[mythtv-users] Requiring a password for mythweb?

[Chris Petersen]

> Specifically, a need for granularity of control.  e.g. there are cases where you
> want to give someone basic access to mythweb but not access to certain things
> (such as channel settings).  He described it better...

My point was that mythweb is not designed to have "granular control" of
things.  It's meant to be a simple interface that any non-computer-saavy
person can go to in order to browse, schedule, etc.

This gets a little more complicated with the settings sections, but this
can be handled by http auth as well - just set the auth up to separate
user names for those files that alter settings.  REALLY easy to do (and
I'll try to remember to add some commented-out entries for these to the
default .htaccess file)

> In addition I was hoping to take mythweb and use it as the basis for a project
> I've been planning, specifically stripping out all the eyecandy and JavaScript
> to allow scheduling of TV recordings from mobile devices (Phones, PDAs, etc.). 
> But it looks like I'm going to have to start from scratch instead, as the
> majority of mobile devices don't support HTTP authentication.  (I know Palm PQAs
> definately don't, and my first target device is my Kyocera 6035.)

Have you looked at the WAP theme?  Mythweb should autodetect any WAP
devices and display WAP code to them instead of the javascripty html
stuff.  That's the whole point of having theme support.

As for the authentication, I personally don't want to have to see an
html-based "type your password here" kind of page every time I go to
look at my myth setup.  With http auth, I can just hit enter when the
password dialog comes up (which it rarely does because I rarely quit my
browser).  It would also have to use cookies to track logins (and
auto-log out people who walk away, as any good web auth system should),
which many WAP type devices don't seem to play well with (it's already
an issue with the current setup, which is why auto-detection became the
best option).

This said, unless someone can submit an AWESOME user control setup
that's easy for the average person (read non-geek) to both use and
administer, http auth really is the simplest way to go, and should suit
the needs of 99% of the users out there.

-- 
Chris Petersen
Programmer / Web Designer 
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