BBC Trust chairman scuppered by Skype
,----[ Quote ]
| The BBC has gone into a massive navel gazing operation after an internal
| investigation that revealed it had made quite a few mistakes.
|
| Naturally every hack+dog on the British national press is weighing in
| describing it as a scandal, a "breach of trust" and the rest.
|
| [...]
|
| ohn Humphreys, the interviewer, proceeded to explain that the chairman was
| using something called Skype. Sort of re-assuring that the BBC Trust isn't
| wasting licence payers' money though.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=41100
Just another piece in a puzzle. When it comes to Microsoft, the BBC can no
longer be trusted.
Also new on the Beeb:
The Beeb cuts off premium rate phone-in lines
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/19/bbc_ofcom_phone_ins/
Related:
MPs rap BBC over Siemens deal
,----[ Quote ]
| But public spending watchdog the PAC said BBC executives misled the board
| of governors about possible savings while trying to convince them to give
| the deal the go-ahead.
|
| The committee of MPs found £60m of costs was excluded when budgets were
| put to the governors for approval.
|
| [...]
|
| The PAC said the BBC was failing to manage the contract properly.
|
| [...]
|
| The report suggests the BBC should open up its accounts to government
| officials for proper scrutiny.
`----
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/06/29/pac_bbc_siemens/
Silverlight looks better by the Moonlight
,----[ Quote ]
| The BBC has already experimented with Silverlight and says it is looking for
| an "embedded media solution".
`----
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/online/insideit/story/0,,2123942,00.html
EC threat to BBC over downloads
,----[ Quote ]
| However, OSC disagrees and says the next step is to make a formal
| complaint to the European Commission (EC).
|
| "We're preparing the full details at the moment and we will be
| sending a formal letter within the next week," said Mr Taylor.
`----
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6236612.stm
Open sourcers rattle EU sabre at BBC on demand player
,----[ Quote ]
| The BBC is being threatened with an anti-trust challenge in Europe over its
| use of the Windows Media format in its on demand service, iPlayer, which is
| in the final stages of testing.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/22/iplayer_osc_eu_ofcom/
Free the BBC
,----[ Quote ]
| We are deeply concerned about the BBC's use of "Digital Rights
| Management" (DRM) to manage content delivered to users over the
| Internet. There are dozens of arguments against DRM, however we
| believe these are the most important and relevant to the BBC.
`----
http://www.freethebbc.info/node/5
BBC Trust to hear open sourcers' iPlayer gripes
,----[ Quote ]
| Before the trust got in touch on Wednesday, OSC CEO Rick Timmis
| said: "Everything we've done in the trust's direction has fallen on deaf
| ears. They've completely ignored us."
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/12/bbc_osc_meeting/
Apple Users Petition Prime Minister
,----[ Quote ]
| UK Apple users are petitioning the Prime Minister Tony Blair over the
| BBC's decision to make streaming media available to Windows users
| only. The BBC plans to launch an on-demand tv service which uses
| software that will only be available to Windows users.
`----
http://www.digmo.co.uk/misc/apple-users-petition-prime-minister/
Save the BBC from Windows DRM!
,----[ Quote ]
| Clearly, shutting out 25% of your audience sits ill with the BBC's
| remit of serving all of its users...
|
| There is no denying that this is an extremely difficult area for
| the BBC, since it must negotiate not one but three minefields -
| those of technology standards, copyright and contract law. But
| there are still things that it could do without turning into a
| global advertisement for Microsoft's flawed DRM approach.
`----
http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/1000183
BBC plans to lock viewers into Microsoft monopoly says Open Source Consortium
,----[ Quote ]
| The Open Source Consortium (OSC) believes the plans are anti-competitive
| and will use public money to lock viewers into the technologies of
| a repeatedly convicted monopolist.
`----
http://www.publictechnology.net/article_avantgo.php?sid=7655
Beeb slammed for 'fawning' to Bill Gates
,----[ Quote ]
| BBC viewers have flooded the corporation with complaints over how it
| covered the launch of Microsoft Vista earlier this week.
|
| In one cringingly servile interview worthy of Uriah Heep, the
| Beeb's news presenter Hugh Edwards even thanked Gates at the
| end of it, presumably in appreciation at being allowed to give
| the Vole vast coverage for free.
|
| In other TV news items presenters excitedly explained how Vistac
| ould be obtained and installed - details courtesy of the BBC's
| website.
|
| But British viewers, currently forced to pay a £131.50 licence
| fee to maintain the BBC's "impartiality", were less than impressed.
|
| Scores got in touch to complain that so much was Auntie up Bill's
| bum that you could barely see her corset.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37411
http://slated.org/bbc_microsoft_bias
Brits! Act now to save the BBC from Microsoft
,----[ Quote ]
| The BBC are holding an open consultation regarding how they're
| going to delivery on-demand content, they want answers to
| questions like: "How important is it that the proposed seven-day
| catch-up service over the internet is available to consumers who
| are not using Microsoft software?"
`----
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/01/31/brits_act_now_to_sav.html
Beeb breaks out with Windows WMA protection
,----[ Quote ]
| According to a press release from Sonos, the blokes over
| at the Beeb have decided to jump ship for relying on
| Realplayer for web content, and have switched over
| entirely to the Windows-friendly WMA format. Now
| that the BBC has made The Big Switch, BBC radio
| stations will be received automatically for users
| of wireless music and radio provider Sonos.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=35282
Avoid the Vista badge, it means DRM inside
,----[ Quote ]
| The root of this crappy DRM infection is Microsoft. It is the driving
| force here. This has nothing to do with protecting content, as we
| keep pointing out, there has never been a single thing that has had
| a DRM infection applied that didn't end up cracked on the net in
| hours. DRM is about walled gardens and control.
|
| He who controls the DRM infection controls the market. DRM is
| about preventing you from doing anything with the devices
| without paying the gatekeeper a fee. This is what MS wants,
| nothing less than a slice of everything watched, listened to
| or discussed from now on. DRM prevents others from playing
| there, thanks to the DMCA and other anti-consumer laws.
|
| Make no mistake, MS is pushing the DRM malware as hard as
| it can so it can rake in money hand over fist with no
| competition. It is really good at lock-in, in fact, the firm
| based its entire business model on harming the user so they
| have to comply and spend more.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=38926
Microsoft Tells Apple To Stop Complaining About DRM
http://www.podcastingnews.com/2007/04/13/microsoft-apple-drm/
Microsoft: We Like DRM
http://www.forbes.com/2007/02/08/zune-drm-itunes-tech-media-cx_df_0208bach.html?partner=yahootix
http://tinyurl.com/2lrz3y
Why Microsoft will fight for DRM
http://km.lqz.ca/blog/tech/microsoft-fight-drm/
Microsoft launches 'PlayReady' DRM system
,----[ Quote ]
| Although digital rights management (DRM) is popular with content
| creators, it has attracted criticism. Sony was widely attacked after
| using a rootkit-like application to hide content protection on some
| music CDs, and earlier this month Apple CEO Steve Jobs called on
| the music industry to drop its use of DRM.
`----
http://news.com.com/2100-1039_3-6158553.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-20&subj=news
Golden Rant : Microsoft DRM's gone too far
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft appears to have hit the wrong button on its critical
| Windows XP download service late last month, pretty well forcing
| every XP user to upgrade to Windows Media Player (WiMP) 11 if
| they (like me and many others) have the automatic download/install
| option enabled for critical updates.
`----
http://securityblog.itproportal.com/?p=712
The Longest Suicide Note in History
,----[ Quote ]
| Gutmann: The genie's out of the bottle before the operating system has even
| been released! But that doesn't mean Vista users in particular - and
| the computer community at large - won't end up paying for Microsoft's
| DRM folly. At the risk of repeating myself repeating myself, yet
| another reason to move to Linux.
`---- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
http://blogs.pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/tux-love/2007/01/the_longest_suicide_note_in_hi.html
DRM in Windows Vista
,----[ Quote ]
| Windows Vista includes an array of "features" that you don't want.
| These features will make your computer less reliable and less secure.
| They'll make your computer less stable and run slower. They will
| cause technical support problems. They may even require you to
| upgrade some of your peripheral hardware and existing software.
| And these features won't do anything useful. In fact, they're
| working against you. They're digital rights management (DRM)
| features built into Vista at the behest of the entertainment
| industry.
|
| And you don't get to refuse them.
`----
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2007/02/drm_in_windows.html
Lights out for Silverlight
,----[ Quote ]
| The next point is the availability of the tools. Even though you can
| view Silverlight on OS X, you will have no chance of being able to
| author Silverlight content without a Windows licence. This is a
| conscious decision. On the one hand, Microsoft wants to get
| designers using their Expression toolset yet designers will have
| to come across to the Windows platform in order to do it. It may
| not be such a large hurdle but it is a hurdle nevertheless. Ever
| tried to force an OS X user onto Windows? They cry, they scream
| and they want their (at times) consistent GUI back.
`----
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Lights-out-for-Silverlight/0,130061733,339278334,00.htm
http://tinyurl.com/27jpuv
Microsoft's Silverlight Disappoints
,----[ Quote ]
| I shake off the dissapointment and continue up the trail
`----
http://www.simplifiedchaos.com/2007/05/15/12/
Linux to Microsoft: Let's Fight with Silverlight
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft has spent the past few years trumpeting their "you are
| using patented code" with zero proof or real legal action, this
| is their ace in the hole. If Microsoft does manage to make sure
| that this Silverlight becomes the new standard for media rich web
| browsing, we are in real trouble.
`----
http://www.osweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2547&Itemid=449
Microsoft's Silverlight Biased and Doomed
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft is undoubtedly making progress in the browser and operating
| system platform struggle, but since their new Web technology can't be
| viewed and created by everyone, they still have a long way to go.
`----
http://www.osweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2545&Itemid=449
Why Microsoft Silverlight Will Fail.
,----[ Quote ]
| My main reasons (And please, correct me if I am wrong):
|
| * No IDE for me - The development path is currently platform
| specific to Windows. Not even an open compiler or server side
| compiler for Linux is available. Use Expression Blend on my
| Mac? Not happening.
|
| * No plug in for Linux - Even Adobe has managed to deliver it's
| modern plugin to Linux users. I only use Linux as a server
| platform, but with Ubuntu, etc making inroads on the desktop,
| it's nice to have it as an option.
|
| [...]
`----
http://visualrinse.com/2007/04/16/why-microsoft-silverlight-will-fail/
Microsoft's Silverlight and Adobe's Apollo: Web-Killer 2.0
,----[ Quote ]
| Now some may be wondering why so many people, myself included, have such
| violent negative reactions to these attempts to improve the user experience
| of the World Wide Web. After all, I wrote a report at Forrester about seven
| years ago called the X Internet that claimed that the Web needed to be more
| interactive. So what's wrong with a extensions and developer tools to make
| it all easier? Well, other than attempting to sidestep important
| collaborative efforts like World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Web
| Standards Project, these proprietary browser extensions break the utility
| of the World Wide Web in important ways.
|
| [...]
|
| It's nice to know that despite changes in interfaces and software
| technology, Microsoft's strategy for the Internet hasn't changed.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/seekingalpha/070507/34657_id.html?.v=19
Audience abandons Microsoft's MIX 07 keynote
,----[ Quote ]
| He said that when Microsoft and other companies create communities
| around their technology, it's usually accidental, not created by
| any ad placed strategically on a web page or in a game.
|
| "The Xbox community existed, but the Microsoft ads [in games and
| on Xbox Live] then got moved around quite by accident, not by
| design," Rasala said. "It's unclear that many companies can
| replicate that pattern by design."
|
| After Bach's keynote, it was difficult to find attendees in
| the hall that did not work for Microsoft. Nine out of 10
| attendees approached for comment after his talk were from
| the company.
`----
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=9217
Silverlight is about The Microsoft Web.
,----[ Quote ]
| Sorry, but I have to say something very rude. You clearly don't know
| what you're talking about. That is Microsoft PR talking. Can you say
| "credibility loss".
|
| Silverlight is about The Microsoft Web
|
| Silverlight is not about the World Wide Web. It's about The Microsoft
| Web. It's about getting fools to rally around Microsoft. After all of
| this time and experience with Microsoft, anybody with half a brain
| will be smart enough to avoid doing that. The last thing you want to
| be is dependent on Microsoft and set yourself up to be a DIRECT
| competitor with "Microsoft Cloud Services" down the road. Dumb.
| Foolish. Stupid. Smart investors won't invest one dime in your
| company and might even short your stock.
|
| Remember, it's Microsoft's cloud. Microsoft is not investing in
| huge datacenters all around the world for no reason. And, Microsoft
| will do whatever it takes, including operating that new online
| services business at a huge loss, to starve off any smaller
| competitor that foolishly chose to develop on the Silverlight
| platform. Microsoft sold $44 BILLION and cleared $18 BILLION
| profit last year. How many billions did you make last year?
`----
http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-11406-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=33334&messageID=613757
Microsoft's Silverlight Promises to Disrupt Linux Web Users
,----[ Quote ]
| Just as it seemed that Linux users (especially 64-bit users) would
| finally be able to enjoy streaming content with a minimum of
| hassle, Microsoft's new Silverlight software promises to throw a
| wrench in the works. Because of sites like Google Video and
| Youtube, Flash video has become a common means of streaming
| multimedia over the Internet.
`----
http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/entry1418.html
Microsoft's 'Everywhere' excludes Linux
,----[ Quote ]
| This browser add-on enables rendering of WPF content, but
| "Everywhere" doesn't include Linux.
`----
http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/7794/53/
ECIS Accuses Microsoft of Plotting HTML Hijack
,----[ Quote ]
| An industry coalition that has represented competitors of Microsoft
| in European markets before the European Commission stepped up its
| public relations offensive this morning, this time accusing
| Microsoft of scheming to upset HTML's place in the fabric of
| the Internet with XAML, an XML-based layout lexicon forn
| etwork applications.
`----
http://www.betanews.com/article/ECIS_Accuses_Microsoft_of_Plotting_HTML_Hijack/1169824569
Software rivals say Microsoft's Vista illegal in Europe (at CNNMoney.com)
,----[ Excerpt ]
| Software manufacturers, citing 2004 European Commission finding,
| contend the operating system violates server laws in Europe.
|
| [...]
|
| "Vista is the first step of Microsoft's strategy to extend its market
| dominance to the Internet," the ECIS statement said.
|
| It said Microsoft's XAML markup language was "positioned to replace HTML,"
| the industry standard for publishing documents on the Internet.
|
| Microsoft's own language would be dependent on Windows, and discriminatory
| against rival systems such as Linux, the group says.
|
| They said a so-called "open XML" platform file format, known as OOXML, is
| designed to run seamlessly only on the Microsoft Office platform.
`----
http://money.cnn.com/2007/01/26/news/international/bc.vista.microsoft.eu.reut/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote
,----[ Quote ]
| From: Bill Gates
| Sent: Saturday, December 05, 1998 9:44 AM
| To: Bob Muglia (Exchange); Jon DeVaan; Steven Sinofsky
| Cc: Paul Mariz
| Subject: Office rendering
|
| One thing we have got to change is our strategy -- allowing Office
| documents to be rendered very well by OTHER PEOPLES BROWSERS is one of the
| most destructive things we could do to the company.
|
| We have to stop putting any effort into this and make sure that Office
| documents very well depends on PROPRIETARY IE capabilities.
|
| Anything else is suicide for our platform. This is a case where Office has
| to to destroy Windows.
`----
http://antitrust.slated.org/www.iowaconsumercase.org/011607/2000/PX02991.pdf
Vista to give HD Photo format more exposure
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft is looking to supplant the ubiquitous JPEG with an image format
| of its own--and it's hoping the debut of Windows Vista will help do the
| job.
`----
http://news.com.com/Vista+to+give+HD+Photo+format+more+exposure/2100-1045_3-6153730.html
|
|
