[Wolves] BBC iPlayer woes...

[Kevanf1]

On 25/01/2008, Peter Evans <zen8486 at zen.co.uk> wrote:
> On Friday 25 January 2008 13:49:40 Kevanf1 wrote:
>
> T'was not my intention to stir anyone up over this and I'd like to try avoid
> any mentions of rants or put-downs if we continue to discuss the points
> raised.

It wasn't my intention either but it seems some people on this list
just want to either put me down or make fun of what I have said.

> I understand that Kevan was relaying what people were saying, and it appears
> as though they would be considered competent users.

Yes, most are.  One is currently studying for a Cisco networking
qualification while others are in various areas of IT support or high
level use including media usage.

> Kevan, does the mailing list you refer to have an archive at all?  If so then
> a reference might not go amiss.  After all if the cries to have iPlayer
> ported to other platforms is heard them others might want to see what
> people's experiences are like with it first.

I think there is an archive somewhere but it's not often used.  It's a
little advertised but not exclusive angling list.  With often not much
to do with angling and more likely to do with computers discussed.
Yes I evangelise Linux on their.  I've succeeded in getting one
programmer (by trade) into using only Ubuntu at home.

> Alan's comments regarding the provision of detail on what iPlayer does would
> tend to indicate that they've gone out of their way to explain what people
> should expect when they use the software.  But experience should tell us that
> even people we consider competent only really take information to heart when
> they want to.

These are fairly average people who use computers but in the Windows
world.  There is a massive difference between a Windows user and a
Linux user.  How many times have we come across very competent Windows
technicians who are totally lost in Linux.  It's a different world.
Most Windows users skim through the multitude of EULA's and other
agreements.  Why?  Because there are so many of them and life is
short.

> Kevan, fair and valid point about the strength and format of EULA's, but
> something has to be there - even Open Source licences recognise this?

Oh agreed, but I don't bother reading them.  I just want to use the
software and I expect it to do want I want and not something else in
the background (within reason of course).

> Are software installs/removals more or less well behaved on non-Windows
> platforms.  I honestly don't know, but I think it would be fair to say that
> there could be equally badly implemented apps installers/removers on other
> O/S?

Generally speaking Linux installs do normally go into one place.
Before anybody jumps on that one I know damn well that there are
exceptions.  Compared to a typical Windows install though any Linux
program is absolutely golden.  That's why there is a thriving market
in the Windows world for uninstall cleaner software.  A program get
installed in Windows and it drops bits all over the place like a dog
shedding hair in moulting season.  Try to keep that install in one
place and quite often the program will not run properly (this I have a
lot of personal experience of unfortunately).
-- 
==============================================

Kevan Farmer
Linux user #373362
Staffordshire