[mythtv-users] Netflix coming to MythTV native - no more wine/windows?

[Joseph Fry]

On Wed, Sep 24, 2014 at 12:08 AM, Nick Rout <nick.rout at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Wed, Sep 24, 2014 at 1:12 PM, Michael T. Dean
> <mtdean at thirdcontact.com> wrote:
> > On 09/23/2014 02:17 AM, Joseph Fry wrote:
> >>
> >> On Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at 4:23 PM, Gary Buhrmaster wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>> On Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at 7:30 PM, Joseph Fry wrote:
> >>> ....
> >>>>
> >>>> Ahh... but is ... considered scraping?
> >>>
> >>> "Duck test".  We all know scrapping when we see it.
> >>> You want to scrape.
> >>>
> >>>> Perhaps, we can hope that NetFlix won't get too controlling... we pay
> >>>> for
> >>>> the content, not for their interface.
> >>>
> >>> Their interface *is* their content.  They are controlling
> >>> their content, and how it is shown to you.  I am not a
> >>> huge fan of their interface (their content), but I accept it
> >>> is their choice.
> >>>
> >>>> If we are turned off by the interface
> >>>> and have no way to use something different, they may start to lose
> >>>> people.
> >>>
> >>> If every MythTV household that had NetFlix deleted their
> >>> account, it would likely not be above the NetFlix
> >>> subscriber churn noise (although it might impact the
> >>> MythTV user base numbers, if one had to choose
> >>> between being a MythTV household and a NetFlix
> >>> subscriber due to the WAF).  While I am sure you are
> >>> the center of the universe, I do not believe that Los
> >>> Gatos revolves around you.  But please feel free to
> >>> demonstrate your principals, and to lead the way,
> >>> and to delete your NetFlix account until NetFlix does
> >>> it your way.  It is the only way to show them who is
> >>> in charge here!
> >>
> >>
> >> My, aren't you negative.
> >>
> >> 1. I am not convinced what I am proposing would really be called
> >> scraping...
> >
> >
> > Call it whatever you want, but its name makes absolutely no difference.
> The
> > approach is explicitly prohibited by the ToU.  All you have to do is read
> > those terms, which you can do at:  https://www.netflix.com/TermsOfUse
> >
> > Since you obviously haven't read it, yet, let me quote one part of it:
> >
> > ----
> > 6. Netflix Service
> >   e. You agree to use the Netflix service, including all features and
> > functionalities associated therewith, in accordance with all applicable
> > laws, rules and regulations, or other restrictions on use of the service
> or
> > content therein. You agree not to archive, download (other than through
> > caching necessary for personal use), reproduce, distribute, modify,
> display,
> > perform, publish, license, create derivative works from, offer for sale,
> or
> > use (except as explicitly authorized in these Terms of Use) content and
> > information contained on or obtained from or through the Netflix service
> > without express written permission from Netflix and its licensors. You
> also
> > agree not to: circumvent, remove, alter, deactivate, degrade or thwart
> any
> > of the content protections in the Netflix service; use any robot, spider,
> > scraper or other automated means to access the Netflix service;
> decompile,
> > reverse engineer or disassemble any software or other products or
> processes
> > accessible through the Netflix service; insert any code or product or
> > manipulate the content of the Netflix service in any way; or, use any
> data
> > mining, data gathering or extraction method. In addition, you agree not
> to
> > upload, post, e-mail or otherwise send or transmit any material designed
> to
> > interrupt, destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or
> > hardware or telecommunications equipment associated with the Netflix
> > service, including any software viruses or any other computer code,
> files or
> > programs.
> > ----
> >
> > Notice the explicit mention of "modify" and "create derivative works
> from"
> > and "manipulate the content of the Netflix service in any way".
> >
> > Lawyered!  (And I don't mean what I did to you, but what Netflix did to
> all
> > its users.)
> >
> > Mike
>
> I am not sure that designing a web browser that displays the
> information within the myth ui exactly counts as "modifying" content
> or information. The whole point of a web browser is to separate
> content from presentation (or it bloody used to be!). Nor is it IMHO
> "creating a derivative work".
>
> Manipulating - what the hell does that mean?
>
> Point given above - is it against the ToU to browse netflix's UI with
> a text based browser that dumps all the pictorial stuff on the floor?
>
> So there you are, lawyered (although admittedly not my specialist area).


Or to take the argument further... what if I used Chrome's extension engine
and simply had it rearrange and theme the netflix UI to look like native
mythtv... would that be a violation of the TOS... I'd be using an approved
browser after all?

As far as I am aware, there is no precedent that says that a site's TOS can
restrict how the HTML is rendered... every browser renders it different
anyway; if there were, then you better believe that ad blockers, script
blockers, flash blockers, etc. would have been targeted a long time ago.

Anyway, this is a dumb argument as I doubt anyone will really want to take
the time to write a Netflix plugin like I proposed anyway... or if they do
write it they will soon tire of maintaining it.  I was only trying to
propose, what I thought, a good way to take advantage of the new Linux
compatilbility to add Netflix support to mythtv.
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