Miro (Re: New Programs for Hardy?)

[Conrad Knauer]

On Feb 9, 2008 1:15 AM, Sarah Hobbs <hobbsee at ubuntu.com> wrote:

> > 'If Miro can't be added to the default Hardy install (e.g. added to ubuntu-desktop), would it be possible for Hardy+1?'
>
> Forgive me for asking this - but is the market for watching internet TV really that big?

No no, its a valid question :)

I would describe it as an emerging market (note the doubling download
rate I quoted from the Groklaw interview as well as the proprietary
competitors mentioned in the linked full interview, such as Joost and
Hulu).

> I've only seen *one* person ever actually watching it.
>  I don't see many people coming in and asking "how do i watch internet
> tv?".  Besides that, why would one *want* to go for internet TV, when
> there are bigger tv's elsewhere, where you can watch what you like there.

Time-shifting springs to mind (download overnight, watch in the morning).

Place-shifting (e.g. what if you want to watch something while
commuting on a train or bus?)

Also, the content available is often not available via regular TV
stations/cable (e.g. niche programs; Miro claims over 2500
'channels').

> Perhaps it's due to being Australian, with the associated low bandwidths,

Ah, low speed internet would be a problem, but then again, that's a
general problem for Ubuntu as a whole, ne?  Updates for example-
downloading new kernel or Firefox versions would get annoying if one
didn't set them to d/l during idle time (e.g. overnight).

> but I don't see this as a large market, which would be required for it to take up CD space.

What would define a "large market"?

Should Ubuntu only include software reactively rather than watching
for emerging trends?

If Ubuntu switched to a DVD-based release, would you include it?

CK