If you don’t know what Hulu or boxee are, you can either stop reading now or go here and here to find out.
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Hulu recently cut off Boxee from its content after Hulu’s content providers asked them to.  (See Hulu and boxee’s blogs for details.)  There was little explanation given beyond this, but I believe that the content providers did not want to cannibalize their regular television viewership.

While one can certainly hook up a computer to a television, browse to Hulu, and begin viewing, Boxee makes this viewing online content on your television easy (or so I understand from reading, never actually used it).  I’m guessing that content providers still make significantly more from television commercials than online commercials, so while they may provide content online, they don’t really want online content viewing to replace your regular television viewing.

P.S. I realize this post won’t make a great deal of sense to those who aren’t on the inside of this discussion.

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