[mythtv] Video Sources - time to call them what they are?

[Jerry Rubinow]

On 11/21/07, Michael T. Dean <mtdean at thirdcontact.com> wrote:
>
> On 11/21/2007 11:36 AM, Justin Hornsby wrote:
> > Michael T. Dean wrote:
> >
> >> <a very long response, snipped>
> >>
> > I've personally never seen the name 'video sources' as particularly
> > accurate or logical.  I just got on with it & muddled through.  MythTV
> > is reaching a level of exposure in its maturity where concerns about the
> > 'average' new user have to be addressed IMHO.
> >
> > Do me a favour.  Ask a friend who doesn't know anything about mythtv
> > what meaning 'Video Sources' would imply to them.
>
> Oh, I completely agree with you--in spite of my long response--that the
> terminology isn't easy for a new user to understand.  The OC side of me
> just has a hard time with the idea of making it less accurate regardless
> of the purpose or the results.  I can't really think of any name that's
> both accurate and easy to understand so--were it my decision--I'd just
> leave it the same.
>
> I wonder, too, if the only reason that the term, "Season Pass" is easy
> to understand is because TiVo drilled the term and its meaning into our
> heads in their advertising campaign.  Perhaps this is just a job for the
> marketing/sales folks.  :)
>

The reason I see that "video sources" causes confusion is that
it's too generic.  It already has multiple other common applications in
technologies related to MythTV.  It's also accurate to call the coax
connected to your video card a video source, or to call the card a video
source.  When one particular usage of the terminology is selected for the
text used within the program, it's not clear which usage is meant.  And even
when you figure it out, it's hard to keep straight.
 FWIW, I think it's worth some loss of accuracy for a large gain in clarity.

In the case of "Season Pass", it doesn't have any other meaning in the field
of DVRs/video technology.

-Jerry
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