Re: [Fsfe-uk] BBC's DRM Iplayer windows only

[Rob Myers]

Alex Hudson wrote:
> On Sat, 2007-09-08 at 12:41 +0100, Jon Grant wrote:
> > Wonder if BBC plan is to run something on top of MS's Silverlight (might 
> > have read this somewhere already).
>
> That's pretty close to the truth as I understand it - it's been touted
> in the trade press.

Yes The Register mapped this out in an unusually lucid article.

> > I guess the BBC would have no quarrels with a proprietary linux 
> > application to fulfil their requirement set down by the Trust. Would be 
> > better if they were obliged to use open standards and free software to 
> > achieve cross-platform compatibility.

This debate is being phrased too much in terms of "compatibility" rather 
than "rights' IMHO. Freedom allows people to make compatibility. It is a 
subset of the problem, and will be solved by a solution rather than 
being a solution.

> I think there's actually three things at play here:
>
>      1. whether or not the player is free software;
>      2. whether or not the video codecs are free software;
>      3. whether or not the BBC use DRM.
>
> At the moment, 1, 2, & 3 are all 'not'. 1 is pretty trivial imho, and
> not really worth worrying about.

1 would obviate 2 and 3...

- Rob.