Comments on: Netflix Watch Now Offers Video Streaming

By: Michael R

Michael R — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 12:07:17 +0000

In addition, Watch Now requires XP with SP2, and will not run on Win2k. It sounds to me that Microsoft is involved in some way and is trying to ensure that people are not using an older version of the OS or service pack. I would think that Win2k should otherwise be perfectly capable of streaming video from Netflix.

By: Jordan

Jordan — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 05:25:46 +0000

just get the IE Tab extension for Firefox. When switched on Netflix will think your're using IE.

By: mike

mike — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:38:28 +0000

Chuck, perhaps they merely performed an app upgrade that unintentionally broke Firefox support as a side-effect, and since they don't officially support anything other than IE-Windows yet, they haven't worried about it? Not everything is a conspiracy, man. They wouldn't waste their time with something so petty and stupid.

Of course their stated goal is to get it working on all platforms, but any web developer with experience in any credibley large company will tell you that in a phased rollout, you focus on the largest audience first (being up front about it, of course), making sure it works perfectly for them, and worry about everyone else afterwards. Remember, that is what this is:A PHASED ROLLOUT. Not everyone is SUPPOSED to have access to it, yet.

Netflix told everyone they only support IE and Windows right now. So you happened to get lucky for a little while. It's not like they took anything away that they promised you. In fact, they did you a solid, quite frankly, for the time it ran for you.

Suck it up, drop the fanboyism, and use IE. I mean, honestly.

By: Chuck in Portland

Chuck in Portland — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 21:56:34 +0000

I have been using the Watch Now feature on Netflix for the last few days. I stopped today. Why? I am a Firefox web browser user. Today, Netflix decided that Firefox customers are not important to Netflix any longer, and they no longer allow Firefox users to access Watch Now features — only Internet Explorer users. I guess I wouldn't be as upset had they introduced the service as being non-Firefox compatible, but it was compatible for the first few days of introduction, then POOF it no longer worked with Firefox. It makes me wonder how much money Microsoft paid Netflix to discontinue allowing use with Firefox. It wouldn't be the first time Microsoft did this.