Hi Jon, Mark and Jeffrey,
First, you should know that this is an open letter, including
the membership of the Greater New Hampshire Linux User's Group (GNHLUG).
The membership mailing list had an excited posting about an interview
with Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux operating system, followed
by a large, dismayed group of NHPR listeners who couldn't listen to the
replay online.
I've also CC'd the NPR Ombudsman in hopes that NPR doesn't fall
into the same hole.
Now, to the meat of my email.
Mark (Handley, from NHPR), I don't know if you remember me,
but I was the person who first put NHPR on the web way back when (1994
or something?). I volunteered hundreds of hours as the NHPR webmaster
for about a year or so, when the site became so popular that it needed
more time than I was able to give. Someone with more time on their
hands took over and grew the website into what it is today. (It looks
great, by the way!)
I'm writing to tell you how disappointed I am that you
switched your online audio format to Microsoft's proprietary
format. You had once used RealAudio, which is available for
many, many operating systems and machines, including Linux,
Macintosh, UNIX systems from Sun, Compaq, and so on.
Sadly, many of your listeners are locked out of accessing
your audio programming online now, because they don't or can't
use Microsoft's products. Just think of all those engineers at
Compaq and other high-tech firms in Nashua, who use more advanced
computer systems, such as Compaq Tru64 UNIX, Sun's Solaris, HP's
HP-UX, Linux, BSD, MacOS, and so on, who can no longer hear your
programming online.
It's also sad that NHPR is helping Microsoft in their
pursuit of owning the computer market by stifling innovation
and competing technologies. Many of the freely available technologies
are far superior to Microsoft's, and Microsoft is acting like a
predator, killing the competition while it's still in the egg.
You see, Microsoft develops technologies and makes them
available on only their operating systems, and then encourages
the content providers such as yourselves to abandon competing
technology that work with non-Microsoft systems. In this way,
Microsoft is indeed abusing their stong position in the industry
to marginalize and eventually eliminate their competition. It's
clear to those of us in the computer industry that Microsoft is
trying to maintain just enough competition to be visible to
our legislatures -- but not enough to pose a business risk.
By your choice to switch to the Microsoft proprietary
protocol, you have eliminated your listeners' choice for a computer.
The choice has become "USE MICROSOFT OR DON'T LISTEN TO US ONLINE".
This is very sad.
Linus Torvalds, the person that NHPR interviewed, created
something innovative, exciting, and substantially better than
Microsoft's products. Linus and his operating system is exactly
the type of innovation that Microsoft is trying to stifle, and
NHPR has just given Microsoft a big help in doing just that.
I recall a time when public radio was looking out for
the little guy, trying to be as open and free as possible, and
looking to the community for support in this mission. Buying into
such a restrictive and proprietary flies in the face of what I
thought that NHPR stood for.
regards,
rob
--
Rob Lembree Metro Link Incorporated
29 Milk St. [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Nashua, NH 03064-1651 http://www.metrolink.com
Phone: 954.660.2460 Alternate: 603.577.9714
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