[mythtv-users] Datadirect down

[Meatwad]

Chad wrote:
>> Chad,
>>
>> Tom's answer sounded pretty un-corporate to me. I certainly don't
>> believe Tom "got the shaft" at all. I'm certain he has full time
>> responsibilities at TMS other than the DD arrangement we have had with
>> them. More than likely, he has been retasked to work on regular business
>> at TMS which makes sense because the DD aspect of their service *is
>> going away*. Whether we like it or not, we just have to wait and see
>> what the Myth and XMLTV devs arrange with them. If you had been minding
>> the other threads you would have seen some recent posts from Chris
>> Peterson and the XMLTV dev which indicate that a solution IS being
>> worked on and the outlook at this point appears positive.
> 
> Just because Chris Peterson (a MythTV developer) and the XMLTV
> developers are working on a solution doesn't mean TMS didn't shaft a
> large group of users.  Just because it was their prerogative to pack
> up and leave (TMS) doesn't mean it any less that they shafted a lot of
> users, regardless of the "thankfulness" we have.

TMS didn't announce the end of the service in order to "shaft" the 
open-source/hobbyist users. The decision was made because their product 
was being used outside of the Terms of Use which are very clear. No 
commercial usage. I know of at least one outfit that was violating those 
terms. That outfit, and likely others, are the ones who did the 
"shafting". Nor do I recall a post from you showing your gratitude for 
the no-cost service TMS provided you with.

>> I certainly don't feel shafted so please do not speak for me. This is a
>> public forum which can be viewed by the entire world. I strongly feel
>> that everyone needs to step back, take a breath, and *think* before they
>> post. Attitudes like yours can very well upset the work in progress to
>> find us another solution.
> 
> Ah yes, I said Meatwad was shafted, sorry for that.  ;)  My attitude
> was so obvious in my three sentences, very good job inferring the
> meaning of my words.

You may want to re-read your post: "...the shaft we all got" and you 
will se there was no inference. I could have requested that you not 
speak for all of us but I am only qualified to speak for myself.

>> Truth be told, this is all just about watching TV with a very fancy
>> media center. IMNSHO, if TV is so important to you than you would be
>> best served by finding a commercial solution where you have a contract
>> with a provider.
> 
> I didn't think I said much about progress, other options, MythTV or
> Buddha.  You seem to think I was saying all is lost, the end is near,
> repent before it's too late.  I made a very short statement that is
> subjective and apparently widely misunderstood, regardless of how you
> interpret it.  I said that it sounds like Tom got shafted due to his
> CAPITAL letters around FORMER! so I figured he felt a little shafted
> as well.  If you have a volunteer worker that you come to depend on at
> your job, when they leave you feel a little shafted.  It doesn't mean
> you aren't thankful or that they are a horrible person, the point is
> you feel the pinch when they're gone.

In the United States, the phrase "getting the shaft" has very negative 
connotations. Maybe it does in other cultures, I don't know. Using that 
particular turn of phrase at the end of your statement implies that not 
only you feel shafted but that TMS shafted all of us which they clearly 
did not. As for your view of a departing volunteer, I'm not sure how to 
respond. My experiences in such situations generally are tinged with 
sorrow followed by big parties. But those are only my experiences. For 
the record, I've spoken with tmstom offline and he was an employee of 
TMS and that he was treated very well.

> Thanks for taking what I said and making it seem like I personally
> just denounced everything that anyone believes, feels or cares about.

I merely pointed out that your statement has negative connotations which 
may be read by people involved in ongoing negotiations. There's been a 
good deal of wailing and gnashing of teeth over the whole situation in 
the other threads which lend an unbecoming view of the MythTV community. 
We should strive to rise above such attitudes if we are to be taken 
seriously by those who hold the key to a straightforward solution to the 
current problem.

--
mw