[mythtv-users] Boxee/Hulu?

Brian Wood beww at beww.org
Fri Feb 27 20:34:15 UTC 2009


On Friday 27 February 2009 13:07:03 Brent Norris wrote:
> Tom Dexter wrote:
> > I don't think any more of Hulu's decision than anyone else here, I
> > just don't get this perception of some legal right to use a web site
> > any way you want just because it's there.
>
> Lets reverse the question: Where is their legal right to tell us how we
> use their content that they have freely available.  I'll list the
> scenarios and someone can draw the line where the break point is:
>
> 1. Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, Computer, Firefox
> 2. Monitor, Keyboard, Remote, Computer, Firefox
> 3. TV, Keyboard, Mouse, Computer, Firefox
> 4. TV, Mouse, Computer, Firefox
> 5. TV, Remote, Computer, Firefox
> 6. TV, Remote, Computer, Other non-Firefox Browser
> 7. TV, Remote, Computer, MythTV
> 8. TV, Keyboard, Mouse
> 9. TV, Mouse
> 10. TV, Remote
>
> Now granted 8-10 haven't happened yet, but that doesn't mean they can't.
>   Why does it matter what we are using to view their content?  We are
> still viewing it and the ad that they have in such content.  What if I
> just use a big LCD monitor for my TV?  Does that make it OK then?  What
> if I just think to myself really hard that I am watching it on a
> computer while I sit on my couch and watch it?  Will that be enough for
> the thought police?  If they want to put their content out there, then
> they need to expect people to maneuver to use it in a manner that the
> consumer sees fit.  If I am giving their ad EyeTime then I can view it
> in a manner that makes ME happy not them.

What you say makes perfect sense, but you're missing the major point:

The "content providers" who thought they had found a new revenue stream, never 
thought about the fact that hundreds of thousands of people would cancel 
cable TV. Since the "CPs" derive a LOT more revenue from cable companies than 
from internet distribution, they now have to worry about upsetting their main 
customers (the cable companies).

The CPs lacked the foresight to see what would happen, because they have 
traditionally not been able to think about the effects (both positive and 
negative) of advances in technology. Just because they couldn't think of 
watching web content on their living room TV sets does not mean nobody else 
could.

So now they are scrambling, and they figure that by forcing all of us to limit 
our thinking to their own luddite-like standards they can put Pandora's stuff 
back in the box. In their minds there was a difference between a computer and 
a TV set. All they have to do is make us think the way they do and everything 
will be hunky dory.

Their main problem was greed, they saw additional dollar signs, and never 
thought about the consequences, which any reasonably bright 12-year-old model 
train enthusiast could have predicted.

Eventually all entertainment distribution will be over the net, but that won't 
happen until the forces of evil finally lose their battle, unfortunately they 
can afford to buy a lot of lawyers, and congressmen.

-- 
beww
beww at beww.org


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