There was a problem playing this protected content. (Error Code: 3336)

Once again, the powers at be, controlling DRM software integration at Google and Hulu have decided to disregard the users of 'free' software and instead prioritize users of Windows, Apple and Google Chrome/Android devices.  QoS for the mainstream is understandable.  But there is a difference between low quality code that is not efficient or ideal, and code that simply doesn't work.

What is more annoying, is that these legal issues are masquerading as 'error codes'.  It can be determined I'm using linux via browser request headers, and IF the OS is linux, and the error is DRM related, just be honest and tell me that it's not supported on this platform, because of a recent update.

I'm sure they have been forced to enabled DRM, and waited until the last minute to do so.  And didn't have time to rework the baseline framework to support HTML5 for linux users.  I'm sure they'll do it eventually, but for now are covering their lack of planning with an error code.

This is not the first time this has happened.  We all remember the days of Linux tweaks getting Netflix to work using VMs, Wine, and god knows what else.  Finally, after years of complaining, Netflix allowed HTML5, and all is well... for now.

It seems that a new update from Hulu and Google does not permit Google Chrome running on Linux variants to support DRM protected content. This is apparently due to licensing issues, copyrights, and cost.  It would seem that Hulu blindly added the DRM requirements, without considering the repercussions (Or they just don't care).

Not surprising, small businesses with a great idea like Hulu once was, has become a draconian enterprise in which legal pressure and money woes force a quality product to become sub-par and only available to paid platforms.

After working a decade in software engineering, I have realized that what is important to those of us creating the software for the rest of society, is not relevant to the mainstream.  The same users who would tell you Linux is 'shit' because you can't be productive, are the ones who will ultimately whine and complain like a child whenever their Windows boot partition shits the bed.

As expected, the Linux base is now responding with the usual rhetoric about leaving Hulu and not giving them any more money.  There are some workarounds being expressed.  But likely I'll switch to either my Windows box, or I'll end up going w/ Firefox + HAL.

 For now, here are the most informative forums with users doing exactly what I described above.

• https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/H_WqDsZFS9w
• http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2290743 (Marked "Solved", even though it isnt)
• http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-software-2/note-hulu-playback-in-chrome-no-longer-working-4175550849/

Looking forward to the comments from those of you who 'know' whats really going on.