[sclug] BBC, DRM & MS

[John Barron]

On Thursday 01 February 2007 07:49, Simon Heywood wrote:
> 'The BBC Trust is carrying out its first Public Value Test (PVT) ? a new
> procedure that must be applied when the Trust considers applications
> from BBC management for the approval of new BBC services.'
>
> Question 5 is likely to be of particular interest to free software
> users:
>
> '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?'
>
> You can take part in the consultation by filling in the questionnaire
> here:
>
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/consult/open-consultations/ondemand_services.
>html
>

Yes, I've been along and put my two-pennorth in. 

Not a service I'll be able/willing to use, at least not without 
reverse-engineering/defeating the DRM so that I can use open-source 
applications to access it, I didn't switch to an open platform and open 
applications so I could run a closed-source/proprietary DRM/spyware media 
player from the BBC! :-)

Particularly galling is that I can at least walk away from other DRM, nobody 
forces me to buy an iPod and use iTunes, or to use Amazon's Unbox player and 
video downloads; but I *have* paid my license fees and general taxes, and now 
I'm to be offered the choice of either being excluded from certain BBC 
services or forced to run a closed-source application that will impose 
digital restrictions on my otherwise open system?

Sorry, don't think so, please try again Auntie! :-)

-- 
John Barron