBC is a VERY opinionated organization that should be neutral. Also, on a lighter note, there's loads of BBC adverts about how ***** up your life would be if you didn't pay your license. You don't only have to pay your license, you have to listen to threats from the BBC all year round.
- rob3, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1Well, we get a lot of high quality programming without the annoyance of advertisements. You have to pay for things like Cable and Satellite don't you - so why wouldn't you pay for TV being broadcast from aerials - it still costs money to do that.
- Leiterfluid, on 01/15/2008, -1/+1Broadcast content in the US is ad-driven, except for "public" TV, which is subsidized by tax-revenue (as well as private donation). Ironically, "public" television news suffers from the same bias as the BBC. Advertisers generally don't like it when people upset the apple cart.
While the quality of BBC programming may be excellent, it suffers in quantity. A regular US season (or series) is about 24 episodes, compared to the six or so for UK shows.- rob3, on 01/19/2008, -0/+1That is only on certain Series, on many of them for example tourchwood and Doctor Who you get about 12 Episodes... quite honestly I vote for quality over quantity.
- Leiterfluid, on 01/15/2008, -1/+1Broadcast content in the US is ad-driven, except for "public" TV, which is subsidized by tax-revenue (as well as private donation). Ironically, "public" television news suffers from the same bias as the BBC. Advertisers generally don't like it when people upset the apple cart.
- simd, on 01/15/2008, -0/+3Over 95% of people in the UK use the BBC's online, radio or TV services every week, so they must be doing something right.
- sirhomer, on 01/15/2008, -0/+3I don't get how British people don't give a ***** to have to pay a license fee to own a TV. It's *****. Imagine having to pay a license fee to News Corp everytime you buy a TV in the USA, Fox News is of course the most popular and respected (barfs in mouth) news station in the USA.
- neiltc13, on 01/15/2008, -13/+15I am sick to death of this argument rearing its ugly head. I'm a Mac user and while I really love the new Flash iPlayer, I think everyone is taking the wrong stance on this.
Since when did the BBC have a duty to provide access to people using any Operating System? The notion that every computer user should have access at the expense of securing the content is ridiculous. If you bought a TV or a digibox which was incompatible with the BBC's broadcasts then they wouldn't do anything to help you so why should they invest money to help a handful of people on a dodgy platform?
Furthermore, I was sick of hearing people complain when it was only available for Windows. I mean for goodness sake people - development takes time. If they waited until a cross platform version was available before releasing then no one would have used iPlayer until the end of 2007. In reality, those with Windows (MILLIONS of British PC users and so much of a majority that you really can't say there is competition) had access for most of the year.- phaedrusiszen, on 01/15/2008, -5/+12Since it's funded by the taxes paid for by some Linux users, I think they do have an argument.
If it's a strong enough argument consider the smaller Linux user base vs. the Microsoft one is its own question. But there is reason behind questioning.- neiltc13, on 01/16/2008, -0/+1The TV licence is NOT A TAX. You do not have to pay it and when you did pay it last time I bet you didn't expect iPlayer.
- ToscaDisco, on 01/15/2008, -1/+7>> "The notion that every computer user should have access at the expense of securing the content is ridiculous"
Watch the video - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6W1XIwSB27A
The vast majority of the cost of the iPlayer isn't the actual player (the flash player, the download manager, the ActiveX, the stuff you see). The real cost is in having created the ability to take any program aired on the BBC and very soon after it's aired, having it encoded and available for anyone in the UK to watch over the internet.
In other words the expense is nearly all spent in just having the programs available, not in the player you use to watch them . Given that, they might as well fork out a little more to make it available on as many OS's as possible
The player itself will be easy enough to chop and change and do whatever you want to do with it (e.g. make it independant of operating system), now that the technology and infrastructure is in place to have those programs available for it to feed off. - sdlvx, on 01/15/2008, -7/+7At one time, your little Apple Toy OS was in this same position. You mac users are arrogant. If it does get popular, I'm going to start laughing when OSX gets virus ridden and you all find out that the only reason that it's "virus free" is that no one cares enough to exploit it because it's insignificant.
- srg13, on 01/15/2008, -1/+2Ummm.. That's pretty unlikely considering that it's based on BSD/Unix.
- buckrogers1965, on 01/15/2008, -0/+3Nobody is asking for them to specifically support any particular OS. Just program using open web standards and test it on the popular web browsers like IE, firefox, safari and opera. You know, regular web development for the world today.
- phaedrusiszen, on 01/15/2008, -5/+12Since it's funded by the taxes paid for by some Linux users, I think they do have an argument.
- fLUx1337, on 01/15/2008, -4/+14Love how it says this on the bottom of the article:
"Click here to get the latest prices on Linux distributions!" - ChrisViz, on 01/15/2008, -15/+8The BBC has no duty to provide this service to a minority of users.
- Phocion55, on 01/15/2008, -4/+6Right just like a bridge toll doesn't have to let through Toyota's.
Makes sense.- sirhomer, on 01/15/2008, -4/+3Even more accurate would be a toll bridge that took tolls from a Toyota only forcing it to make a U-Turn before the bridge with no refund.
- tdous, on 01/15/2008, -2/+1No, more accurate would be like going out of their way to make sure their video catalogue in the 90s was also available on betamax.
- sirhomer, on 01/15/2008, -4/+3Even more accurate would be a toll bridge that took tolls from a Toyota only forcing it to make a U-Turn before the bridge with no refund.
- sirhomer, on 01/15/2008, -2/+8Ok fine, then I won't give them my money.
Oh wait, I am forced to by law.
Taxation without representation anyone? :) - buckrogers1965, on 01/15/2008, -1/+6They have a duty to program using open web standards so that everyone can use it, instead of doing a vendor lock in to a company that isn't even British.
- Phocion55, on 01/15/2008, -4/+6Right just like a bridge toll doesn't have to let through Toyota's.
- Emused, on 01/15/2008, -12/+10The BBC has M$ so far up their arses, they need to hit the F8 key just to dole out whatever the 2 PR departments decide to say next, about the inevitable LINUX---->desktops
- kretik, on 01/15/2008, -4/+41998 called, he wants his puerile creative spelling back ASAP.
- starsky51, on 01/15/2008, -1/+21999 called. They want their '[INSERT YEAR] called' jokes back.
- kretik, on 01/15/2008, -4/+41998 called, he wants his puerile creative spelling back ASAP.
- grimward, on 01/15/2008, -11/+11What is with linux users that make them so prone to this self-gratitious "we're the underdog because MS has money and everybody uses MS and we don't , waaa waaah!" behaviour? Reading this article, I see a kid whining about the world not revolving around his operating system of choice, an opinion which seems to be growing in the linux world as of late. As others have pointed out, there is a flash based player which should be available on all flavours on linux out there. Article buried: want some more cheese with that whine?
- schmalzbauer, on 01/15/2008, -14/+7Look, I love Linux, but for ***** sakes, quit riding it's dick every time something doesn't support it. Yeah, so the BBC ***** up and didn't realize (or didn't care) at it's ActiveX-based player was incompatible with Linux. It's not a blatant show of defiance, it's a ***** up. Simple and plain. Quit threatening to boycott the BBC over an incompatibility issue. *****.
- Electric_Sheep, on 01/15/2008, -3/+11"Based on what I have been able to gather thus far, it looks like we will see an Adobe Flash option coming out soon"
Is this guy an idiot? The article was released on the 13 of January. The BBC iPlayer using Adobe Flash has been available to the British public for weeks! Did the guy bother visiting the BBC site? - ringokamens, on 01/15/2008, -12/+6Sign the petition to the BBC at http://www.freethebbc.info!
- urnrg, on 01/15/2008, -10/+5Why can't a handful of open-source developers get together and make a kick @ss player everyone can use?
Oh, wait! There's one called VLC media player. From the videolan.org website, it states "versions 0.8.6 to 0.8.6c suffer from a security vulnerability in the ActiveX plugin." Oh, what a tangled web we weave... - EnderMB, on 01/15/2008, -6/+9Wow! Some Linux-using wannabes caught red-handed here! The guys who've bitched are either Windows/IE users or Linux fanboys who aren't even smart enough to check up on a story before believing it.
The BBC iPlayer uses Flash now and has for a good while, so if you can't view it you might want to get Flash.
Buried as Inaccurate.- tdous, on 01/15/2008, -3/+1edit: Never mind. It was based on the first paragraph which, on re-reading is pretty non-sensical so I can't be sure my reply makes sense.
- sirhomer, on 01/15/2008, -8/+3First we are suppose to be mad with the BBC, then happy with the BBC, then mad again. This is a real emotional roller coaster guys!
- Comanche, on 01/15/2008, -9/+3Who Cares
- supermansuper, on 01/15/2008, -2/+3From TFA: "Based on what I have been able to gather thus far, it looks like we will see an Adobe Flash option coming out soon. Then again, who really cares? "
Yeah, who cares? Lets go ahead and bash them. Its not like the latest version of the Flash Player is available on Linux. Oh wait, it is. But lets ignore that fact and continue bashing them. Thats how you get more page hits. - rectagon, on 01/15/2008, -3/+3Can we really trust a website that doesn't even know how to change the default mambo favicon? LOL
- lovekudu, on 01/15/2008, -2/+3As a Linux user I'm digging this article down.
This article is way out of date. The Flash based player already gives you access to all the content. The downloading app is still Windows only, but seeing as you can apparently save the content using Firefox anyway, I don't really care.
Now if the BBC could provide a way for users outside the UK to pay the television license fee and get BBC content, that would be awesome. - bjornski, on 01/15/2008, -9/+1Make your own open-source viewer and quit bitching about it.
I mean, Linux can do ANYTHING, right?- CarzorStelatis, on 01/15/2008, -0/+2There are plenty. The BBC is just refusing to allow people to view the programs with them.
- CuddyBuddy, on 01/15/2008, -4/+3iPlayers works fine for me with Linux...yes, there is a small hitch with the download manager, which I'm sure will be taken care of as well soon...
It will be good if we Linux folks stop making a huge hue and cry about everything...the term cry-baby is not far away. - linuxpenguin, on 01/15/2008, -5/+1I see no reason to be furious, even though I am a Linux user. . . why should I care about the BBC?
- gemmakicn, on 01/15/2008, -1/+3I've been using the iPlayer flash version on my mac for the past month or so, and i love it :) Admitedly i'd prefer a software based version, but for something that they rushed out to meet the demands of a minority (but growing) segment of their viewing population, its rather impressive and usable.
I'm sure there will be a non flash version released eventually, but this does the job, requires no downloads and just works, so i'm happy with the BBC for now.
That said, where's my news programs? - godisdead, on 01/15/2008, -2/+3The very idea that the BBC were forced into this for any other reason than not wanting to face a proper inquiry into their illegal business links to Microsoft is dream land stuff. The BBC couldn't give two shiny ***** about any non-Windows OS because their binding contracts with Microsoft and RealPlayer mean anything they offer which supersedes the out-dated technologies these agreements lock them into is money which has to come out of programming like news and factual - because the budgets for drama and sport are tied into commercial contracts with overseas distributors through BBC World and BBC America and can't be touched.
The BBC's short-sightedness of getting into bed with Microsoft in the first place has come back to bite them like thousands of tax payers told them it would at the time and now it's too late to do anything about it. - jaydedragon, on 01/15/2008, -4/+2why are people up in arms over BBC and not up in arms over ABC??helloooo... has anyone seen the notice you get when you try to use abc's streaming content if you are using linux... seriously go try.. unless they changed it, the cookie thingy on their site finds out what OS you are using and then if you aren't using microsoft or mac it gives an error stating" we're sorry we don't support your operating system" not the browser because it should play in any browser.. but operating system
seriously if you guys got bbc fixed.. can you fix abc too, because my one voice didn't do crap- godisdead, on 01/15/2008, -0/+3The British tax payer owns BBC content. It is public property. ABC is paid for with advertising. The BBC do not show adverts. Their entire revenue comes from the licence fee. The BBC have cordoned off public property and made it exclusively available to users of a commercial product, which no matter your opinion on the platform wars, is independently proven to be less secure than UNIX variants like Linux and Mac OS X and according to the European court is in serious and continuing breach of numerous fair competition laws.
- tgoose, on 01/15/2008, -3/+1Your one voice won't do crap - *no* number of voices from the public will do anything. With capitalism, you can only vote with your feet.
(this is not an "OMG CAPITALISM SUCKS" post; I'm just outlining the difference in situtations.)
- tgoose, on 01/15/2008, -1/+2I don't think the author knows what he is talking about.
Linux users (those in Britain, anyway) should be watching the web-based iPlayer as much as possible to demonstrate to the BBC that we really do exist.- tdous, on 01/15/2008, -3/+1Ok but you four bring the server down and there'll be trouble.
- zongamin, on 01/15/2008, -4/+3Story is complete *****.
443 idiots have dugg this ***** so far. Grow up you idiots. - tdous, on 01/15/2008, -1/+3"Based on what I have been able to gather thus far, it looks like we will see an Adobe Flash option coming out soon. Then again, who really cares?"
Already out and a few people.
Inaccurate and stupid. Burified. - jellygraph, on 01/15/2008, -0/+3I think I've got a good idea why the BBC developed it this way in the first place. I went to uni with one of the folks working in that area of the beeb and he's a windows developer and, as far as he is concerned, the world revolves around him - thus everyone has to run windows (you really ought to hear how he argues these things)... probably most of their entire base of developers have exactly the same attitude
- landmonster, on 01/15/2008, -6/+1Linux users should shut the ***** up. They are the moaningest bastards of all time.
- reginaldino, on 01/15/2008, -1/+2you do realise MAC users are in the same boat?
- CarzorStelatis, on 01/15/2008, -1/+1What has the serial number of your network card got to do with the BBC?
- reginaldino, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1funny guy. oh, wait. the other thing
- CarzorStelatis, on 01/15/2008, -1/+1What has the serial number of your network card got to do with the BBC?
- reginaldino, on 01/15/2008, -1/+2you do realise MAC users are in the same boat?
- reginaldino, on 01/15/2008, -1/+3most people are owed absolutely ***** all by the BBC. However, my tv license goes to these money grabbing bastards so i'm pissed
- STKD, on 01/15/2008, -5/+2And why can't they support the Amiga! Or the Spectrum! We have every right to a Spectrum 48k version of the iPlayer! We pay them blah blah blah blah Linux blah blah minority blah oppressed blah blah... and so on.
- jellygraph, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1Ok, try using your brains and answer that question yourself. Why?
December 2007
WinXP 73.4%
W2000 4.7%
Win98 1.3%
Vista 6.5%
W2003 1.9%
Linux 3.5%
Mac 4.0%
http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp - CarzorStelatis, on 01/15/2008, -0/+2The point is that the BBC is funded by a compulsory licence tax. If this were a private company, to which subscription is optional, there would be less of an issue. If you don't like their online service, you vote with your wallet. However the BBC forces everyone to pay for its services, and therefore must provide its services to licence fee payers regardless of whether they are customers of Microsoft or not.
- jellygraph, on 01/15/2008, -0/+1Ok, try using your brains and answer that question yourself. Why?
- CarzorStelatis, on 01/15/2008, -1/+4Buried as inaccurate. The Flash version (which he says is 'coming out soon') was actually available two weeks before he wrote the article.
- NicePaul, on 01/15/2008, -1/+3Also buried as inaccurate. This article was out of date before it was published - the Flash version is available already.
- zongamin, on 01/15/2008, -1/+1Right you ***** - 8 times more people use the streaming version than the stupid download version.
Please die. - babbling, on 01/15/2008, -0/+2I've read most of the comments here so far and I think most people have misunderstood the situation.
People living in the UK are required by law to pay an annual fee to the BBC for each television receiver that they own. This is how the BBC is funded. You cannot "opt-out" of this fee. Therefore, the BBC has a responsibility to ensure that they make a reasonable effort to provide equitable access to their viewers.
The situation here is that Linux-using viewers are being provided with a service that is of lesser quality than that of Windows-using viewers. As they pay the same fee and there is a significant number of them, they expect the same level of service from the BBC.
So, why don't Linux-using developers just reverse-engineer the iPlayer and write an equivalent for Linux? The iPlayer uses DRM, so writing an equivalent isn't feasible. Basically, we should be protesting the BBC using DRM and a proprietary protocol rather than protesting for a port of an application to whichever platform. If the BBC would just publish the protocol being used by the iPlayer, there wouldn't be a problem as players for other platforms could then be developed.
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