Hey, all. I'm Steve, responsible for the instant watching feature on our site.
First, I just wanted to say thanks for all of the comments and feedback you've already posted. I've read everything, and look forward to hearing more of your ideas.
Next, as my first post, I wanted to answer a couple of your questions about Mac, Firefox and beyond.
Bottom line: we're committed to giving all of our members access to our instant watching feature. Both Mac and Firefox are on the list. Also, many of you have seen our public statements that we're bringing Netflix to the TV in 2008. I can't say anything more specific about that, except to note how excited I am about what we're working on.
In the meantime, here's a little more regarding Mac and Firefox. While Boot Camp and virtualization programs work great for watching movies instantly on an Intel Mac, I know that's not the solution we all want (ps - I've been a Mac user since the days of the 128K Mac, and many of us at Netflix use them at work and at home.) So here's the deal:
A key issue for delivering movies online is that the studios require use of DRM (Digital Rights Management) to protect titles. And that's our holdup for the Mac - there's not yet a studio-sanctioned, publicly-available Mac DRM solution (Apple doesn't license theirs). I can promise you that, when an approved solution becomes available for the Mac, we'll be there. I'll also say that Silverlight 1.1 looks like a promising candidate - but that its DRM isn't likely to be fully available until 2008.
Firefox for Windows is a different issue, and one we hope to address by early 2008. An upcoming version of our movie viewer will support Firefox as well as some new features, and I'll post more on that as we get closer to deployment.
Another comment I hear frequently is about the selection of titles available right now for instant watching. Two things on that:
First, the majority of the studios’ content is committed to traditional broadcast channels for the next several years. As a result, Netflix, Apple, Amazon, Walmart.com, and everyone else delivering movies online have access to far less content than what’s available on DVD. That said, we’re working closely with the studios to expand content for electronic delivery, and even today we have more than any other electronic delivery service I'm aware of. We're continually adding new choices - we're up to over 4,500 movies and TV episodes this week - and that growth will accelerate into next year.
Also, besides some really great movies and shows from the full catalog, we're starting to receive newer content and exclusives. The Office was a big hit with our viewers over the past month or so. Pan's Labyrinth and several other recent releases will be out this month, with more to come this fall. We have a special preview of Californication, a new Showtime series with David Duchovny, available right now (btw - adults only recommended for that one). There will be lots more where those came from.
So, we hear you: get you to the Mac, Firefox, and the TV. Get you more great movies and TV shows. We're listening, and we're taking action. Thanks, everyone. Keep the comments and questions coming, and let me know what you'd like to hear more about.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Instant watching on Mac, Firefox, and more
398 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 1 – 200 of 398 Newer› Newest»one feature that would be killer is a Windows Media Center Edition plugin!
Ouch! It sounded like Silverlight 1.1 was a very significant upgrade over 1.0, so I'm not too surprised that you have to wait for it. While 2008 is certainly not what us mac folk wanted to hear, its better to know than to come back every day hoping for news and being disappointed. Thanks for giving us the heads up! I'm sure you will get a ton of flames here (possibly even some from me ;P), but keep your head up and don't let us get you down too much.
For those about to flame, you should probably vent most of your frustration towards Netflix marketing as they are the ones advertising the feature without any mac disclaimer. Its not Steve's fault for the lack of mac support, he is forced to wait on Microsoft until they get Silverlight 1.1 finished. He is in a tight spot through no fault of his own.
Instant watching on PC is a really great idea. It would be great if there were a way netflix members could also rent the movies to play on portable devices like Zune or Ipods.
I thought you said Pan's Labyrinth was available... why don't I see it?
Ah - thanks! It's coming in a week; I'll correct that in the post. Several other recent releases will be available over the coming month as well.
What about Linux?
I normally use Firefox for web browsing, but I don't mind opening up Netflix in IE in order to watch a movie.
I understand that there are technical barriers to providing the streaming service on Macs, but at least appeal to Mac users sense of fairness and offer some compensation for not providing full access to a service we are in fact paying for.
Also, it wouldn't hurt if the "Watch Now" tab was hidden from the Netflix menu rather than reminding me each time I'm on the site that I there is a feature I can't use.
Now that I've used up all my minutes of Instant Watching and am in the middle of a series I am wondering if you have considered letting users buy extra time of instant watching? At this point I have to wait 3 weeks to watch the rest of the series or add it to my queue....
OK, let's get rid of the 'Status' at the top of this blog because when things go down it never tells us, anyway.
A plug in for Windows Media Player would be my missing link
Thanks for the up(down?)date, Steve. Not such great news is certainly better than no news at all. Maybe upper management should have held off announcing and releasing this feature until it was available to everyone, and a nice juicy library had accumulated?! Anyway, Baff is right, you're not the one we should be 'flaming' at, and we thank you for pushing forward as best you can. But maybe you could communicate to the powers-that-be that their Mac owning members are mighty displeased about having to help foot the bill for a service that brings in new business but which we're likely to be denied for at least a year.
For the mac users claiming they are not getting their money's worth... remember that just a few short months ago you were paying the same price for just mailed movies. I understand the frustration, but don't get why you think you're entitled to compensation. You're getting nothing less than you were months ago. And just because you have a Mac does not mean I should have to wait for the "Watch Now" feature until they are Mac compatible. And how would you prove to Netflix you had a Mac and NO PC to watch movies on?
On top of that, Netflix DID just lower their rates across the board. So you're not getting ripped off at all.
Anonymous directly above me...right on!!!!
Silverlight is a non-starter. Microsoft isn't even planning to offer support for PPC Macs, which will comprise a majority of the Mac installed base for another couple of years.
If this is where you're placing your bets for computer-based movie streaming, I hope you've got a deal with Tivo in your back pocket.
The real joke is that I read more whining from PC users about their freebie than from Mac posters about not having it.
Thanks for the update, Steve. I love reading posts from Netflix engg/managers and dig the fact that the Product Management at Netflix is in so close contact with their customer base. Other companies should take a note of it.
I would definitely like to see more movies (and better selection) available for instant watching.
Thank you very much for the post, Steve. As a Mac owner, it wasn't the answer I was hoping for but I do appreciate knowing what the situation is and why. I appreciate even more your commitment to continued efforts with Instant Watching for Mac.
To anonymous, August 9, 2007 4:10 PM
"You're getting nothing less than you were months ago.
No, I'm not getting anything less, but you are getting something more for the price of your membership then a Mac user. Are we really supposed to think that some PC users wouldn't be asking and thinking the same things that some of the Mac users are?
On top of that, Netflix DID just lower their rates across the board.
No, they did not. They lowered the rates in the 1, 2, and 3 disc (unlimited) plans only. Those of us on the higher plans got no reduction.
So you're not getting ripped off at all.
Oh, but I am. I am helping to subsidize the Instant Watching of people who gripe about what is available and seem to think that those of us who can't watch the same paltry offerings that they can should just shut up and keep helping to foot the bill.
At the very least, please have the Netflix website be a bit smarter. Browsers' User Agent strings tell you if we're coming from a Mac. Stop presenting me with the "choice" of InstantWatching a movie if you don't actually allow me to do it ...
Re: DRM and Macs...
Not a single studio is willing to allow their content to be shown without DRM?
Not even Red Envelope Entertainment?
excellent! i can't wait until i can stop using iex. thanks steve.
"You're getting nothing less than you were months ago. "
Uh, sure. But obviously our membership subscription money, like yours, is going in part to fund this new service. Which isn't available to everyone. Get it?
(Not whining, I understand Netflix's dilemma with DRM, just thought your comment was a bit disingenuous)
Take your time developing a soution for the Mac. Not like there aren't viable alternatives already, and about a hundred more on the horizon. Fairly soon, it won't matter whether you guys are there or not.
"Microsoft isn't even planning to offer support for PPC Macs, which will comprise a majority of the Mac installed base for another couple of years."
Oof! I just checked Microsoft's website and this is indeed true. So, even once Netflix switches over to Silverlight, most of the Mac users will still be left out in the cold (myself included). It no longer matters to me when it gets done now :(
I'm still don't think that Netflix can easily track mac users and give refunds, but they can offer a new subscription plan that doesn't charge us for a major feature that we will never be able to use.
Well, I am surprised nobody mentionned it yet: there is a publicly available DRM technology for video on the Mac.
It is currently used by the INA (Institut National de l'Audiovisuel), the French TV archive administration, to offer all their video on-line. And it works on Macs.
This technology is the one proposed by DivX. Try it. It works.
Jean-Denis, from rainy France.
Still hopefull for that Instant Watching flag on movies in my queue, so I can easily see what I don't need to get in the mail.
Also I was wondering if it was possible to get English subtitles for the hearing impaired on Instant Watching films?
Great post. Knowing the reasons why Instant Viewing isn't available to the MAC makes the news a little easier to take. One question though, why can I watch 'Instant Viewing' on the ABC website on a Mac. Can't you guys use the same technology they are using?
Firefox support is great news. Any hopes of Linux support?
I love the Watch Now feature... moved my PC downstairs to the living room to watch it on the big screen (keeping the Mac in the office though). If non-OS depentent Opera support became available through Watch Now, we could use it on Wii, which is already in our living rooms... perhaps a little chat with Nintendo would get that ball rolling?
All together now : "OUCH"! Waft the sweet smell of baking bread over to the starving man, why don't you! (a joke, btw, if any of you smug PC'ers know what those are).
I'd love to see Netflix partner with Apple on the Apple TV - that way we Mac-heads can use instant watching AND get in on a nifty new toy (Apple TV) at the same time. It seems like such a logical match to me...
I'm a Mac user, and I think this sucks. At the same time, I'm glad something is being said about it. I really think NetFlix need to have this info available on the website, instead of the current "does not work" message.
I think they key phrase to remember here is "DRM that the studios approve of". This isn't about not having a DRM format available on the Mac at all (see the DivX comment above), this is about the content owners approving of the DRM format in question.
What makes this argument interesting is that there is news all over the net about the DRM of this feature being hacked. Microsoft's DRM is cracked often, and if you want to know how to do it, you are usually just a google search away.
In contrast, NBC is currently streaming high def versions of its shows through the browser, and I have yet to hear of hacks or cracks related to that, AND it is Mac compatible. What really needs to happen is the content owners need to be made aware that tying their content up in Microsoft's proprietary DRM format does not make it more secure. The issue with online content has always been that studios want more protection than is currently available for existing physical media because there is a percieved higher risk of pirating. Most techies know this is not the case, as a rip and transcode of a DVD is just a few clicks away, and certainly no more difficult than trying to extract and transcode a stream.
This is not a technical issue, it is a social issue that the studios want addressed technically. Until studio execs realize that all their cloying DRM efforts only aggravate and penalize their /paying/ customers, and fail to stop determined pirates, it will continue to be addressed as such.
About the MAC Instant Watch issue... I have a PC with slowwwwwww dial up at home, so I am unable to view movies there. I have watched a few on a friends PC. So maybe the MAC user's just need to get out and find a friend with a PC.
Yes, many of us do watch on friends' PC's, which why some of us are asking for time vouchers, either for future use (HA!) or transferable to our generous PC time sharers.
Great posts, Daniel and Jean-Denis, thanks/merci. Very interesting and INFURIATING!
Steve, can you (or someone else) give any details on the bandwidth requirements for Watch Now? I've got a 1.5 Mb DSL connection at home, but my movies always stream at the lowest possible quality setting. I realize that there are definitely faster connections available out there, but that still seems like a big enough pipe to be able to receive more than minimum quality.
Even though it is not related to this post, there is no where else for me to say this.
But I'm pissed of that I still see the movies I selected as private in that sliding tab!!!!
Do my friends see them? If they do, I'm pretty disappointed and annoyed.
I hope I get an answer saying that it shows up in my sliding tab, but not my friend's tab, but I'm dubious.
So maybe the MAC user's just need to get out and find a friend with a PC.
Why should Mac users have to go to a friend's house to use this feature. I do have friends with PCs, but that doesn't mean they have the same taste in movies that I do.
What is with the level of jerkitude in the comments from so many of the PC users? Is it really so difficult to understand why Mac users (and some of us have gone overboard, too)want this feature without implying that we have no friends and should just sit down and shut up rather then ask for an explanation?
@anon 8.53am - Just ask one of your closer friends for their password and check their slider.
@Pippin - With you 100%. Some 'Community', with this snide 'let them eat cake' attitude from our 'fellow' Flixers! We don't resent PC owners HAVING Watch Now, we resent NOT having it, and having access to less than half the viewing hours while paying the same price. Your bus ticket takes you from San Diego to San Fran, but we, having bought the same ticket, can only get as far as San Luis Obisco. How can people not see the absurdity of that?
"@anon 8.53am - Just ask one of your closer friends for their password and check their slider."
I've only added one friend (my sister), I added her because the privacy feature became available.
I'm not going to ask for her password, she doesn't live near me and that would be a really strange request.
However, I'm pissed because I would never had added her if I knew these movies would show up.
Re slider - I stand very corrected. Family is a whole different ball of wax. My apologies.
It would make no sense for NF to hide your own movies from you, so you can be pretty certain that privacy is working just fine.
Hello -
For firefox users there is a solution for watching online right now, since I already do this. One of the extensions available to Firefox users is IE Tab. This extension allows you to open Internet Explorer from within Firefox and allows you to watch netflix movies online.
Additionally, does netflix have any plans of allowing viewing online movies via the Playstation3. I have already accessed netlix.com from my PS3 but obviously Windows XP and IE are required at this point. What are the technical hurdles that prevent watching online movies via PS3.
Not a single mention of closed captions or English subtitles.
It's interesting how Mac users are upset because they're "denied" access to the instant watching feature. A $200 windows PC will exceed the current system requirements.
How long will I have to wait before I can enjoy Instant watching? Will it be 2009? 2010? ever?
Where's any mention of Linux? Thanks, for a minute I felt like I could simpathize with Mac users about Watch Now, but now I've been pushed into the corner with all the other Linux users. Now we get no Watch Now because we were so wrong to choose a free, efficient operating system. I guess I would get better treatment if I used a bug-filled, bloated piece of crap like Vista or XP. Or better yet, when Mac support comes around, let me waste money on some over-priced Mac hardware. This is completely unfair. At least mention the word "Linux" once in your damn post.
Dear Linux users and any others that can't take advantage of the much touted 'Watch Now' feature - Please feel included in any gripe. We keep hearing posts about workarounds and down-loadable patches, so we have no clue who can and who can't use it. And then most people hate IE, want sub-titles, a more reliable pause feature, and so on, which is why NF might have done better not to even mention it until it was up and working perfectly for everyone. But I suppose BB's 'Total Access/In Store Exchange' made them rush it out before it was really ready....
Though not a Mac user or fan myself, I gotta agree with them that the PC folks are hatin' pretty hard right now. I'm all for multi-platform, multi-browser support in just about everything. I'm already miffed enough that it's IE-only... if it were to be Mac-only (which it wouldn't, but bear with me), that would really tick me off.
So I stand in solidarity with my fellow Netflixers on Macs. :)
Spoken like a true Gentleman!
It appears that no-one is going to mention the glaring problem that the current DRM solution has - you can't play the video over a Component video connection. DRM is such a huge limiting factor in so many ways, not being able to enjoy a video on the display of my choice is pretty ridiculous when I comply to the rest of the requirements. Is the analog hole really that big of a threat?
@James, rather than attack the operating systems that you don't use, why not beat the drum louder for the one that you do use?
Mac users would have been igored, too, if we weren't here asking for some attention. I didn't include Linux inmy posts about Mac access because I am not familiar with it. You sound like you are quite capable of leading the Linux charge, and if you want some Mac-user help, I'll happy to join. It's that strength in mumbers thing, you know.
@Jimmy - Glad to know I'm not alone!
@Shaun - Thank you! Some of my best friends are PC users, so I know that we really can get along across platforms.
I wish I could watch at a smaller resolution so the quality would be better.
I have a 1.5 mbps download and the full screen quality is not great.
I'm amazed that other sites can show near dvd quality (at a lower resolution) while the video quality on Netflix is so poor.
Steady guys! Let's not forget the dangers of being 'divided and conquered' and present a united front to get this system functioning equally well for ALL Netflix members. And it sounds like that's what Steve wants too. So, wish-lists and tech info : good. Carping and personal attacks : bad.
Let's not forget the dangers of being 'divided and conquered' and present a united front to get this system functioning equally well for ALL Netflix members.
Yes, this is what I was getting at, Robert. We are all much stronger together, no matter what OS we use, then we are as splinter groups.
A few comments on the "watch instantly" feature
I've watched a few Watch Instantly TV series. The strange this is that some episodes are missing. For "Dead like me" the pilot is missing but later episodes are available. How come the full series isn't available? I assume if the studios let you show some, they would let you show the full thing? Also the Addams family season 1 use to be available but the links were wrong. Instead of fixing the links, the whole series was removed. How come? After watching a movie in "watch instantly", how come the movie isn't removed from my queue?
In a previous blog post about Watch Now, myself and others did mention Linux. It just really pisses me off how Linux is not even mentioned in the article at all. I guess in the title I fall under "and more"? At least that's what I thought until I read the article to find nothing of the sort. I'm not trying to divide anyone by OS, however by making an angry rant it will hopefully get enough attention so in the next blog post about instant watching, hopefully they'll make some mention of Linux instead of just ignoring it. I think it would be foolish on Netflix's part to do this because there is a large community surrounding Linux and everyone in it makes software/product decisions based upon advise of others rather than how fancy a commercial on TV looks. So if Blockbuster can make recently purchased Movielink work with Linux, expect some defectors.
I can't say for sure about Linux support, but its not mentioned on the Silverlight support page: http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/system-requirements.aspx
I currently don't have a version of windows running past ver. 3.1 and that one is just for me to playaround on. You support linux and I'll think about signing on.
I'd like to see Watch Now Linux compatible.
@ James
...hopefully they'll make some mention of Linux instead of just ignoring it. I think it would be foolish on Netflix's part to do this because there is a large community surrounding Linux and everyone in it makes software/product decisions based upon advise of others...
This is an excellent point and well worth repeating. What is so frustrating for me as a Mac owner is the number of posts, e-mails, and phone calls it can take to get a response from any company in a situation such as this. It really does take quite a bit of persistence to get attention sometimes, but I like my platform of choice and if I have to deal with that once in a while, well, I guess it just goes with the Mac territory.
Thanks for that post. I agree that Linux should be included in the Watch Instantly feature, and that an update on this owed to you.
Please add linux support!
I also wish to see Linux support, as I don't really use Windows anymore.
As long as the folks running the show are not using macs, nothing's going to change.
We use toys, and we need to step up and use boot camp and eventually, drop the mac os altogether.
And this is why I get my movies from the iTunes music store.
As long as the folks running the show are not using macs, nothing's going to change.
Didn't Steve N. say that he and many other Netflixers use Macs (and are long time users if I understand what a 128K Mac is). I don't understand how or why you would make this kind of statement.
It looks like someone at Netflix heard my complaint over at the Ubuntu Forums.
I second Anonymous's comments:
"I understand that there are technical barriers to providing the streaming service on Macs, but at least appeal to Mac users sense of fairness and offer some compensation for not providing full access to a service we are in fact paying for.
Also, it wouldn't hurt if the "Watch Now" tab was hidden from the Netflix menu rather than reminding me each time I'm on the site that I there is a feature I can't use.
If the Netflix site can determine what browser and operating system I'm using when I visit the Watch Now page, maybe it can do that from my first visit to the Netflix site and somehow provide info that Watch Now is available ... but don't remind me that I can't use it.
In liberal estimates, there are more desktop Linux users than Mac users. In conservative estimates, there are at least half as many Linux users as Mac users.
I've been a Netflix customer for years, so it's disappointing to see so little interest in expanding the Watch Now feature to Linux users.
As I've stated before I'd like to see Linux support as well. Hopefully MoonLight will allow this.
Also, why do users who don't/can't use Instant Watching have to pay for this service. Netflix users who only watch DVDs should get a discount and those who choose to use Instant Watching should have to pay a premium. Why should non-users subsidize those who use Instant Watching?
I would love to see Linux support. If you want we'll put together some Digital Restrictions Management software in order to speed up the process. As a community, we are here to help... or reverse engineer Microsoft's DRM, which ever comes first. :P
Ubuntu 4 LIFE!
I think this post from Michael on another site might save all those of us with Mac, Linux, Firefox, etc, issues an awful lot of time and effort, and save everyone else from having to listen to the same complaints over and over :
"gang. i totally appreciate your desire to "let netflix know" that you want Linux support. I'll ask steve to comment on this, but in the meantime, honestly, we're not the US Senate -- more comments requesting Linux support won't make us hear it any better. It's not a voting system. Once you mentioned it once, Steve was aware there were still unanswered questions. Hang lose and let's see if he can address this for you."
I've got to say it. This means nothing to me as there is no mention of Linux. Is there a time frame? Is Linux even on the table?
I'm a potential customer, but can't be bothered due to the lack of Linux.
I'm a potential customer, but can't be bothered due to the lack of Linux.
Are you SERIOUS??? You must be an idiot. Netflix is a totally great service for getting movies AND they're pretty cool. You would deny yourself a good service and a pretty good value because of Linux? You're crazy.
Let me ask this another way: "Hey everyone -- how many of us who use IE on PC want Netflix to stop developing all those great upcoming features so they can redirect their engineers to make a Linux version for these computer guys?" Deafening silence? I thought so.
Regarding the suggestions to hide the watch now feature from users visiting the site on a Mac... remember that that Watch Now *does* work in Parallels or VM fusion, so you can't just browser sniff for platform compatibility (or even from those members that use a Mac sometimes, and a PC others). It's a complicated set of scenarios, and the best path forward is probably the one being implemented.
While I'm not going to drop the flix as they are THE source for mail rentals, we did drop our plan to the minimum we could. We went from 5 disks to 2, we've been on the 5 disk plan for some time and I've been using Netflix since almost the begining back in the yellow disk times. However this lack of support for the Mac platform saddens me and we simply couldn't stand buy with out making a stand of some sort. When netflix releases a Mac solution we will reup to 5 disks like we would like, until then our watching will be supplemented by Family Video. I'd like to give tehflix more money but I can't stand by as they shut out someone who as stood by them for years and years.
I'm a Linux user, but I have a dual boot system so no worries. I love the streaming movies, and want to congratulate you on a job well done.
My only problem is in the small selection of titles. I know that's beyond your control, and you'd probably stream your whole catalog if you could.
I am a major fan of documentaries, and less mainstream films. That's why NF has an edge over Blockbuster, who live up to their name by neglecting lesser-known stuff.
Thanks again,
Jeff
I would love to see a way to search only movies that are instantly viewable. Love it!
I happen to be one of those huddled Lin-mac masses, but I'm not sure that Netflix should be excoriated just because the market has evolved into this Microsoft-centric universe that requires totally separate research paths for the lesser used platforms/systems - the majority are obviously going to be attended to first, especially since the less trodden paths inevitably pose more of a technical challenge.
So I think it's a bit feeble to ask them to reconfigure their tabs for us just so we don't have to 'suffer so' every time we log on, as if they're doing this deliberately to torture us, but I do agree that some kind of explanation and apology should have been issued to everyone that couldn't take advantage of this sudden huge increase in viewing hours at no charge when it was first released. I also agree that some kind of compensation should be offered to anyone whose account shows that they haven't logged on with an "operating system that is compatible with this feature" (cold!) in any given month, which must save Netflix money whether it's by choice or not (although who wouldn't if they could?) - anything from a bonus DVD (which shows up on the queue page to be click-on) to an upgrade to the next 'movies-out' level the following month to bring the 'you get what you pay for' factor more into balance for all members.
"For the mac users claiming they are not getting their money's worth... remember that just a few short months ago you were paying the same price for just mailed movies"
I am currently on the 4-at-a-time plan which gets about 25 movies/month, plus about 15 movie downloads. 15 movies! Windows users can get 60% more movies (if they want them)! And "just a few short months" works out to at least a year (they started Instant Watching about 6 months ago and won't be expanding support for at least another 6 months). 15x12 months = 180 movies! Thats pretty significant.
If 6 months ago Netflix had lowered the subscription prices for only Windows users by 35%, you could have said the same exact thing.
Nicely figured out - didn't dare try to crunch the numbers myself for fear of an irreversible 'episode' of some kind. And these stats from an 'Instant Watcher', no less! Impressively Community spirited, I call that.
As a Mac user and Netflix subscriber, I'd just like to say that the day the iTunes store offers movie rentals or Tivo offers instant downloads is the day that I quit Netflix and never look back. For #$%*#'s sake -- it's a DVD rental plan. My DVD player is no different than any PC user's. Yet you've still managed to find a way to marginalize me.
"gang. i totally appreciate your desire to "let netflix know" that you want Linux support. I'll ask steve to comment on this, but in the meantime, honestly, we're not the US Senate -- more comments requesting Linux support won't make us hear it any better. It's not a voting system. Once you mentioned it once, Steve was aware there were still unanswered questions. Hang lose and let's see if he can address this for you."
Uh, yeah this is like the senate, except I vote with the money I pay every month to Netflix. So if I don't like who's in office, I switch to Blockbuster. I've already dropped down to a lower plan, leaving is next.
-- more comments requesting Linux support won't make us hear it any better.
We don't have any way to know if something has been heard at all if someone from Netflix doesn't tell us. Additionally, just because a request or concern has been heard does not mean that it is something that can or will be incorporated into the grand scheme of Netflix things.
If I'm not mistaken the Linux questions have yet to be addressed on this very blog run by Netflix. It's just a tad bit perplexing when a blog is started asking for input, and then we are told to keep our concerns to ourselves in such a brusque manner.
I hope it is clear that we at Netflix read this blog very carefully. Not responding to every post is not the same as not listening, and i hope by now you all can tell that we are sincere in our requests for feedback, and that failure to repond online is not indicative of lack of interest.
Second, my comment about the Senate was made on another website - not here. It was copied by one of y'all and pasted here, but i was responding directly to a call for action at Ubuntu to get lots of interested folks to write in to complain about the lack of Linux support, and I was only saying (there) that more votes wasn't going to make it get heard better than one. This blog doesn't work that way -- you aren't voting here. You're giving us feedback and ideas. (You ARE however voting when you leave the service, or upgrade/downgrade plans. You are correct that your dollars are a very meaningful kind of vote. But blog posts aren't the same.)
In fact my posting at Ubuntu should have triggered a thought that i WAS interested in this topic and digging around learning more.
But you're all right - it hasn't been addressed in this blog. I don't have the knowledge to answer completely, and Steve will respond when he gets a chance.
You know, just for my own reference on this issue, i just checked on the OS used in reading this blog. Our blog readers are a far more technical and creative crowd than typical of Netflix subscribers, i'd guess; still I was curious. According to the data i'm staring at now: about 66% of you use some form of Windows (XP, NT, etc.) and about 30% use a Mac OS X (!!! like me!! I run OSX and Windows on my Mac in Parallels desktop) Do you guys know how many use a form of Linux? It says 1.2%
...In fact my posting at Ubuntu should have triggered a thought that i WAS interested in this topic and digging around learning more.
I am always hesitant to make assumptions like that, as it's much too easy to end up going in the wrong direction.
I don't have the knowledge to answer completely, and Steve will respond when he gets a chance.
That is a very fair and honest answer. Thank you very much.
Of course I am not surprised to see a "it's not our fault" response to the lack of Mac support. But that is nonsense. Netflix chose to ignore the millions of Mac users in order to save money and test the system with the Windoze crowd. I cancelled my account and had quite a few family and friends cancel theirs. Companies like Netflix must learn that it is unacceptable to treat Mac users as second-class citizens on the web. They won't get another penny from me as long as Windoze users are getting more features for the same money. DRM issues can be resolved through negotiation, technological innovation, and a commitment to solutions. I enjoyed having Netflix for years, but I will never support a company that does not equally prioritize me as a customer.
1.2% of how many visitors? lol Ok I'll wait patiently for Steve's response. I've think I've bothered you enough for now.
I haven't read all the comments, but is there any way that we could be notified if titles will be eliminated from the Watch Now inventory? I've made a list of the ones I'd like to see and of them I recently noticed that Born Into Brothels, The Believer and Three Coins in the Fountain all no longer were on file.
Thanks and keep up the good work
"Do you guys know how many use a form of Linux? It says 1.2%"
I would guess that has to do with people being at work. I visit this blog at work where I have no choice but to run Windows. I use Linux 100% at home, though.
1.2% of how many visitors?"
At least 2500, thats how many responded to the demographics poll on the front page. Its probably more than 10,000, meaning at least 120 Linux users have read the blog at one time or another.
What are the technical issues with 'Watch Now' facing the Netflix team regarding Firefox on Windows? Is it integration of the DRM as an Active X control into Firefox?
It's great that you're working on getting it to Mac(!) and other browsers such as Firefox. Any chance of having Opera support in the future as well? I'm probably in the minority on this one, but Opera's my main browser on the PC.
Plus I'd love to be able to play movies on my TV through the Nintendo Wii's Opera browser, but maybe that's asking for too much?
a few thoughts as an IT manager who uses Mac, Windows and Linux.
At home I use linux. In the office I work on Macs and Windows desktop machines.
I googled linux, netflix, watch instantly, and found this blog at work.
I suspect a large number of your blog readers could be in a similar situation. I don't use watch now at work, I would like to at home. so what is used to read the blog may not be representative.
Having said that, I understand that their are financial issues involved with having this service run on other platforms. While I would love to use the service on my Ubuntu install at home, I still have my home machine dual boot to windows to run things like this.
My god - some of these mac users need to get a grip. THIS IS NOT DISCRIMINATION. You are not forced to use ONLY OSX. You are not prevented from using the service on another OS.
and watch instantly on the Wii's opera would be FANTASTIC
"I still have my home machine dual boot to windows to run things like this".
You'll notice that most of the 'get a grip' crowd - with the notable exceptions of Shaun and Baff - all have access to 'Watch Now'! Plus many seem to agree that we should either steal time from our bosses or go over to a friend's house and impose on them. OR, best of all, go out and buy a PC! I said earlier that I understand that this MacLinux 2nd fiddle factor is a cold hard reality of the market, but that Netflix still needs to make some token gesture to acknowledge the fact that some subscribers are only getting 50 to 75 cents worth of services on the $1 - otherwise people are going to continue to vote with that devalued currency.
"I still have my home machine dual boot to windows to run things like this".
"You'll notice that most of the 'get a grip' crowd - with the notable exceptions of Shaun and Baff - all have access to 'Watch Now'! Plus many seem to agree that we should either steal time from our bosses or go over to a friend's house and impose on them. OR, best of all, go out and buy a PC!"
you start with a quote me, but I don't suggest any of those things. (I'm actually offended that you would think I was stealing time from my boss - I'm able to read blogs while on break during my 10-14 hours days)
I've made my OS choice - linux. I understand that it is not the most supported OS around. I also understand that I must sacrifice certain things to use it. I've come up with a work-around that doesn't involve portraying myself as some kind of victim.
all new macs have the option of running windows - you can even do it under OSX with parallels. I paid for my copy of windows, just for these types of situations. Now, I haven't seen it from you, but I've seen people here claim that netflix should credit them since they can't use the service to its full potential. I find this ridiculous - Because you can. You just choose not to. If it is not a good enough deal, then you can drop the service.
I just don't buy the "I'm getting ripped off" argument. You've chosen to rip yourself off (Just as I have)
Having said what I just did (about not feeling ripped off)
I feel it is in netflix's best interest to come up with a solution that works for Mac's and Linux. I'm sure that those markets match up with their prime demographics. It would be a shame if they were driven off by the appearance that netflix doesn't care about them.
While I was thrilled about the instant viewing feature on Netflix. However, when I view the my very first instant viewing movie, I was looking all over for option for closed caption or subtitle and there was none! Being Deaf, those option is a must for me to use those such features. I really hope subtitle/closed caption feature will be added sometime soon! Otherwise, I would never use it. Such a waste!
"I'm actually offended that you would think I was stealing time from my boss"
Miscommunication. Not you, us : Mac users who've been instructed to find a PC to watch on, which for many of us would mean watching on company time.
OSX/Vista parallels only work on intel macs, and mine's a power pc.
But I love Netflix in all other regards, so have almost manged to persuade myself that I don't even WANT to watch movies on a silly 12" screen. Goodnight.
You are not forced to use ONLY OSX. You are not prevented from using the service on another OS.
Being that my Mac is several years old and is not capable of running windows, and my budget at this time does not permit purchase of another computer or any kind, I am prevented from using Watch Instantly on another service. What makes you think you know everything about everybody's circumstances?
...since they can't use the service to its full potential. I find this ridiculous - Because you can. You just choose not to.
That's the most serious case of recto-cranial impaction I've seen evidenced here to date. Good luck with that.
Buh-bye now.
"all new macs have the option of running windows - you can even do it under OSX with parallels."
My non-intel mac is only a year and a half old and it won't run windows. Seeing as its pretty new, I have no plans to buy a new computer any time soon.
"That's the most serious case of recto-cranial impaction I've seen evidenced here to date. Good luck with that".
I pray that you have a good agent, my friend, because that's gold. And I bet our schadenfreudliche/r IT manager's happy to have stepped into the path of this gang's buzz-saw.
"Being that my Mac is several years old and is not capable of running windows, and my budget at this time does not permit purchase of another computer or any kind, I am prevented from using Watch Instantly on another service."
Same here. It's always so frustrating when people give "just use Windows!" as a solution for these types of problems, since not all Mac users have that option.
Personally, I think that instant watching should be a premium feature of Netflix. Users who want to use it should pay extra for it, while those who don't or simply can't (due to technical limitations) shouldn't have to. I highly doubt that this will ever happen, but it sure would be nice to receive some sort of compensation for paying the same price for the service but not being able to enjoy all of its benefits.
Re: "o."
When I signed up for Netflix, I agreed to pay the price I'm paying for the service w/o Watch Now. Now that it's added and part of my account, I'm not going to complain that it's not working on my Mac, or argue