In an attempt to shake up the way TV programmes are viewed online in the UK, Apple have finally launched the TV Programmes Store in the UK. With the BBC’s iPlayer and Channel 4’s 4OD getting some stick by limiting customers to the Windows Media platform, it seems like a good move to open up IPTV to the growing Mac userbase. However, if you’re looking forward to seeing all your favourite British material on your iPod or Apple TV, you’d be quite disappointed.

At the moment, all you will get your hands on are US shows from the likes of ABC, Disney, Nickelodeon, MTV and Paramount such as Lost, Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives - basically all the crap that Channel 4 couldn’t put on 4OD due to copyright issues.

Obviously, this is a step in the right direction for Apple considering the iPhone will be launched over here later this year and how dominant the market share of video-capable iPods are in the UK against the competition but I personally feel they’ve fell flat on their face with this launch. I’m sure there will be plenty of new content coming soon to the store once deals are signed with local production companies and it’s great Mac owners can finally get their hands on some legal video material (although all the material is still using DRM, something that also needs attention to avoid yet more backlash).

However, at £1.89 per show compared to 4OD’s 99p, its not that cheap neither.

It’s still early days and there are bound to be developments in the near future so I won’t completely discard this move. Well done Apple for finally opening the doors to downloadable video for Mac users.

Amanda just sent me this email which I found hilarious. It’s not exactly limited to just software though - this can apply to the Dot-com Crash and, quite possibly, the current Web 2.0 phase.

Enjoy…

The Life Cycle of Software

1. Programmer produces code he believes is bug-free.
2. Product is tested. 20 bugs are found.
3. Programmer fixes 10 of the bugs and explains to the testing department that the other 10 aren’t really bugs.
4. Testing department finds that five of the fixes didn’t work and discovers 15 new bugs.
5. See 3.
6. See 4.
7. See 5.
8. See 6.
9. See 7.
10. See 8.
11. Due to marketing pressure and an extremely pre-mature product announcement based on over-optimistic programming schedule, the product is released.
12. Users find 137 new bugs.
13. Original programmer, having cashed his royalty check, is nowhere to be found.
14. Newly-assembled programming team fixes almost all of the 137 bugs, but introduce 456 new ones.
15. Original programmer sends underpaid testing department a postcard from Fiji. Entire testing department quits.
16. Company is bought in a hostile takeover by competitor using profits from their latest release, which had 783 bugs.
17. New CEO is brought in by board of directors. He hires programmer to redo program from scratch.
18. Programmer produces code he believes is bug-free.
19. See Step 2.