NBC’s online coverage of The 2008 Summer Olympics from Beijing, China relies on Microsoft’s Silverlight 2.0b2 which is an Adobe Flash competitor (and a beta, no less!) that also happens to exclude millions of PowerPC-based Apple Mac users:

Contact:
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Paul” for the heads up.]
“Hey, let’s exclude a major portion of the Mac user base since they’re better educated and make more money than the Windows schlubs, to whom, of course, we’ll cater like the whores that we are — our advertisers will love it!”
Whoever’s making the technical (and business decisions) over at NBC is obviously an idiot.
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I was going to boycott watching any Olympics on NBC but thought it better to just boycott any products advertised on NBC during the Olympics.
For those who make fun of PPC users, take a dump.
I have a dual 2.3 G5, the first version. It works fine, does what I need it to do, get play WoW and have not had any problems with it.
I do not use MS products, have no need to watch TV on my computer (thats why I have a TV).
Do I want an Intel? Yes. Do I need an Intel? No. When I do then I’ll buy one.
But in the meantime, my machine works fine, thats why I buy Apple. They just keep working
“Do I want an Intel? Yes. Do I need an Intel? No. When I do then I’ll buy one. “
And for many PPC users, that day was today, at least if they want to watch the Olympics in it.
OpJ, I’m a PowerPC users simply because I demand at least seven years’ service from my Macs. And dammit, I’m gonna get it!
I couldn’t care less about the Olympics. My 4+ year old PPC Mini never lets me down! Screw the Olympics.
Plus, we shouldn’t even be in the Olympics considering their human rights over there sucks camel ass. SCREW CHINA.
the fact that major US retailers get most of their products from China, keeping US citizens out of jobs. Dump China and see how many products disappear from the shelves.
“I couldn’t care less about the Olympics.”
_______________
Shouldn’t that say “I could care less about the Olympics?” Anyway, if that’s the case then why even bother posting in this thread?
This is about PPC people who may have missed an event on TV. The only place to view Olympic events after they’ve happened is on NBC’s site, which uses Silverlight as the default player.
Making a browser-specific web site is fucking lame already. Going the extra mile to refuse the SAME browser on a different processor is sheer incompetence.
-jcr
‘Making a browser-specific web site is fucking lame already. Going the extra mile to refuse the SAME browser on a different processor is sheer incompetence.”
————–
Do you mean like MobileMe.com not working on IE?
If it’s any consolation to American Mac users, we Canadians are also incapable of viewing streaming Olympic video feeds. The CBC web-site is hopeless.The Flip4Mac-QuickTime solution simply does not work.
Dear Retarded Failed Grammar Nazi:
Why is it that people that feel the greatest need to correct the grammar usage of others understand the least about grammar?
No, you retarded moron, the phrase is not “I could care less.” If you say you “could care less” that means that you care somewhat. Or a lot. Or a whole bunch. The original phrase is, “I couldn’t care less.” Which means exactly what it says–I don’t give a flaming rat’s ass. It is originally a British saying that got scrambled when adopted in the United States, and the U.S. version is one of those nonsense sayings that can never be translated directly into another language because, oddly enough, when the phrase was adopted in the U.S. the negative was removed but the meaning stayed the same.
Personally, I avoid the whole mess by stating, “I care nothing…” which I did in my original post. That phrasing doesn’t have any colloquial charm, but it at least disarms smarmy failed grammar nazis whose estimation of their knowledge of the English language is not on even keel with their actual knowledge.
Dear Gypsy, couldn’t resist:
For those who make fun of horse drawn carriage users, take a dump.
I have two lovely horses and a perfectly good carriage. They works fine, do what I need them to do, they get me to the golf course and have not had any problems with they.
I do not use automobiles, have no need to get anywhere faster then the horses can take me (thats why I have a whip).
Do I want a car? Yes. Do I need a car? No. When I do then I’ll buy one.
But in the meantime, my horses work fine, that’s why I buy horses. They just keep working. And when they stop they make good dog food and glue.
MSNBC. Enough said.
FYI, I couldn’t watch it from the LATEST version of Safari and Mac OS!!!! Was stupid. Someone made it so that even with Silverlight, the latest Mac browser wouldn’t work. Had to use Firefox.
Why? MSNBC.
Works great here on a MacPro, MacBook Pro and an iMac.. No problems whatsoever.
“Do you mean like MobileMe.com not working on IE?”
First, IE isn’t a standards-compliant browser.
Second, Apple gives away a better browser on Windows.
Try again.
-jcr
” It is originally a British saying that got scrambled when adopted in the United States,”
Nope. People used the phrase correctly in the United States for many decades. It looks to me like a generational problem, as I’ve seen the same mistake made by young brits, too.
-jcr
“Apple gives away a better browser on Windows.’
Apple’s ditched Safari and started handing out Firefox? When did that happen?
Yawn….
Old computers not supported?
Mega-yawn with a cherry on top…
Slow news day, MDN?
What’s the difference between a PPC Mac and a brick?
Bricks are still useful for something.
@spazz – what are you talking about? – I bought a G4 back in 2002 and you aught to be grateful that you are still able to upgrade your G3 while there is still stock of something sooo old. $75 sounds like a bargain. Stop whining
my PPC g5 would work another 10 years it is so good but
snow lep intel only
time to upgrade!!!!
“my PPC g5 would work another 10 years”
As a doorstop. Or a boat anchor. Just not as a computer.
Apple did well in buying off NBC to help kill the PPC. There should be quite a few “new” Mac sales that come from that move.
Is there more people still using Power PC or window 98/ME?
There is a version of Silverlight that will run on PPC Macs and that is the version Microsoft should have been wanting people to download and try since it would cover the greatest number of people. Beta software should not be forced on to people.
Most IT Departments around the world are not going to install Beta software. This means all those people at work are missing out as well whether they are Mac or PC.