The BBC's upcoming iPlayer, an on-demand video service for the television network, has been petitioned by more than 10,000. The petition is requesting that Parliament stop the BBC from launching the iPlayer as it's only available for Windows XP users.
Though Mac and Vista versions are reportedly in the works, set to launch this fall, the petition has gained a large amount of support nevertheless. The launching of the BBC's iPlayer has met resistance at nearly every step of the process, from both the government, the industry and the public. The current version, which was launched in beta testing earlier this year, is set to be released as a trial version this week. The iPlayer has been designed to offer limited online access to BBC programming, but many are complaining that the BBC is to offer its content equally to all viewers, and not force them to only use Windows XP.
Is this a lesson in beta testing and soft launching, or a warning for those looking to make content available online? With its limited availability and access to certain programming, and the creation of a player instead of reliance on web-based video players, the BBC is taking a different approach to on-demand content than most broadcast networks.