Hi Andy - that's really informative - thanks very much :-) m
On 13/8/07 21:27, "Andy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On 13/08/07, Matthew Cashmore <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Cool.... Perhaps someone would like to post to the list why this protest is >> happening, what it's aims are (if any) and what are the points that the >> group would like to get across are? > > You could try the "groups" website(s). > Defective By Designs website is: http://defectivebydesign.org/ > A quick bit of background to provide you with some context (provide > corrections anyone if this is incorrect): > DBD is a project run by the Free Software Foundation (FSF). DBD's main > purpose is the abolition of DRM (Digital Rights Management, or Digital > Restriction Management, depending on your view). The FSF is the main > sponsor of the Gnu Project, I project that aims to provide a > completely free Operating System. Not just free in that you don't have > to pay for it but free in that you can do much more with it than other > software. For instance you could read the "source code" (technical > term meaning the stuff the software developers/programmers actually > type, instead of the code that the machine executes which is normally > transformed by a special program, not always though). Currently they > provide many tools that are then bundled with the "Linux" kernel (the > kernel is the core of an OS, it does much of the low level stuff that > you don't really see but you are glad is there). > > Needless to say they are likely unhappy at the BBC's actions which > could cripple UK Linux adoption. It could also pose significant harm > to other OS vendors, such as Apple (of MacOS fame), and the people > behind the different versions of BSD. > > You might find: http://defectivebydesign.org/iPlayerProtest and > http://defectivebydesign.org/blog/BBCcorrupted useful to understand > why there are protests. > > FreeTheBBC ( http://www.freethebbc.info/ ) is a project from "Binary > Freedom Boston", please don't ask why someone from Boston is behind > FreeTheBBC, I don't know (and I did ask once). Of course a quick > reading of the BBC's charter states clearly that one should not take > the term "UK license fee payer" literally. > > As I don't know much about Binary Freedoms background I will quote > part of their site: >> 1. Rid BBC content and programming of harmful DRM >> 2. Make BBC content and programming available in free formats >> from: http://www.freethebbc.info/node/7 > > I think the main aims are: > > - Opening up access to _all_ Operating Systems, not the select few > (currently one). As far as I can tell their appears to be no plans for > an "all OS" solution, only a "select few, but more than one" > solution*. > > - Use of openly specified protocols and formats (of which there are > way too may to list, but the BBC knows this already, it's a member of > the consortium that writes some of them!!! (BBC is listed as a member > of W3C, source: http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Member/List )). > > - Removal of DRM. > > Of course you would need to ask the individuals involved what their > personal reasoning is. > > > I shall not be there tomorrow, it clashes with a more important event > "work". I may check news sites during my lunch though, now where does > one find an impartial reporter on this matter? > > _Andy > > * this is only as far as I can tell, official sources regarding "all > OS" would be welcomed. > > And in the spirit of the BBC: I am not responsible for the content of > external sites, Other websites are available. > _______________________ Matthew Cashmore Development Producer BBC Future Media & Technology, Research and Innovation BC5C3, Broadcast Centre, Media Village, W12 7TP T: 020 8008 3959 (02 83959) M: 07711 913241 (072 83959) - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
