BBC online video service launches
,----[ Quote ]
| Operating system: Windows XP SP2
| Browser: Internet explorer 6.0 or above
| Media Player: Windows Media Player 10 or above
`----
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6916164.stm
So they do not only discriminate against Linux and Mac users. Even /inside/
Windows they are promoting the use of blatantly anti-standards applications
that help Microsoft extend an illegal monopoly. This is Beyond belief.
A word from an anonymous friend:
"Becky Hogge at ORG is doing great work in the area too:
http://www.newstatesman.com/200707260040
I particularly like here destructive meme of "Last months penis", and would
love to see it become the default term which means 'the Microsoft
iPlayer(TM)'. ORG are focusing on the DRM aspects. OSC are focusing on
cross-platform and anti-trust aspects.
The FSF are going to join the party soon too. Peter Brown is coming to the UK
from 7th to 15th August and bringing the 'Defective by design' campaign with
him. A protest will be organised (probably 14th or 15th) at the BBC Television
Center. When this goes public, we should do our very best to give it wide
visibility, and to get as many people to come along as possible."
The BBC will get hell. They can't sell the Brits to Microsoft.
Related:
BBC iPlayer petition hits 10,000
,----[ Quote
| More than 10,000 people have signed an e-petition on the 10 Downing Street
| website urging the BBC to make its iPlayer available to non-Windows users.
`----
http://www.silicon.com/retailandleisure/0,3800011842,39167923,00.htm?r=1
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
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/
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
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 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
|
|
