[mythtv-users] MS media center

Michael T. Dean mtdean at thirdcontact.com
Sat Feb 27 03:23:02 UTC 2010


On 02/26/2010 09:58 PM, Christopher Meredith wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 8:51 PM, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>    
>> On 02/26/2010 09:32 PM, jedi wrote:
>>      
>>> On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 05:19:45PM -0800, Chris Petersen wrote:
>>>        
>>>> Christopher Meredith wrote:
>>>>          
>>> [deletia]
>>>        
>>>> I won't get into anything specific about mc2xml, but I can assure
>>>> you that MS and TMS don't think too kindly about unauthorized users
>>>> accessing the system.  Some of us at SD don't like it either because
>>>> it propagates the sentiment that people in open source community
>>>> have no respect for intellectual property.  There is an inexpensive
>>>>          
>>>      I was under the impression that this fellow already has standing
>>> to use the data in question. He has it because he "owns" a copy of a
>>> product that includes access to that data as a part of a bundle.
>>>        
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-media-center/privacy-windows7-terms-of-service.aspx
>> -----
>> Windows Media Center electronic programming guide terms of service
>> ...
>> The Microsoft software product identified above, which includes computer
>> software and may include associated media, printed materials, "online" or
>> electronic documentation, and Internet-based services (the "Product")...
>> ...
>> Use of the Electronic Programming Guide Service. The EPG may only be
>> accessed with an authorized personal computer using the Product.
>> -----
>>
>> and these go way back--here's for older versions:
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/privacy/default.mspx
>>      
> Yes. All are agreed that it violates the TOS. The point is, so what?
> I'm not a party to it so what does it matter?
>    
>>>      However, I agree that he should just buy the real thing direct for
>>> himself because it's not terribly expensive to begin with.
>>>        
>> Yeah, plus it helps support the community, and it's definitely
>> legal/licensed/... for use with MythTV.  And--for those of us who care about
>> that kind of thing--it shows respect for the great deal of time, effort, and
>> expense that TMS goes through to compile all this data without which MythTV
>> is useless.
>>      
> It's not my intention to quibble unnecessarily, but MythTV is
> perfectly usable without the copyrightable portions (descriptions).

Where those copyrightable portions, TTBOMK, are still copied when using 
mc2xml.

>   I
> really don't understand the resistance that always seems to accompany
> attempts to get simple listings without paying a monthly fee.

My only resistance is to the taking (stealing) of those listings in 
direct violation of Terms of Service and/or laws.

I have absolutely no problem with someone's calling up their local 
broadcasters every single day and asking them to read their programming 
schedule to them so they can type it into their computer or even copying 
the facts from the television listings published in the newspaper.  
IMHO, though, if you're using the compilation of the data that someone 
else has gone to great effort and expense to acquire, you should be 
willing to pay for that service they provide (or at least use the data 
within the terms they ask)--especially when that service costs as little 
as $20 per year.

>   That's
> the way things used to be and when SD came out, we were assured that
> it wasn't a profit-making venture. If this is true, how does it
> "support the community"?
>    

See the "What We Do" at http://www.schedulesdirect.org/aboutus .

Mike


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