Comments on: Novell Supports .NET and MS OOXML, the BBC Supports .NET and MS DRM http://techrights.org/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/ Free Software Sentry – watching and reporting maneuvers of those threatened by software freedom Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:00:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John Drinkwater http://techrights.org/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/comment-page-2/#comment-1237 John Drinkwater Fri, 13 Jul 2007 00:40:48 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/#comment-1237 The BBC has lost it's way. Over the previous few decades they've invented TV standards, the teletext standard, subtitling fonts, you name it. Recent cost-cutting (out-sourcing key infrastructure) and targets for audiences (BBC News 24 gets more americanised daily…), imho, have driven them to seek the "trendier" end of the tech market even if that means ignoring their unbiased & impartial viewpoint on the market. Sad really… The BBC has lost it’s way. Over the previous few decades they’ve invented TV standards, the teletext standard, subtitling fonts, you name it.
Recent cost-cutting (out-sourcing key infrastructure) and targets for audiences (BBC News 24 gets more americanised daily…), imho, have driven them to seek the “trendier” end of the tech market even if that means ignoring their unbiased & impartial viewpoint on the market. Sad really…

]]> By: Sebastiaan Veld http://techrights.org/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/comment-page-1/#comment-1230 Sebastiaan Veld Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:04:13 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/#comment-1230 Funny that a organisation like the BBC does not use open standards -as- a standard. Think someone over there got a nice bonus from MS for getting Vista in the news and promoting their stuff so much:) Do not agree with the fact that the BBC is no different than Novell; BBC does think about implementing stuff that may not be able to be used by everyone in the first place, but only on the Windows platform (MS would like to see that!), but Novell tries to bridge these technologies to Linux and Mac, so they can be used by everyone. Makes that Novell a MS technology promoter? Don't think so, at least no more or less than Samba does. Samba makes a linux server behave like a Windows server. It's open source and free indeed, but so is Mono. Both solutions make it possible to use Linux and Windows in mixed environmens. Is supporting OpenXML bad? OpenOffice and others do support reading and writing of all kinds of (also Miscrosoft) document formats. They were created to be able to communicate with others. I do not care if someone that needs a OpenXML plugin for OO and install's it, if we care then we should take all not open formats out of OO. Funny that a organisation like the BBC does not use open standards -as- a standard. Think someone over there got a nice bonus from MS for getting Vista in the news and promoting their stuff so much:)

Do not agree with the fact that the BBC is no different than Novell; BBC does think about implementing stuff that may not be able to be used by everyone in the first place, but only on the Windows platform (MS would like to see that!), but Novell tries to bridge these technologies to Linux and Mac, so they can be used by everyone. Makes that Novell a MS technology promoter? Don’t think so, at least no more or less than Samba does. Samba makes a linux server behave like a Windows server. It’s open source and free indeed, but so is Mono. Both solutions make it possible to use Linux and Windows in mixed environmens. Is supporting OpenXML bad? OpenOffice and others do support reading and writing of all kinds of (also Miscrosoft) document formats. They were created to be able to communicate with others. I do not care if someone that needs a OpenXML plugin for OO and install’s it, if we care then we should take all not open formats out of OO.

]]> By: Roy Schestowitz http://techrights.org/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/comment-page-1/#comment-1227 Roy Schestowitz Thu, 12 Jul 2007 17:11:35 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/#comment-1227 Are you referring to an article from the Inquirer? I recall posting one such article to a forum a few weeks ago. Either way, employee != taxpayer. My 'job' is not at risk and the BBC has already been caught engaging in funny dealings with Siemens (nothing proven yet). I have just communicated with the OSA via the lists. <em>"An article in the Guardian caught my attention this morning. I worry that the Beeb might be doing the Microsoft dance again. They now consider heavily patent-encumbered (and unproven) technology for their Web site. Any thoughts? What if we intercept this before it goes as far as iPlayer did? The BBC is still at the stage of "consideration".</em> Are you referring to an article from the Inquirer? I recall posting one such article to a forum a few weeks ago. Either way, employee != taxpayer. My ‘job’ is not at risk and the BBC has already been caught engaging in funny dealings with Siemens (nothing proven yet).

I have just communicated with the OSA via the lists.

“An article in the Guardian caught my attention this morning. I worry
that the Beeb might be doing the Microsoft dance again. They now
consider heavily patent-encumbered (and unproven) technology for their
Web site.

Any thoughts? What if we intercept this before it goes as far as iPlayer
did? The BBC is still at the stage of “consideration”.

]]> By: John Drinkwater http://techrights.org/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/comment-page-1/#comment-1226 John Drinkwater Thu, 12 Jul 2007 16:51:44 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/#comment-1226 Do be more careful about implying stuff about BBC executives, BBC employees have already pulled out the "defamation" card on the BBC Backstage mailing list when people hinted at BBC & Microsoft "dealings" ;) Do be more careful about implying stuff about BBC executives, BBC employees have already pulled out the “defamation” card on the BBC Backstage mailing list when people hinted at BBC & Microsoft “dealings” ;)

]]> By: Roy Schestowitz http://techrights.org/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/comment-page-1/#comment-1224 Roy Schestowitz Thu, 12 Jul 2007 16:25:40 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/#comment-1224 That's just my suspicion. The stories above (among others) show that the BBC's decisions have business motives behind them. While the BBC is not truly a business, it is associated with some. Execs from the BBC are having lunch with people that they sign contracts with. I'll have some more about the BBC tomorrow. The FSF posted a rebuttal, but there won't be time (or enough material) to show how this is related to the theme of the site. I sometimes wait until several related stories can be accumulated. So, watch this space. ;-) That’s just my suspicion. The stories above (among others) show that the BBC’s decisions have business motives behind them. While the BBC is not truly a business, it is associated with some. Execs from the BBC are having lunch with people that they sign contracts with.

I’ll have some more about the BBC tomorrow. The FSF posted a rebuttal, but there won’t be time (or enough material) to show how this is related to the theme of the site. I sometimes wait until several related stories can be accumulated. So, watch this space. ;-)

]]> By: John Drinkwater http://techrights.org/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/comment-page-1/#comment-1220 John Drinkwater Thu, 12 Jul 2007 15:19:15 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2007/07/12/bbc-and-novell/#comment-1220 s/complained/complaint/ I'm utterly confused by my BBC's decision tbh. They've always had policies that govern the use of things over & above the standard web platform. They've always shunned Java for some reason, but accepted Flash, which is strange, but acceptable (Macromedia/Adobe have tried to support as many platforms as they can). Recently they've been using more Flash on their site, and use Adobe's stats (95% of desktops) as proof that people have it, and if not, that's their problem. Again, mostly acceptable. But supporting Silverlight? It's got an install base of 0%, and even imho in 2 years, it wont have an install base above 20%. It appears Microsoft is using the BBC (& Novell) as a means to push Silverlight, and that’s just plain wrong, it's skewing the market. s/complained/complaint/

I’m utterly confused by my BBC’s decision tbh. They’ve always had policies that govern the use of things over & above the standard web platform. They’ve always shunned Java for some reason, but accepted Flash, which is strange, but acceptable (Macromedia/Adobe have tried to support as many platforms as they can). Recently they’ve been using more Flash on their site, and use Adobe’s stats (95% of desktops) as proof that people have it, and if not, that’s their problem. Again, mostly acceptable.
But supporting Silverlight? It’s got an install base of 0%, and even imho in 2 years, it wont have an install base above 20%. It appears Microsoft is using the BBC (& Novell) as a means to push Silverlight, and that’s just plain wrong, it’s skewing the market.

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