NBC Direct still waives off OSX, Linux users
By Triston McIntyre
Welcome to 2008, the year during which the major media groups are all up to speed on supporting multiple operating systems and platforms, right? Not entirely — even NBC, one of the largest media groups in existence today, is still dropping the ball when it comes to supporting OS X and Linux users on its site for directly downloading NBC shows, NBC Direct.
NBC’s defense, no doubt, is that NBC Direct is still, on a technicality, a site in Beta. However, when you visit the site with either Linux or OS X, you will be greeted with an unfriendly “x,” and a message, “OS not supported.”
Perhaps the site doesn’t get much attention from the internet media folks at NBC, because right above that message is a notification, “PLEASE NOTE: Support for Apple and Linux systems will be coming in early 2008.”
Of course, you might very well be tempted to check your calendars. It is, in fact, a good ways into April, notably the 4th month of the year.
Obviously, NBC doesn’t owe anything to anyone; Windows users can happily download all the episodes they like without a problem. “Alternative” OS users can still stream content — though I wouldn’t recommend it.
Inevitably, users of alternative operating systems will end up getting the episodes they want to download from Bit Torrent or other peer to peer networks. Then you have to wonder if NBC has any place complaining that its content is being stolen; if it is free to some users, why shouldn’t all OS users get the same privileges?
It isn’t really too terribly difficult to design sites like this, especially for large media groups like NBC, with all the popular OSes in mind. At the very least, could NBC throw a bone to Linux and OS X users now that it is decidedly past the “early” part of 2008? Please?
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April 7th, 2008
Contrary to popular belief, this is no longer a “Windows world”. With Apple more popular than ever and Linux up 61%, there are three operating systems now to cater to.
NBC should not “throw a bone” to Mac and Linux users, they should start taking those operating systems seriously.
April 7th, 2008
Get real.
What do you think the MS part of MS-NBC is?
April 8th, 2008
that’s a 2 way street. ie users are blocked from my websites. neener, neener.
April 8th, 2008
Seriously, this is exaggeration in the extreme. I view NBC content via NBC.com streams just fine. Why is it not recommended?
The quality is just fine unless you’re already an HD junkie. I don’t even get pixelation on a 1900 x 1200 24″ widescreen. AND NBC.com is still the only major network I’ve been able to access ANY content from via Linux.
I can’t imagine the delay has ANYTHING to do with a writer’s strike or the complete organizational revamp to this new superseason thing. Who cares if they’re delayed? There’s no good new content anywhere for a good while to come.
April 9th, 2008
SO? Get with the program and run windows. 95% of people already do it, why should they spend more money to gain such a small market share?
and to all you fanboys of apple who will without doubt attack this post while they’re drinking steve jobs koolaid, get a grip. Macs are amateur media PCs and thats it. You can keep your overpriced toy.