[mythtv-users] Supporting schedulesdirect.org

[Kai Holthaus]

On Wed, 8 Aug 2007 09:20:51 -0400 Braindead <Braindead at diablops.com> wrote:

> The thing that bugs me the most is that the listing data
> should be free to the non commercial end users.
> It's in the best interest of the TV stations
> to let you know what is on, when it's on..etc.
> The problem is that TMS wants to treat end users
> the same way they treat commercial entities
> that make money from the listings.

The thing that bugs you is based on a fundamental misunderstanding.

The *data* IS free. Nobody makes you pay for going to ABC's, NBC's, BBC's,
and whoever else's website and get the information on what's on, when it's
on, and why you should watch it. You can get the data as an add-on to your
daily newspaper (making it somewhat free, assuming that one buy's the
newspaper for other reasons beside getting the daily TV schedule).
However, NBC has no interest in providing you with information what's on
ABC, and therefore you will not get all the information in one place.

This is where TMS comes in. They provide a *service*. The service is to
collect the data and provide it to you in a neat package, easy to use.
It's the electronic version of a magazine that does nothing more than show
you what's on during the next week or so.

You don't want to pay for the service? Don't need to. Do the work
yourself, and collect the *free data* yourself. Problem solved.