Another short post after the lengthy pieces of recent days. The BBC are developing a fabulous piece of software called ‘iPlayer’. It will let you watch BBC television and radio broadcasts in full over the internet for periods of time after their first airing. I want it now.
However, it appears that Microsoft have lobbied in on the game and there’s a very real risk that iPlayer could be delivered as a Microsoft-only solution. Now whether this means Windows-only is not entirely clear, but either way it means DRM. Lots and lots of sticky crappy DRM. For stupid commercial entities to push this ineffective restraint on legal patrons is perhaps inevitable, but since we all pay for the BBC regardless of operating system and media lifestyle choices, the idea of such a high profile service being restricted so artificially is abhorrent.
There are two big means of response that I’d urge you to consider completing.
The first is the BBC Trust’s Open Consultation on On-demand Services. A 10-point questionnaire that doesn’t take too long to complete. Question 5 is the big one: “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?”.
Second is rather simpler. You can add your name to a new petition at 10 Downing Street. I’m not sure I’d ordinarily be trying to encourage more government intervention in the BBC, given the recent trend of budget slashing. Ultimately though, a cause is a cause. Please join it.
Ben is a 24 year old Web Developer from Cambridge and is a computing graduate of the University of Manchester.