I think you need to have more exposure to the BBC, or any other UK TV, before drawing such conclusions.

If you did you would see that Macs are frequently the computers of choice in many programmes. I recall banks of iMacs in phone in programmes and countless Powerbooks.

Bill Thompson is not my favorite commentator but then he does not represent either the BBC or UK computer users. Macs are widely used over here. I am sure don’t need to draw your attention to Cramer, Moritz and the rest.

If you want to look for any reasons why Apple may get a bad press in Europe you could start at their pricing structures for sales of hardware, software and iTunes at rip off prices. Commentators are being led by public opinion on this.

I also think Apple fanboys could be a little more tactful in praising Apple. Even SJ says they are “too smug”

Disclosure: I am AAPL long (and some), currently have 3 Macs and 3 iPods in the house and have been using Macs excessively for 15 years. Apple is a realy great company and long may it continue.

[quote author=“jaco pastorius”]I think you need to have more exposure to the BBC, or any other UK TV, before drawing such conclusions.

Take a chill pill jaco the thread is about Bill Thompson not the BBC.

[quote author=“jaco pastorius”]
Bill Thompson is not favorite commentator but then he does not represent either the BBC or UK computer users.

At least we agree.

d

[quote author=“roontoon”][quote author=“jaco pastorius”]I think you need to have more exposure to the BBC, or any other UK TV, before drawing such conclusions.

Take a chill pill jaco the thread is about Bill Thompson not the BBC.

[quote author=“jaco pastorius”]
Bill Thompson is not favorite commentator but then he does not represent either the BBC or UK computer users.

At least we agree.

d

Sorry I read it as “Hypocritical BBC Scum”

[quote author=“jaco pastorius”]
Sorry I read it as “Hypocritical BBC Scum”

That would be my fault Jaco…

The thing is that I’ve been away from the UK for around 2 years - but still listen to Radio 5 through the night and they were pretty sarcastic in most references to the iPhone in recent months. I challenge you to find ONE positive Pro Apple article on the BBC news web site. Generally coverage on the BBC news web site which is supposed to be impartial is negative on Apple.

[quote author=“rattyuk”][quote author=“jaco pastorius”]
Sorry I read it as “Hypocritical BBC Scum”

That would be my fault Jaco…

The thing is that I’ve been away from the UK for around 2 years - but still listen to Radio 5 through the night and they were pretty sarcastic in most references to the iPhone in recent months. I challenge you to find ONE positive Pro Apple article on the BBC news web site. Generally coverage on the BBC news web site which is supposed to be impartial is negative on Apple.

Thanks for that rattyuk.

The BBC is much wider than their website. I would no more get my news from the BBC as I would from Fox. 

I sympathize with everyone here on AFB about criticism of Apple. I am just as pi**ed off with it as anyone. But we have to live with it. It is a very wide phenomenon and no doubt some day there will be a PhD on the subject. 

There is undoubtedly some resistance on the street to *some* aspects of Apple not least their pricing and perceived (note I said perceived - and I don’t mean by all) \walled garden’ of iTunes iPods etc etc. Not everyone wants to spend hours wading through Roughly Drafted etc to have their opinions changed. They are too busy leading a normal life.

We do need to be careful that we don’t blow things up in our own faces.

Apple products are more than capable of speaking for themselves but we should cherish that.

PS. The BBC is no more impartial on Apple than it is on Iraq. There has been a distinct increase in Govermental ‘control’ in the two years you have been away. Sad, but we do have to be prepared for T Bliair’s legacy.

Also T Bliar was closely involved with Bill Gates. He gave government contracts to MS for major government websites. As a result I was unable to log into then from my Mac. I believe that is the route MS had to the BBC.

Incidentally you might be happy to know that as a result of pressure from the public the government has been forced to confirm that the BBC will be opening up to both Mac and Linux.

[quote author=“jaco pastorius”]Incidentally you might be happy to know that as a result of pressure from the public the government has been forced to confirm that the BBC will be opening up to both Mac and Linux.

I am aware of this but I have to confess I am slightly worried about it. My reasons are as follows - and I have made note of it elsewhere because Tommo also chimed in on it…

Because the iPlayer is so heavily reliant on MS DRM the only way it can be made to work in it’s present form would be for MS to port their DRM across to other platforms. Now I’m incredibly reticent to have this stuff on my Mac as it could cause all sorts of problems.

I actually think that Apple will have their own time-based DRM shortly but I suspect that we will have to wait until Leopard before it hits the street. I wouldn’t mind renting if that was the deal - but the prices would have to be damn cheap. I do prefer to buy my media rather than rent it.

[quote author=“rattyuk”][quote author=“jaco pastorius”]Incidentally you might be happy to know that as a result of pressure from the public the government has been forced to confirm that the BBC will be opening up to both Mac and Linux.

I am aware of this but I have to confess I am slightly worried about it. My reasons are as follows - and I have made note of it elsewhere because Tommo also chimed in on it…

Because the iPlayer is so heavily reliant on MS DRM the only way it can be made to work in it’s present form would be for MS to port their DRM across to other platforms. Now I’m incredibly reticent to have this stuff on my Mac as it could cause all sorts of problems.

I actually think that Apple will have their own time-based DRM shortly but I suspect that we will have to wait until Leopard before it hits the street. I wouldn’t mind renting if that was the deal - but the prices would have to be damn cheap. I do prefer to buy my media rather than rent it.

I think you are right to be suspicious. No meat has been put on the bones yet.

But at the end of the day the ‘new’ BBC has got to be more concerned with raising revenue than the old BBC.

So how many iPods are there out there ....................................

Roughly Drafted received an email response to its piece previously noted in my post above.  Daniel Dilger comments on it here .

BBC and Microsoft are each large monopolists defending their turf.  As such, I suppose having worked at Microsoft is good training for a position at BBC.

[quote author=“capablanca”]Roughly Drafted received an email response to its piece previously noted in my post above.  Daniel Dilger comments on it here .

BBC and Microsoft are each large monopolists defending their turf.  As such, I suppose having worked at Microsoft is good training for a position at BBC.

It seems the BBC are still at it…

I just picked this up on the BBC News Technology section.
FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE
  Apple’s new iMac has been plagued by random - but reproducible for some - freezing issues   Gizmodo on reports of iMac problems
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/imac/ati-graphics-may-be-at-the-root-of-imac-freezing-issues-307409.php

It beggers belief that something like this is considered newsworthy for the BBC website…  They couldn’t be more blatant at their anti-Apple position..

[quote author=“singularity99”]It beggers belief that something like this is considered newsworthy for the BBC website…  They couldn’t be more blatant at their anti-Apple position..

Well if Apple goes away then they don’t have to get their DRM to be compatible.