Students have reacted angrily to the decision of a handful of colleges to enforce a University ban on the BBC’s iPlayer and Channel 4’s 4 On Demand services.

The programs, which allow users to watch television programmes on the internet after they have been broadcast, use ‘peer-to-peer’ technology and so are banned by Oxford University Computer Services (OUCS).

However, colleges have been inconsistent in enforcing the rules, leading to double-standards which have angered some students.

OUCS says ‘peer-to-peer’ file sharing uses up large amounts of bandwidth meaning that the internet becomes slower for other users, and that the technology could allow the illegal distribution of software, music and videos.
Several colleges have clamped down on students using the services, fearing that they might overwhelm their networks.

Paul Martin, Computer Officer at Wadham, said, “Peer-to-peer file-sharing technology, including BBC iPlayer and 4oD, are against the University’s ICT rules. Wadham, like any other college, connects through the University network and follows those rules.”

Somerville College is currently the only college with a web-filter that blocks students from accessing the iPlayer and 4oD sites. Somerville’s IT  Manager commented, “The college has a 100Mb connection to the University backbone. ‘Peer-to-peer’ applications will use as much bandwidth as they can get. We try to keep all our students updated and informed about the limitations of internet use within the network.”

Students at Somerville College have even been warned about having the programs installed on personal computers because they continue to run data transfers when not in use.

An email to undergraduates and graduates read, “It looks like a few people who have been downloading music and videos using ‘peer-to-peer’ programs over the vacation have forgotten to uninstall them on return to college […] If you do still have any of this software on your computer then you should take action such as uninstalling it right away.”

The blanket rule against ‘peer-to-peer’ programs was put in place by the University proctors over five years ago. IT Manager of Jesus College, John Ireland, warns that action may be taken against students who breach the rule, “The use of ‘peer-to-peer’ software can be detected and traced back to an individual who has accepted responsibility for the computer that the software is running on.”

“This does constitute a breach of the Proctors’ ruling and, depending on the college/department/details of the case, action could well be taken through standard disciplinary proceedings,” Ireland continued.

However, some college authorities have not enforced the University’s regulations.

One second year at Christ Church said, “It’s just really convenient to use iPlayer on such a fast internet connection and not being stopped from using it makes us feel really happy with the college. I use it at least a few times a week and don’t think twice about it.”

Another student, a Wadham historian, said, “lots of people use iPlayer at college. We’re all too busy to watch TV at set times each week so it’s nice to be able to relax and watch our favourite programmes when it suits.”

The success of BBC iPlayer has already drawn national media attention for putting severe strain on the internet and threatening to bring the national network to a crunch point.

On 9 April, it was reported that there had been a clash between Internet Service Providers and the BBC, due to the increased load that TV-on-demand sites are placing on network providers. An hour of iPlayer video downloaded at peak times would cost them on average 67 pence, and many internet providers are unwilling to absorb these costs.
 
Both the BBC iPlayer and 4oD applications use technology where users download files from one another, rather than from a central server.

 Union President Ben Tansey{multithumb}
 
Oxford Union President Ben Tansey has withdrawn the Union’s invitation to disgraced television actor Chris Langham, claiming that he doesn’t want “needless controversy.”

Tansey had previously defended the decision to invite Langham after coming under criticism from the child protection charity Kidscape.

Langham had been invited to speak at Frewin Court on 29 May to discuss his ‘vilification’ in the media. The BAFTA-winning comedy actor is best known for his performance in BBC Four comedy “The Thick of It”. He was jailed for ten months at Maidstone Crown Court last September after being convicted of 15 counts of downloading images of children, some of whom were as young as eight.

He spent three months in prison but was released on appeal in November.

Tansey said that he had “literally spoken to hundreds of people to gauge their thoughts on Chris Langham speaking at the Union,” and that the issue had been “considered seriously”.

He added, “we’ve put together a great termcard, the committee has worked very hard to make it an exciting term and we do not want any needless controversy. We do not want dissidence to take over the forum.” He described the decision as a “purely functional” one.

Tansey had previously been criticised by child protection agency Kidscape who called the invitation a “publicity stunt” and “very disappointing”.

However, Chief Executive Michelle Elliot has now commended Tansey for his decision. She praised the way the Union had “looked at the arguments surrounding the invite, reconsidered the issue and were not afraid to admit that they made a mistake.

“It is very interesting, as Kidscape had never called for the Union to revoke the invitation.”

She continued, saying that it was “important for victims of such crimes that the perpetrators are not given a platform to explain or justify their actions for their own ends and means.
 
“Hallelujah for common sense!” she added.

Earlier Tansey had defended the original decision to invite Langham. He said that the invitation had not been extended for the publicity value but for the debate the talk would provoke. He stressed that he had never intended for the speech to be a chance for Langham to justify his conduct.

He said, “it’s not going to be a platform for him to turn up and defend his actions or to make his conviction out to be something else. We understand that he is a [criminal], he has gone to jail – he has done that.”

Tansey had explained that the debate would be dealing with the judicial system and its role in society, “a principle of liberal democracy, where once you have done your time you are absolved. At what point do we turn around and say [to criminals who have served their time], ‘Yes, you are member of society again’?”

He added that he thought that the vilification of sex offenders in society was an interesting point for debate, but stressed that he had had reservations about the debate from the beginning due to the message it might send out to those affected by the issue.

Despite the cancellation, he said, “the debate itself and the reasons itself for the invite are valid and I think people do recognize that.”

Several students have expressed disappointment over the cancellation of the invitation. One Christ Church historian, who wished to remain anonymous, questioned the Union’s decision, saying, “I understand the controversy surrounding the issue and the fact that the Union do, eventually, have to take a stand over something, but I feel that they have tried to make their point over the wrong issue.”

He suggested that the time to revoke a Union invitation would have been more appropriate two terms ago and questioned whether downloading child pornography is morally worse than being a Holocaust denier.

However, Tansey said that the press reaction to the invitations extended to Nick Griffin and David Irving last year influenced his decision. He said, “having looked at Luke’s term in Michaelmas, we have learned that not all PR is good PR. We obviously did think about the message this invitation was going to send.”

Chris Langham could not be reached and his agent has refused to comment on the matter.

Oxford University has come top of The Good University Guide’s national league table for the sixth time in seven years.

Vice-Chancellor John Hood said: "Oxford’s top position is the result of the commitment and enthusiasm of our outstanding scholars and students, assisted by committed administrative and support staff."

The University also came first in the subject tables for Geology, Middle Eastern and African Studies, Music and Politics.

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The brain control techniques, which Miesenböck pioneered 3 years ago, use a laser to trigger certain actions. The ‘song’, which flies make by vibrating a wing, is never produced by females, so the findings indicate an astonishing similarity in male and female fly brains.

“Anatomically, the differences are so subtle,” Miesenböck told the Telegraph, “How is it that the neural equipment is so similar, but the sexes behave so differently?”

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The college has been disaffiliated since Trinity Term 2007.