Hats off to Channel 4
"Thank you for your email regarding 4oD.
Unfortunately we cannot say when the 4oD service will be available to users of other platforms, including Mac OS and Linux. The problem is, our content providers (e.g. the production companies who make our shows), insist on using a DRM licensing system.
The DRM (Digital Rights Management) system basically protects the video content from duplication and broadcast outside the UK & ROI. Currently they insist on using Microsoft's DRM, and because of this we can only support Microsoft operating systems.
Linux currently has no such DRM system available and so our content providers will not allow us to support the Linux operating system. Macintosh do have a solution, however the closed DRM system used by Apple is not currently available for licence by third parties and there is no other Mac-compatible DRM solution which meets the protection requirements of our content owners. Unfortunately, we are therefore unable to offer 4oD and other video content to Mac users at this stage.
We are sorry to disappoint on this occasion and assure you that if changes throughout the industry happen, as we would like, we will ensure the support of other operating systems.
If you require further information, feel free to email me back or visit http://help.channel4.com/4oD/
Regards,
Rebecca O'Kane
Channel 4 Customer Support"
So it seems they're pulling a Steve Jobs, and blaming the content providers (although Microsoft's lack of Mac support is also to blame). I'm not sure how well this holds up in light that the BBC are now committed to a platform agnostic approach.
Channel 4 4OD
Will you offer 4oD for the Macintosh?
Unfortunately not at the launch of 4oD.
This is an industry-wide issue caused because the accepted Digital Rights Management (DRM) system used to protect online video content, which is required by our content owners, is not compatible with Apple Mac hardware and software. The closed DRM system used by Apple is not currently available for licence by third parties and there is no other Mac-compatible DRM solution which meets the protection requirements of content owners. Unfortunately, we are therefore unable to offer 4oD content to Mac users at this stage.
Make a complaint using their feedback form, I'd use their above statment as the error message.
Security Update 2007-004
Also available online at Apple's download page in a variety of flavours.
DockStar
DockStar is an add-on for Mail.app that adds up to 5 new-mail indicators to the dock icon. This lets Mail users keep track of email as it arrives in various accounts and local mailboxes.
Mac 101
It’s been updaed for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.
Also, if you’re new to 10.5, there’s a video guide available that covers some of the new features.
Link
The Gracious BBC
Mr Highfield said Apple's "proprietary and closed framework for digital rights management gives us headaches," but, "it is one of our top priorities to re-engineer our proposed BBC iPlayer service to work on Macs".
Headache? Microsoft is just as much a closed OS as Apple's. What he means is Microsoft doesn't fully support the Mac with it's DRM, which is no bad thing. Just at a time where DRM is finally being seen as the crap thing that it is, the BBC want to lumber us with it.
So, good news'ish, let's see how long it takes them.
PC to Mac Applications
The only odd one is IE to Parallels on the Mac, obviously you can use Safari, FireFox, Camino etc. He explains why he's done that at the bottom of the article, but I'd have still pointed out the choice of browsers.
How sexy were they?
Bill & Steve, gettin' it on.
Nerd Alert: Harry's Steve might look more like that ejit Steve Ballmer, but it's amusing. I still find it strange, that only a few years ago If I mentioned Steve Jobs, the reply would be 'huh, who?' and now you can do jokes with him in on telly.
Yes it may not be very accurate, and Bill was the Nerd and Steve more a visionary, leaving the nerdy stuff to Woz. There's also a great real photo of Bill and Steve having dinner together.
Skype 2.6 Beta
It’s recommended for experienced Skype users; I’m sure we can handle it.
Macs do work too
Apple have put together a nice page that should give you some pointers, and applications you could. run. There's no need to run out and buy a PC for that stuff.
Take a look
I’ll never buy another PC
It also gives you that warm fussy feeling if you're a long time Mac user.
On the same note, well known Tech columnist Walt Mossberg complains of the awful out-of-the box experience you get with new PCs, and Vista's slow start-up times.
Google Desktop vs Spotlight
Google have released Google Desktop for the Mac,
it’s a search tool similar to Spotlight in
Mac OS X. It indexes your hard drive and displays
results, which can also be viewed in a web browser
window (it’s still local, your results
aren't uploaded to the web).
I’m hoping it will support the
standard queries you can use with Google, i.e.
putting parenthesis around words to link them: "hot
dog" or ignoring words like: hot
-dog. These sort of searches seem all but
impossible with Spotlight. i.e. Searching in
spotlight for hot Mac Stu, wouldn't just gives
results of Mac Stu, it would give you Sarah Mac,
Stuck, Stupid etc.
Apparently you can use parenthesis in Spotlight
searches, I'm sure when I tried before it didn't
work, but there you go. There are other advanced
queries, not quite as easy as using the (-) in
Spotlight. You can find the rather esoteric
guide here.
Sadly, it sports the same “feature” as
Spotlight, that is; results start appearing as soon
as you start typing. So, if you start typing: Hot,
you'll start getting results for H, then Ho etc. It's
so pointless; It would be much better if you just
typed your query, hit return and then
it searched.
I'd say more about it, but; the download wasn't
working when I tried it.