BBC set to ditch the iPod, Linux and Mac OS

[the_leander]

In a planned revamp of their on-line streaming media content the BBC is set to make it impossible for users of the Mac OS X and Linux variant operating systems, as well as hand held devices such as the Apple iPod, to play it's audio and video streams.

[Louis P. Burns aka Lugh]

In a planned revamp of their on-line streaming media content the BBC is set to make it impossible for users of the Mac OS X and Linux variant operating systems, as well as hand held devices such as the Apple iPod, to play it's audio and video streams.

Did the BBC ever have a clause written that approved their use? Wouldn't they be in breach of some sort of contract, especially with reference to the Apple iPod?

[the_leander]

Pass.

They were originally going to go with an open source system that would have supported everything.

It was cheeper, scaled better and was based on proven technology. Oh, and would have run on just about any device you can concieve of.

The system they have picked is more expensive, won't run on anything except Windows Media Player 11 (not even Microsofts new Zune portable "ipod killer" is supported) and of course, iPods, Macs and Linux, even older versions of Windows are completely out.

Someone somewhere has taken some backhanders for this to go through.

[spacecadet]

I think they're going for breadth rather than depth. Spending resources on increasing the amount of items available online rather than messing about with the nuts and bolts so people can download things to anything including their toaster doesn't make sense.

I think it's simply a case of pushing for a market share as quickly as possible - nothing more sinister than that.

[the_leander]

I think they're going for breadth rather than depth. Spending resources on increasing the amount of items available online rather than messing about with the nuts and bolts so people can download things to anything including their toaster doesn't make sense.

Thing is, that the open source system they were going to use would have allowed for breadth and depth, would have been cheeper too.

I think it's simply a case of pushing for a market share as quickly as possible - nothing more sinister than that.

This thing only works for media player 11, which means XP and Vista. Their marketshare between them atm is around 60% of the total.

Using real, or an opensource system, they could have had 100% and it would have cost them far far less.

[Louis P. Burns aka Lugh]

Alan,

I owe you a massive apology mate. That hyperlink you posted on the first message to this thread initially only opened a blank page for me. I have now discovered that the broadband service for Northern Ireland crashed, as well as one in Manchester and a few other English regional servers on Monday evening through to early this morning. Something to do with them being hit by a worm virus according to their helpline.

In a private message to you I may have come across as sharp and that's what I'm apologising for mate...

Thanks.

[the_leander]

Alan,

I owe you a massive apology mate. That hyperlink you posted on the first message to this thread initially only opened a blank page for me. I have now discovered that the broadband service for Northern Ireland crashed, as well as one in Manchester and a few other English regional servers on Monday evening through to early this morning. Something to do with them being hit by a worm virus according to their helpline.

In a private message to you I may have come across as sharp and that's what I'm apologising for mate...

Thanks.

No, tis cool. I know about the largescale crash, though didn't know about it at the time. I notice that the fallout is that eclipse (my own ISP) is on something of a go slow as a result of it all.

Service will be back to full strength shortly they say

[Louis P. Burns aka Lugh]

Don't believe their hype