OSC: Whining babies
So, the OSC (Open-Source Consortium) is continuing its little fight with the BBC over the forthcoming iPlayer.
iPlayer, when launched to the public on July 27th, will allow people in the UK to watch a selection of highlights of the BBC's programming over the previous 7 days.
However, upon launch, the service depends on technologies only available in Windows Media Player, and certain aspects of the Windows XP operating system.
The OSC, who advocate the use of free software, think that this is unfair and are demanding that the BBC makes iPlayer compatible with other operating systems and media players. This is despite the BBC having stated that they fully intend to do so, but have concentrated on Windows XP for the time being as it is the vastly predominant operating system, and Windows Media Player in particular as it is the only media player (or certainly one of few) with the necessary security capabilites.
In a statement on their Website, the OSC say:
It is unacceptable that a publicly funded organisation, which surely has the resources and capability to deliver a platform agnostic digital media player, has adopted a technology that indirectly excludes access to its content to around 25% of the IT enabled public.
Presumably, therefore, they are saying that the other 75% of the population should be denied the opportunity to use iPlayer until it works universally. Which really is akin to "no one is allowed to play or listen to piano music until I learn how to play."
OSC's Chief Executive, Rick Timmis, also claims that having the iPlayer only work with Windows will force people to buy Microsoft software. Which is blatant bull shit, both on the assertion that a) it forces people to do so, and b) that people actually would. In fact, the BBC has also said that they expect and hope to launch a Mac-friendly iPlayer in the autumn, and a Windows Vista (as opposed to Windows XP) version shortly afterwards.
It is utterly ridiculous that these people are making such ridiculous demands. The BBC have stated on numerous occasions that they will be making iPlayer usable to all. Complaining about it, and reporting them to the European Commission - as the OSC has threatened to do - seems extremely counter-productive to the BBC's development process. To anyone with an ounce of sense, it is totally understandable that the predominant software would be catered for first. If others are too stubborn to use non-open source software, then that's their own problem.
Idiots. And that's being overly polite.
posted by Aaron at 11:51 AM
2 Comments:
While I have no feelings one way or another for the OSC and, as an Apple Mac user, no affiliation with them either I have to say I fully support their stand.
Before they started to make a fuss (way before their 'official' stab via Europe), the BBC were NOT promising a Mac version of iPlayer, just stating vaguely that they 'hoped' to offer one at some future date. This then became some time in 2008 and now - as you are informing me - some time in the Autumn of this year.
This has only been bought about by pressure from the likes of the OSC and for that I thank them.
The BBC is chartered to provide content for 'all'. Yes - I can see some sense in serving the majority initially but from the very start their attitude towards Apple Mac users has been dismissive. Very much like yours.
"if others are too stubborn to use non-open source software, then that's their own problem". And I take exception to this and being branded an 'idiot' along with the OSC. I am quite happy to use non-open source software - I do all the time. But the BBC, being the public funded and chartered body that it is, most defintely should be using open-source software on this project.
13/7/07 1:23 PM
Ah, well that's a slightly different matter then.
However, "hope" still translates in my experience as "intend". Do you have any idea exactly when they were saying this though? It was only quite recently that iPlayer got to a level where it was seriously usable on XP (I'm a beta tester of the app myself), so I can fully understand that they didn't want to be any more committal than "hope".
I don't accept the dismissive accusation though. I support the OSC's aims. Universality is important with such systems (particularly a largely publicly funded one). It just seems a little pointless, IMO, to keep going on about it now that the BBC have committed to releasing the app for Mac, and even given a relatively specific timeframe.
Now, I don't agree with the DRM which has to be applied to the content any more than the next guy (particularly since we've already paid for it), but I fully understand - especially with such a relatively experimental distribution method as iPlayer is - the need to have some kind of control on what's being given out.
The trouble with OS software is, as hinted above, inherent. Anyone can see the code, so anyone with the necessary knowledge could reverse-engineer the DRM controls.
Regarding Apple, I'm not going to pretend that I don't hate them, but it wasn't specifically Mac that I was commenting on; it's just that that's what had been mentioned elsewhere.
And as far as idiocy goes, I was referring to their general attitude, and assertion that this would force people to buy Microsoft products.
In summary, I agree with making the software available to as many people as is possible. What I don't agree with is the methods that this group seem to be using.
13/7/07 6:22 PM
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