Just happens that the CEO of netflix is on the board of MS; and surprise, surprise, Microsoft plays nice with Netflix and Netflix suddenly decides that Silverlight is better than sliced bread.

Meanwhile Neflix clients have to put up with yet another plug in that they didn't ask for, because of these sorts of executive back-scratching deals. And Microsoft partners who might offer streaming get screwed.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003637478_msftboard27.html

"After all, why not just browse the content directly from Netflix's website if you're stuck on the PC in the first place?"

I'll tell you why - ever since I "upgraded" to Netflix's SIlverlight player, every time I play a Netflix movie on my Vista Premium HTPC from Netflix's site, the player crashes from fullscreen to windowed mode every time Windows remarks on even the most unremarkable events ("would you like to clean your desktop?" No - I only have 5 icons on my desktop for a reason, you twit.).

You try making it through 30 Days of Night when fullscreen playback dies more often than the characters in the damn movie.

Having native Netflix Silverlight support right in WMC means that Windows event notifications are suppressed and I can enjoy the streaming goodness in all its fuzzy, 480p glory.

never use the crap.

Once again, a .co.uk site basically telling us of a corporation introducing a service that isn't available to the UK. Talk about ironic.

Same thing has been happening for ages with Sony's mysterious PS3 Movie Download channel, only available in the US. There may be red-tape (licensing and royalties issues) but why do these corporations sit around for so long on getting these services over to Europe. Unless you have BT Vision, the true internet movie rental service is failing in the UK and Europe as there are no decent suppliers.

Netflix worked fine on my Power Mac and on my Linux home theater kit until they broke the streaming service with Silverlight.

If Netflix streaming is embedded in the Windows Media Player, then maybe I can get it through WINE.

I wonder what it is like to work for a company where you can just bribe your shitty products into the market.

How many event notifications do you GET, anyway? Seems like turning the stuff off is your first step to happiness. The damned things are obnoxious no matter WHEN they happen!