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BBC's iPlayer beta released to raving complaints |
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Written by Felix Da Silva (fdasilva@bitnip.com)
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Saturday, 28 July 2007 |
 BBC launched a large-scale beta test of its iPlayer yesterday. However, 12,000 people have already signed an e-petition to 10 Downing Street
over how the iPlayer's is currently only compatible with Windows XP. They were also accused of forcing people to use Microsoft Windows OS.
Those who do have XP can sign up for the beta and hope to receive an invite in the next several days. Invitations are limited but the BBC will gradually expand the numbers over the next few months until the official launch later this year.
Television shows can be downloaded freely up to seven days after they originally air and can be stored for up to a month. Once a user begins to watch a program, he or she has seven days to finish watching. When the time period is up, DRM ensures that the programs go poof in order to protect future revenue streams for the shows' rights-holders. I'm sure their DRM is really secure and it will only be cracked within an week.
As for Linux and the Mac, they're not compatible with the iPlayer for now. Although the BBC says that a
Mac-compatible version is coming this fall.
Channel 4 already runs a similar service which also works only on XP
that allows users to catch-up on shows from the last seven days or pay
to access older material from the archives. I have not seen a complaint about them yet.
I am a fan of complaining but this is just a bit ridiculous. Complaining about how this beta test version is only for Windows XP is like complaining about how Ford is making cars that have wheels which forces me to use the road when I want a flying car. Doesn't make much sense to you either does it?
There are a lot of companies that just make software for a certain platform. For example, companies that only make games available for the
Playstation 3 and not to the Wii or Xbox 360. Maybe I should also file a
petition and complaint that they're forcing me to use a certain
platform.
This is only a beta test and in beta testing, they are just testing if the software works and see how it runs in order to work out any bugs. In addition, catering the software to the most popular operating system just makes logical sense. If this is popular enough and there is enough demand for a Mac or Linux version, I am sure they will release one.
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