I WISH it were possible for big media companies to pull of these huge conspiracies...
but i think it's more like, cable operators want to spend as little as possible and give consumers something as easy to use as possible that, yes, only accepts content which they control (so they can charge fees as gatekeepers).
so they're interested in "dumbed down" boxes because
a) they're cheap (the nice price is about $250, which means Moxi's got a long way to go). remember, the cable company has to order the boxes even if they're going to resell them to end users -- that's a multi-billion dollar hardware bet which they HATE having to make
b) they're easy to use (I don't know the median reading level of US cable subscribers, but I'm betting it ain't high school). most tv viewers want to, like, watch more tv, not learn linux.
c) you can charge money for the content that goes through 'em...yes, it's true, that actually is how they make money...
having said all of which, operators are not averse to giving people access to the open net -- they're selling broadband internet access like crazy. But you bring your own PC. Selling $1000+ machines is Circuit City's job, not Comcast's.
Oh, by the way, guess who has higher profit margins, hardware makers, electronics retailers, cable operators, or cable programmers? ; )
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but i think it's more like, cable operators want to spend as little as possible and give consumers something as easy to use as possible that, yes, only accepts content which they control (so they can charge fees as gatekeepers).
so they're interested in "dumbed down" boxes because
a) they're cheap (the nice price is about $250, which means Moxi's got a long way to go). remember, the cable company has to order the boxes even if they're going to resell them to end users -- that's a multi-billion dollar hardware bet which they HATE having to make
b) they're easy to use (I don't know the median reading level of US cable subscribers, but I'm betting it ain't high school). most tv viewers want to, like, watch more tv, not learn linux.
c) you can charge money for the content that goes through 'em...yes, it's true, that actually is how they make money...
having said all of which, operators are not averse to giving people access to the open net -- they're selling broadband internet access like crazy. But you bring your own PC. Selling $1000+ machines is Circuit City's job, not Comcast's.
Oh, by the way, guess who has higher profit margins, hardware makers, electronics retailers, cable operators, or cable programmers? ; )
- big jimmy 2-11-2002 4:23 am