[SWLUG] New protest and petition against BBC's Windows-only iPlayer

[Ian Hill]

On 8/3/07, Vladimir Zlatanov <vlado at dikini.net> wrote:
> | But lets not pretend that we have rights and protections that we do not.
> As I said earlier the iPlayer issue is related to copyrights, but not a
> copyright issue on its own.
> I might feel it is unfair towards me, since I can't use the service. I can
> probably go around this, since a
>  PVR will do (nearly) the same job for me. The real wrong is that in its
> current state the iPlayer service
> does not give a chance for independent access to the service.

Agreed. I see two problems. The one that affects iPlayer is this: when
DRM is applied, I think it is in the market's interest to apply it in
a way that does not automatically diminish the target audience. My
opinion: openness in public communication standards should be
essential, perhaps even mandatory.

Quite independently, there is a debate that needs to take place
regarding when and how it is appropriate to apply DRM. This is a much
murkier place! Personally, I believe that preventing me from using
material I have bought is not acceptable, but preventing me from
receiving material I haven't bought is. (Access control, not usage
control; but I do realise its not that clear cut!)

Ian

-- 
Ian Hill
ian at cellar.org.uk