[mythtv-users] Another commercial MythTV box

[Nick Rout]

On Fri, 2005-07-01 at 01:59 -0400, Dewey Smolka wrote:
>  > Oh don't worry, i get it, and i am sympathetic to the cause. However I
> > can't find a copy of the zap2it.com license.
> 
> Neither can I, but it's pretty clear from here:
> docs.tms.tribune.com/tech/tmsdatadirect/zap2it/open_letter.html
> that the data is not meant to be sold. Fair enough.

Its a pretty basic legal principle that that letter does not affect
interpretation of the license.

> 
> > Or are the commercial operators registering for zap2it then preloading
> > the registrations into their boxes?
> 
> All you need to get zap2it data is the certificate code for MythTV
> (which is printed in some of the documentation), a US zip code, and
> the name of your cable co and plan. It's an easy system to abuse, if
> that's what you want to do. I can't say that that's what they're doing
> because I've never seen a commercial Myth box, but if I were a sleazy
> bastard, that's what I'd do.


Just out of interest I tried to register, the license is shown before
you can fill out the form. It is clear that you cannot assign or
transfer the license. Therefore IMHO you cannot register a box for the
service then sell the box with a registration.

However there seems to be nothing stopping you from selling a machine
that is compatible with zap2it.com's listings, and let the user register
it.

And its hard to know how you could do so without subverting the freedom
inherent in the internet and free software. Its a service that you
subscribe to, but otherwise relies on http & xml. And heaven help us if
we are ever prevented from using those standards!

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-- 
Nick Rout <nick at rout.co.nz>