Add me to the list of disaffected Hulu users. I’ve watched shows on Hulu a year or two ago and thought it was halfway decent. But after a switch to Ubuntu (and Netflix not having a compatible player), I’ve been watching a few shows on Hulu to add a little background noise while plunking away on the computer.

I’ve been tempted to try Hulu Plus but I just can’t seem to get past the content limitations that are seemingly applied all over the place. It seems as if Hulu has just given up any pretense of running anything more than a paid ad engine for media distributors.

They keep content places for shows they don’t have access to and probably won’t ever provide to their clients. They have an endless supply of clips for shows they can’t even offer to stream through their service. So what’s the point? All of the clips are nothing but advertising. Add in the 10-12 ads I repeatedly see and you have an ad network sprinkled with doses of content.

To add to this, Hulu Plus will give you earlier access to some locked content. But the premium content doesn’t always mean you can stream to a TV. In other words, you’re tied to the computer to really get the most out of your subscription. It’s hard to reach a technology convergence (PC & TV) point when your suppliers force the separation.

The only benefit Hulu seemingly provides customers with is a wide-open view of the convoluted world of content distribution and licensing. Let your suppliers drive your business and your customers suffer.