[mythtv-users] MS media center

[Christopher Meredith]

On Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 8:37 AM, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
> On Friday 26 February 2010 07:58:47 pm Christopher Meredith wrote:
>
>> It's not my intention to quibble unnecessarily, but MythTV is
>> perfectly usable without the copyrightable portions (descriptions). I
>> really don't understand the resistance that always seems to accompany
>> attempts to get simple listings without paying a monthly fee. 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"?
>
> Oh come on, PLEASE.
>
> There is a difference between making a profit and simply meeting your expenses.

According to the page linked above, SD does more than simply meet its
expenses. While I agree with and approve of everything they do, it
doesn't follow that I should have to pay them. There are many causes I
sympathize with, but I don't give them money. That should be my
choice.

> I would be more than happy to pay SD several times what they charge. They are
> very reasonably priced, and the folks behind it jumped in when the usefulness
> of Myth systems was threatened and very quickly made sure a lot of us
> continued to get the data we needed.
>
> When someone provides you with something of value, you reciprocate.

And in most cases, I do. But I'm not using SD so it's not like I'm
stealing from them. Besides, SD wasn't the only one to jump in and
make sure EPG data continued to be available. The author of zap2xml
(and then mc2xml) did so as well.

> Or are you the type who never leaves a tip at a restaurant?

No, I tip. But you bring up a good analogy. Suppose you go to a
restaurant that has a buffet but also allows you to order off the
menu. The food is the same regardless, it's just that ordering off the
menu adds the convenience of someone bringing you the food and
constantly coming by to see if you need anything else. The restaurant
provides the buffet, but makes it clear that they would prefer you not
use it. Nevertheless, there it is.

As I see it, the buffet is a perfectly valid option. Does it mean that
the restaurant makes less money? Yes. Does it mean that the wait staff
may make less money on a given night, because the buffet customers
don't tip? Probably. But that does not create a moral obligation in me
to order off the menu just because the restaurant owners want me to.
It also doesn't create a moral obligation in me to voluntarily pay
extra, or to tip the waiters that don't serve me, just because I
exercise a valid choice to use the buffet. If the restaurant REALLY
wants to make sure no one uses the buffet, they can close it.

As Michelle points out, access to EPG increases the number of TV
viewers. In the same way, having the buffet option attracts customers
that would not come in AT ALL if it weren't an option. Just because
someone would come to the restaurant EVEN IF it didn't have the buffet
doesn't mean that he is morally obligated not to use the buffet.