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[News] Ashley Highfield (of MSBBC Infamy) Slammed for Supporting the Microsoft Scam

  • Subject: [News] Ashley Highfield (of MSBBC Infamy) Slammed for Supporting the Microsoft Scam
  • From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:35:58 +0000
  • Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy
  • Organization: Netscape / schestowitz.com
  • User-agent: KNode/0.10.4
BBC on the iPlayer

,----[ Quote ]
| An interesting podcast with Ashley Highfield, Director Future Media & 
| Technology....Clearly there’s a vast amount of money to be made by 
| selling “DRM” solutions to gullible old media companies. It is sad that the 
| BBC, who don’t even have to protect their profits, do not have the collective 
| brains to see through this scam. Perhaps there is light at the end of the 
| tunnel? -- "Where do we go from here? … The solution then is to say either we 
| look at a future beyond DRM or we’re going to find it very hard to put our 
| content onto open source solutions."       
| 
| But he is just teasing - they don’t actually look at this future, so I guess 
| their choice is to not put their content onto open source solutions! 
| 
| [...]
| 
| I think he needs to add Parliament to his list of people to work better with, 
| after the recent lunacy from Lord Triesman 
`----

http://www.links.org/?p=269


Related:

Interview with Mark Taylor, Pres. of UK Open Source Consortium, by Sean Daly

,----[ Quote ]
| Q: Now, when you say a smoking gun, what exactly do you mean?
| 
| Mark Taylor: Well, the -- (laughter) -- the thing is, the iPlayer is not what 
| it claimed to be, it is built top-to-bottom on a Microsoft-only stack, the 
| BBC management team who are responsible for the iPlayer are a checklist of 
| senior employees from Microsoft who were involved with Windows Media. A 
| gentleman called Erik Huggers who's responsible for the iPlayer project in 
| the BBC, his immediately previous job was director at Microsoft for Europe, 
| Middle East & Africa responsible for Windows Media. He presided over the 
| division of Windows Media when it was the subject of the European 
| Commission's antitrust case. He was the senior director responsible. He's now 
| shown up responsible for the iPlayer project.          
`----

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20071021231933899


BBC Corrupted

,----[ Quote ]
| Today the BBC made it official -- they have been corrupted by Microsoft. With 
| today's launch of the iPlayer, the BBC Trust has failed in its most basic of 
| duties and handed over to Microsoft sole control of the on-line distribution 
| of BBC programming. From today, you will need to own a Microsoft operating 
| system to view BBC programming on the web. This is akin to saying you must 
| own a Sony TV set to watch BBC TV. And you must accept the Digital  
| Restrictions Management (DRM) that the iPlayer imposes. You simply cannot be 
| allowed to be in control of your computer according to the BBC.      
`----

http://defectivebydesign.org/blog/BBCcorrupted


BBC iPlayer Protests 

,----[ Quote ]
| Who are the people responsible for creating this mess?
| 
|     * Mark Thompson, BBC director general (DG)
|     * Erik Huggers, group controller at BBC Future Media & Technology
|     * Ashley Highfield, director of new media and technology
| 
| Right now, there is very considerable concern within the BBC that the actions 
| of the Director General and his team are sending the corporation in the wrong 
| direction. The BBC has been embroiled in a number of recent controversies, 
| all linked back to the DG's leadership.   
`----

http://www.defectivebydesign.org/iPlayerProtest


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


BBC courted for Xbox link

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft was attracted to the BBC’s library of content and to 
| high-definition programmes such as the award-winning series Planet Earth, 
| Honey said.  
`----

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article2412752.ece


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/


Microsoft, Siemens to develop in-car infotainment

http://phunds.xxtreeme.com/sep10_microsoft_siemens_to_develop_in_car_infotainment


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


BBC iPlayer ups its restrictions

http://flickr.com/photos/coneee/1321390740/?addedcomment=1#comment72157601896989250



Ubuntu Linux maker joins OSC over iPlayer campaign

,----[ Quote ]
| As the Internet becomes part of everyone's lives - we will all go online 
| using more types of device. Locking access to BBC iPlayer content to phones 
| and internet tablets running Windows(tm) is shortsighted and bad for 
| fee-payers. Platform neutral means that we need   
| a solution that supports Linux and Apple's OSX."
| 
| We fully support the OSC's vital campaign that the iPlayer support Linux and 
| trust that the BBC sees why this is in the interest of feepayers." 
`----

http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=33204&hilite=


What tricks is the BBC up to with Microsoft?

,----[ Quote ]
| The twin elephants in the meeting room will be Microsoft's Silverlight and 
| PlayReady. 
`----

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/08/16/silverlight_iplayer_playready/


BBC's iPlayer's Prospects Looking Bleak

,----[ Quote ]
| "The future of iPlayer, the BBC's new online on-demand system for delivering 
| content, is continuing to look bleaker. With ISPs threatening to throttle the 
| content delivered through the iPlayer, consumers petitioning the UK 
| government and the BBC to drop the DRM and Microsoft-only technology, and 
| threatened legal action from the OSC, the last thing the BBC wanted to see 
| today was street protests at their office and at the BBC Media Complex 
| accompanied by a report issued by DefectiveByDesign about their association 
| with Microsoft."       
`----

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/08/15/1721229&from=rss


BBC iPlayer protest report

,----[ Quote
| First on site with me is Tom Chance, Green Party spokesperson on Free 
| Software. He has organized for Dr Derek Wall, lead spokesperson for the Green 
| Party to join us and make some statements about BBC iPlayer and the Microsoft 
| lock-in it establishes.   
| 
| [...]
| 
| We have 1500 fliers to distribute, that focus on the key issue with the 
| iPlayer, and why $130 Million and 4 years of development don't get you much 
| when you choose Microsoft DRM.  
`----

http://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/iPlayerProtestReport


Anti-DRM Protesters call on the BBC to eliminate DRM from the iPlayer

,----[ Quote ]
| London and Manchester, England – Two weeks after the BBC officially launched 
| the iPlayer, protesters wearing bright yellow Hazmat suits gathered outside 
| BBC Television Center in London and BBC headquarters in Manchester to demand 
| that Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) be eliminated from the BBC.   
| 
| The BBC have developed the "iPlayer" at a cost to the BBC license fee payer 
| of £130 Million and rising.  
| 
| [...]
| 
| FSF Executive Director attending the protest spoke about the corrupting 
| influence of Microsoft, "BBC values have been corrupted because BBC 
| Executives are too closely associated with Microsoft. BBC values have been 
| corrupted because the iPlayer uses proprietary software and standards made 
| under an exclusive deal with Microsoft. BBC values have been corrupted 
| because license fee payers must now own a Microsoft operating system to 
| download BBC programming. BBC values have been corrupted because license fee 
| payers must accept DRM technologies that spy and monitor on the digital files 
| held on their computers. We are here today to help BBC Director General Mark 
| Thompson, clean up this DRM mess, and to encourage the BBC Trust to reverse 
| course and eliminate DRM from the BBC iPlayer"          
`----

http://www.linuxelectrons.com/news/general/11186/anti-drm-protesters-call-bbc-eliminate-drm-iplayer


Internet groups warn BBC over iPlayer plans

,----[ Quote ]
| Some of the companies involved have told the BBC that they will consider 
| limiting the bandwidth available to iPlayer – a process known as traffic 
| shaping. The measure would limit the number of consumers who could access the 
| iPlayer at any one time.   
`----

http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article2856766.ece


Lobby Group: Microsoft Too Close to BBC

,----[ Quote ]
| A software lobby group is campaigning to highlight the role of software giant 
| Microsoft Corp. in the British Broadcasting Corp.'s digital media strategy by 
| petitioning Great Britain Prime Minister Gordon Brown to address the issue.  
`----

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070803/microsoft_bbc.html?.v=1


http://labs.live.com/photosynth/BBC/default.htm

Requires ActiveX, IE, Windows...


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


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


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


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

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