qed’s blog

The Beeb is apparently quite advanced in its plan to
unleash a Windows/IE only media player onto the british public. There is a
good argument against their chosen delivery vehicle which is locked to a
windows only platform, but that is not the real issue.

What is particularly revealing about the whole BBC iPlayer saga is the way
Microsoft have been able to manipulate and exploit the issues of
intellectual property rights in conjunction with their dominant position
in the market place to place themselves in a highly desirable position. It
might seem strange that a public funded broadcaster would adopt a very
proprietary solution to their business requirements, the BBC and Microsoft
would appear to be unlikely bedfellows. Except for the very simple fact,
they are both very BIG players in the world of making money and
manufacturing consent.

The BBC has a highly regarded reputation for delivering the news that is
important, microsoft has somehow accumulated a reputation for being the
only player capable of delivering computing results for the average user.
Most likely both reputations are substantially less deserved if one has
all the facts available, equally likely this is a blow against the notions
of free and openness as espoused by the FOSS community, delivered with
exactly that intent in mind.

The real argument against the BBC decision is not that they are choosing
Microsoft over some other player, it is that the decision strengthens the
hold of Microsoft (Big Business) over our digital future. Choice is one of
the pillars of a democratic society, there is no freedom to choose if
there is no choice, be it your media player or your source of news.

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http://www.qednet.biz