By Tim Ferguson, 25 July 2007 16:00
NEWS
The BBC and the Open Source Consortium (OSC) have met to discuss concerns surrounding the development of the corporation's iPlayer.
iPlayer is the BBC's online on-demand television service, unveiled last month and available to Windows XP users for public download on 27 July.
The OSC wanted to meet with the BBC's independent governing body to clarify its commitment to making the iPlayer available for other platforms.
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OSC president Mark Taylor told silicon.com: "The meeting with the Trust was very positive. We're absolutely clear that the BBC Trust themselves are committed to platform neutrality.
"We asked [the Trust] to explain how platform neutrality was going to be achieved given that the existing iPlayer is completely locked into single provider's technology stack."
Taylor explained the issue isnt just about desktops but also mobile phones and media players many of which run on Linux or Apple software - which the BBC claims it wants to bring iPlayer to.
The OSC isnt the only group concerned about the iPlayer with more than 11,000 people now having signed a 10 Downing Street e-petition requesting the Prime Minister to take action.
The BBC Trust also asked the OSC to assist in preparing for the next iPlayer review in October by providing guidance on questions to ask.
The BBC Trust statement said it is "fully committed to users of both the Linux and Mac operating systems having full use of the BBC iPlayer".
The Trust described the meeting with the OSC as "useful and constructive" and added: "The Trust welcomed the OSC's offer of help to establish an open-source, cross-platform solution."
It was agreed the BBC Trust and OSC will meet again following the October review.
Comments
There are 7 comments. Join the discussion
1. Hob Monday
Why waste license payers money providing cross platform capability for a small minority (2%) of users?
The BBc should be aiming for maximum reach and return on investment and tageting Linux and Mac users just isnt it.
2. Gareth Evans
How many more times do the BBC need to tell everybody that it is committed to providing iPlayer across multiple operating systems ?
Of course it's on Windows XP first. That's how they hit the biggest number of potential users. Just like BT rolled out ADSL to the big cities first before tiny rural villages. It's just common sense guys. AND they've told you over and over again that they ARE COMMITTED to providing it on Apple and Linux. Stop wasting the BBC's time with silly meetings and let them get on with delivering the service.
3. Graham Coles
So the BBC trust said absolutely nothing.
They're fully committed to having cross platform support for a product that was paid for out of public taxation -- so committed in fact that they didn't even begin to look at platforms other than windows XP until after they'd already written and released it!
Perhaps I should write into their 'Balderdash and Piffle' programme and get them to research the origins of the word 'committed'.
My rubbish Oxford English Dictionary uses the term 'morally dedicated' to describe it. Clearly the BBC must be referring to an earlier definition like 'waffling to give the appearance of being just the slightest bit interested whilst actually not caring a hoot because you've got their money already' ...
4. anonymous
It would also be helpful if the BBC ensures that the iPlayer will run on Windows 2000. Win2000 currently meets all of my requirements in terms of security and platform stability and I do not want to be forced to upgrade to XP.
5. Simon
Hob Monday missed the point - as do most of the "what's wrong with using proprietry MS only stuff" apologists.
Firstly, doing a cross platform solution need not cost anything extra IF done from the start. Pick an open and cross platform technology, develop once, support everyone. Pick a closed, one platform solution, pay the same for devlopment but get limited compatibility.
And it's not 2% they are missing, it's a LOT more. Just take Mac and linux and you probably have something in excess fo 10%. Take Windows 2000 and Windows Vista and it's much higher - I wouldn't be surprised if it was 40% or more.
Don't forget, hardly any consumer PC sold THIS YEAR will support this player !
6. Richard A
Hehe, nice flamebait, Hob Monday, but this is Earth, not some fantasy land of your own imagining where everybody uses Win XP.
As already pointed out, Win 2000 and Vista users are excluded too.
Moreover, Mac and Linux users represent a far higher proportion of the tech-savvy, media savvy, and generally internet engaged public than raw sales statistics imply. Go into any wifi enabled cafe outside the business quarter and you can't move for iBooks, MacBooks and Powerbooks.
Remember the iPlayer is primarily aimed at the web-savvy public, not dull grey corporations with zillions of grey Dell boxes running Excel on Win XP. Take them out of the picture (i.e. count users who actually get to choose which OS they run) and the market share changes significantly.
Way more than 2% of users will be excluded.
7. Hugh Grant
If the BBC had worked with the Open Source Community from the outset, their development costs would have been considerably reduced and we would have now got a cross platform iPlayer.
Lets hope that Beeb considers this path for future development. The notion of freely distributing Public funded content is one which is in accord with the Open Source Community.