[Ecommerce] BBC to hear open source concerns

[Michelle Childs]

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[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6897050.stm
BBC to hear open source concerns

Calls to make the BBC's on demand TV service work on all computer
operating systems are to get a fresh look.

The BBC Trust has offered to meet with open source advocates who
argue that the corporation has a duty to make the download service
platform agnostic.

When the BBC iPlayer, as it is known, launches on 27 July it will
only work with PCs running Microsoft Windows XP.

But the BBC has said it does intend to allow access to its content
from computers with other operating systems.

Speaking at the launch of the service, director of Future Media and
Technology at the BBC Ashley Highfield said: "I am fundamentally
committed to universality, to getting the BBC iPlayer to everyone in
the UK who pays their licence fee."

"This is the approach we have always taken but we have always started
with the platform that reaches the most number of people and then
rolled it out from there."

A version for Apple Macs could be available in autumn, with versions
for Window's Vista and mobile devices to follow, he said.

Public review

The BBC's governing body has agreed to meet with representatives of
the Open Source Consortium (OSC).

In January this year, the OSC made complaints to the BBC Trust, the
former Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and broadcast regulator
Ofcom.


BBC iPLAYER
iPlayer will allow viewers to catch up on TV programmes for seven days
Some TV series can be downloaded and stored for 30 days
Viewers will be able to watch shows streamed live over the internet
Users will not be able to download programmes from other broadcasters
Classical recordings and book-readings are excluded from iPlayer



At the time Ofcom was conducting a Market Impact Assessment as part
of the Trust's Public Value Test for the iPlayer.

The OSC argued that the iPlayer would force people to use and
purchase Microsoft products, giving the software company an unfair
and uncompetitive advantage.

Although the group heard back from both Ofcom and the DTI, the BBC
Trust remained silent on the issue.

"We never heard back from the BBC Trust," said Mark Taylor, president
of OSC.

In April, the iPlayer was given final approval by the Trust following
an extensive public consultation. The OSC did not make a formal
submission to this, the Trust says.

A condition of approval was that "platform neutrality be achieved as
soon as possible" with reviews every six months.


However, in June, the OSC threatened to make a complaint to the
European Commission. At present, no formal complaint has been lodged,
although the OSC has taken legal advice, it says


Now, following a meeting between the OSC and Ofcom, the BBC Trust has
invited the advocacy group to discuss their concerns.

"This is not about beating the BBC around the head - we want to sit
down with them and help," said Mr Taylor.

"I think that's in the BBC's interests and I hope the Trust sees it
that way."

Mr Taylor said there are "major players" within the open source
community willing to commit engineering resources to make sure the
iPlayer works on different operating systems.

He also said that the solution could include Digital rights
Management (DRM) technology, which in the present iPlayer deletes
programmes 30 days after download.

"This is not about whining and it's not about open source hippies
pointing fingers. This is an issue and we are prepared to help with
that," he said.


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Michelle Childs
Head of European Affairs
Knowledge Ecology International
michelle.childs@keionline.org