Comments on: Netflix on Linux: Why This is Advantageous for Everyone

By: Christian

Christian — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 20:36:43 +0000

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.

By: Bart

Bart — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:02:29 +0000

Spoke to Netflix tech 8/10/2011. He stated that there are no plans in the pipeline to include Linux users.

By: Marky

Marky — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 03:20:35 +0000

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.

By: Para

Para — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 20:26:38 +0000

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.

By: metalninjadragon

metalninjadragon — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 23:04:17 +0000

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.

By: steve

steve — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 01:44:13 +0000

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!

By: manny

manny — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:47:18 +0000

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

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 21:47:40 +0000

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.

By: Dale (PopBunker.net)

Dale (PopBunker.net) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:15:14 +0000

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!

By: GDI

GDI — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:47:53 +0000

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.