Netflix on Linux: Why This is Advantageous for Everyone
May 10, 2010 - By Erin Stuelke
I recently installed the Linux distribution Fedora 12 on my desktop and was curious if Netflix would play on my setup. As you might have guessed, it doesn’t. While searching around for a fix, I came across a 20-page thread on Netflix’s community forum hashing out the issue. After sifting through the OS flame wars, it became apparent the only reason Netflix Instant Watch isn’t available for Linux users is Microsoft.
Netflix streams in a browser using Microsoft’s Silverlight plugin, essentially a beefed-up version of the Flash player with Microsoft’s PlayReady Digital Rights Management. An open-source version of Silverlight is available for Linux called Moonlight which is developed by Novell in collaboration with Microsoft. Microsoft even acknowledges Silverlight support for Linux through the use of Moonlight. However, the major difference between Silverlight and Moonlight is the PlayReady DRM. Without the DRM, Netflix movies won’t stream.
Moonlight’s project site lists PlayReady a feature, but the status is unsupported meaning that Microsoft has not yet licensed PlayReady for third-party use. Since Netflix relies on external resources to provide its streaming capabilities, the onus lies on Microsoft to release their DRM library for third-party use.
My question is why doesn’t Microsoft do so? Releasing the DRM library would be advantageous for all parties involved: Netflix, Microsoft and Linux. First of all, it’s easy to see why this would be advantageous for Linux users. They would have the option to stream Netflix! But how is it beneficial for Netflix and Microsoft?
Let’s assume that the number of Netflix subscribers using Linux closely resembles the number of Linux users surfing the web: 1.6%. Based on information from Netflix’s website, there are over 13 million subscribers, so that’s approximately 200,000 people. The minimum fee for unlimited streaming is $8.99/month. With 200,000 subscribers paying $8.99/month, that brings in almost $22 million in revenue per year. According to their 2009 Annual Report, Netflix brought in $1.67 billion in revenue last year. While $22 million seems like a drop in the bucket compared to $1.67 billion, it’s still a significant amount of money. Since they don’t provide the player themselves, Netflix wouldn’t have any extra overhead if Microsoft allows PlayReady DRM integration with Moonlight. Therefore, the benefit for Netflix is obvious: increased profits.
But what about Microsoft? While not as clear as the reasons for Netflix and Linux users, Microsoft can possibly benefit financially through their partnership with Netflix. The more revenue Netflix brings, the more resources they will have to pass along to Microsoft as the partnership develops. Another more subjective benefit for Microsoft is improved relationships with the Linux community. Improved relationships allows better collaboration and increased creativity. But based on Microsoft’s track record of failed promises for cross-platform support of other products, it seems unlikely that they will release a PlayReady DRM SDK for open-source projects.
The other option is for Netflix to put resources into a different streaming technology for Linux platforms or at least a technology that encompasses Linux distributions. They already provide support for a multitude of other platforms, such as the XBox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, several Blu-ray disc players, some internet TVs, Apple’s iPad, PlayOn software, Boxee software, TiVo DVR and even the Linux-based DVR Roku. Most people argue that the market share for Linux isn’t large enough for Netflix to allocate resources in that direction, but Netflix is currently working on bringing streaming movies to iPhone users, which amount to only 0.8% of total web traffic. That’s half the number of Linux users. You do the math.
Another way that Microsoft would benefit: Silverlight is currently tanking. Websites are still opting to use Adobe Flash instead, because visitors — especially non-Windows visitors — don’t have Silverlight installed, whereas Flash is ubiquitous. I personally use Linux and have absolutely no desire to ever install Silverlight/Moonlight. But if a new release of Moonlight suddenly allowed me to stream Netflix videos on my computer, I would have no hesitation in jumping on board. I’m sure plenty of other Linux users are in the same boat. And when that happens, then Silverlight/Moonlight client-side support can become just as ubiquitous as Flash, and tempt more websites to take advantage of it finally.
DRM is a smokescreen and excuse.
Content producers must realize that it is a simple matter to record anything I watch on Netflix. I can run the decoded NTSC video/audio stream to any number of recording devices in real time. Not original video quality? That is correct, and Netflix is not either, because it uses “lossy” compression codecs to feed the content down the tiny internet pipeline. So what are we proving here? DRM has no earthly use in Netflix other than to insure the Microsoft-Media Producers ties will not be weakened. Content producers should be ENCOURAGING users to select the instant streaming option, because when I order a physical DVD from Netflix, I can throw it in my box and rip it in it’s full digital glory, DRM or not.
I am a Linux user and would love to see netflix work on my system. For now, it is a minor irritant, but eventually, it would be very nice to get this corrected.
Before Win7 (which I admit I LOVE) I used Linux for 5 years. I ran a windows VM and streamed netflix that way. It always pissed me off that I had to go through all that.
Great write-up – sorry I found it so late!
Let’s assume that the number of Netflix subscribers using Linux closely resembles the number of Linux users surfing the web: 1.6%. Based on information from Netflix’s website, there are over 13 million subscribers, so that’s approximately 200,000 people. The minimum fee for unlimited streaming is $8.99/month. With 200,000 subscribers paying $8.99/month, that brings in almost $22 million in revenue per year.
No, it really doesn’t.
1. if you’re saying that there are *already* ~13m subscribers using linux, then chances are that they already have access to unlimited streaming under their USPS plan.
2. linux users already have access to streaming NF movies, through game consoles, advanced media players, an alternate/SO’s computer, or (awkward as it is) virtualization.
Taking these into account, you’re looking for a linux user, who doesn’t already subscribe to NF’s USPS plan, who has no other access to NF streaming movies, and who believes that streaming movies are worth $9/month. That’s a lot of clauses. I’d cut your number in ten… and $2.2M for NF is not worth considering.
If NF ever does this, it will be as a goodwill/PR gesture. Actually, forget that. It’ll be as a NF team lead working to finally shut up his linux zealot boss… but it *won’t* be about the money.
thank God Hulu was smarter and used Flash instead!
Also you can get even voddler to run on linux.
many others to come soon, so netflix is just “another” alternative
son of a*@%?! ok the attitude stops there…my name is steve and i was a ms user. i committed to microsoftiside (i just coined this phrase to help me cope with the years of ms-ism{another coping phrase]) and i feel better now. outside of this netflickin streaming issue…im..im..gonna be..OK!
Assuming the %1.6 number is right that’s pretty close to the number of Iphone users crawling the web (about 2%) Since the iphone is supported by netflix I see little logic in the “linux isn’t a big enough market to care” argument. I suspect this is there general mentality though, not because it makes sense, or is isn’t profitable, but just because hype is such a pervasive force in most american corporate decisions.
Don’t believe me? Try to get a Linux laptop to do some linux development past your corporate IT dept…
Heck try to get a MAC and see how that goes.
Anyways, as to the argument that it will not make them more money because linux users already subscribe anyway, your right, kindof.
I do subscribe and just watch netflix on my TV through the Wii. No biggy, but it does generally make me hate them for their relucatance to lift a finger to help anyone who’s less than a majority of their customer base. If I find a rival that does close to the same thing an uses flash will I dump big red? You betcha, with glee.
Don’t say Hulu, yes I know, but I want DVD’s too.
I love Netflix, but guess what? Hulu now has a similar $8 streaming service, and it works with linux, and just about anything you can hook up to a TV (i.e. playstation, Riko)! So Netflix can continue to go *^#$ themselves, which is what they are doing by excluding Linux users. I’m going to go tryout the hulu plus 1 week trial now and if I like it, I’m canceling my netflix subscription.
If only NF worked outside the US. How hard can that be? There are a lot of things that is US-only which is kind of annoying. What if you’re outside the US for a few weeks or months. You won’t be able to use it while you’re paying for that service.
But I hear they’re working on a Linux-specific client. Only a rumor and nothing sure because it wasn’t announced officially.
Spoke to Netflix tech 8/10/2011. He stated that there are no plans in the pipeline to include Linux users.
Now that Amazon Prime is a major player in the streaming TV game, Netflix may have more incentive to start supporting Linux viewing. While adding Linux support may not be worth NF’s effort if 200,000 Linux users are already subscribing in spite of no native Linux viewing when there is no decent alternative (it’s not like those subscribers would buy a second subscription if NF suddenly supported Linux), once a substitute product/service becomes available NF runs the risk of losing those 200,000 subscribers if they don’t get on board with Linux viewing. This is all based on the assumption that Amazon Prime permits native viewing in Linux, which I have been told but not tested.