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BBC Offers iPhone Version of iPlayer, Accessible to Linux Users Too

Posted by Zonk on from the so-nice-of-them dept.

smallfries writes "After a long battle with Linux users in the UK, the BBC was forced into releasing a flash version of the iPlayer streaming service to fulfill their obligations to license-fee payers. After claiming that development of Linux and Mac versions of the iPlayer would take two years, Auntie Beeb has rushed to support the iPhone. iPhone users 'can be trusted' because their platform is locked down ... so the beeb opened a non-DRM hole in the iPlayer to support them. This was guarded by the extreme security of User Agent strings! Long story short, Linux and Mac users have made their own non-DRM, non-Microsoft platform from firebug and wget. UK users can now watch (and keep) their favorite BBC shows."

7 of 187 comments (clear)

  1. iLawsuit by goatpunch · · Score: 4, Funny

    in other news, Apple rewards the BBC by suing over their use of the 'i' prefix, on which iApple has an iMonopoly

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    Worst BBC News Stories
    1. Re:iLawsuit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Don't you mean iMagination 2.0?

    2. Re:iLawsuit by LeadSongDog · · Score: 2, Funny

      in other news, Apple rewards the BBC by suing over their use of the 'i' prefix, on which iApple has an iMonopoly Did the license that from Parker iBrothers?
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      Oh, I'm sorry sir, I thought you were referring to me, Mr. Wensleydale.
  2. Fortunately... by nevali · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...as there are only about 400 Linux users in the UK, this hole won't get abused much.

    1. Re:Fortunately... by nevali · · Score: 4, Funny

      For Christ's sake man, don't tell them that!

      There must be at least 1,000 Windows users out there!

  3. Re:Nokia E65 by Digi-John · · Score: 4, Funny

    I suggest storing the iPhone in your pants pocket... the less reproduction among Apple users, the better ;)

    --
    Klingon programs don't timeshare, they battle for supremacy.
  4. Article tagged "flamebait" by SanityInAnarchy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Seriously, was there no other source for this news than one which has the headline:

    Steve Jobs rescues freetards from BBC iPlayer wilderness (for now)
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    Don't thank God, thank a doctor!