[mythtv-users] [OT] The future of PVRs and TV ads

[Kirby Vandivort]

On Fri, Jun 27, 2003 at 01:11:28PM -0700, Lan Barnes wrote:
> Well, since I started this, I'll comment. I would have no philosophical
> or privacy objection to a voluntary system such as this, although I
> might not use it too much. But I would hope that it would be anonymous
> (i.e., you know what your unique number is, but the system doesn't
> record who you are).
> 
> ... and I would probably opt out.

It wouldn't be a matter of opt'ing out.  You'd have to opt in to take
advantage of it.  :)

I can't see the system recording any more than it needs to about you.
I'm as cognizant of the whole privacy thing as the next guy..  I see
the uniqueness as being a requirement, though, and things like zip code
as being a way to increase accuracy..  As far as how the unique number
gets assigned..  Wouldn't matter to me as long as uniqueness would be
guaranteed.  There has to be a certain amount of work done to prevent
malicious users from "stuffing the ballot boxes"..  So, it's a ways
down the road.  I'm just trying to think up ways to improve my little
bayesian recommendation detector and with the very limited amount of
info that we get on a show from xmltv, collaborative filtering seems
like one of the few logical ways to go to increase accuracy.

> On Fri, Jun 27, 2003 at 02:54:25PM -0500, Kirby Vandivort wrote:
> > Kinda along the lines of the second paragraph......
> > 
> > I've been thinking collaborative filtering as I continue to plot and
> > plan my 'recommendations' feature for myth....  The collaborative
> > filtering would come after the basic recommendation feature is in.
> > 
> > What would people think of an external module that could, completely
> > at the user's option, of course...
> > 
> > Upload info about the shows you have recorded:
> > 
> > title
> > subtitle
> > description
> > (and possibly other columns that would uniquely identify a show)
> > 
> > (along with possibly your 'rating' for the show..  say a number from
> > 1 to 10 describing how much you like it)
> > 
> > a unique identifier for you so that your submissions from day X can
> > be tracked with your submissions from day X+1.  (this would be used
> > to prevent duplicate information being added to the database, 
> > essentially.
> > 
> > your zip code - (see down below)
> > 
> > 
> > Then the basic idea behind the collaborative filtering would be that if
> > other people watch, say, South Park and Crank Yankers, and you watch
> > South Park, there's a decent chance that you might like Crank Yankers
> > also.
> > 
> > The zip code could be used for fine tuning results.  For instance, if
> > other people in zip codes around yours like watching the local sports
> > team play, and other factors match, there's an increased chance that
> > you might like the same stuff.
> > 
> > I would envision this being controlled somewhat like a cron job.  The
> > submission part wouldn't have to be part of myth at all.  It could, at
> > a certain time each morning just access the mysql database, package and
> > send the info to the dropspot somewhere on the net, and be done with
> > it.  While talking to the dropspot, the dropspot could update the local
> > system on shows it might like.
> > 
> 
> -- 
> Lan Barnes                    lan at falleagle.net
> Linux Guy, SCM Specialist     858-354-0616
> 
> The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that more than 2,000
> school age children 19 or younger take their lives each year in the 
> United States, many citing depression, social cruelty and bullying and 
> other forms of harassment. That means that many more kids harm 
> themselves as the result of social cruelty than harm other kids. 
>                                    - Jon Katz
> 
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-- 

Kirby Vandivort                      Theoretical and Computational Biophysics 
Email: kvandivo at ks.uiuc.edu          3051 Beckman Institute
http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/~kvandivo/    University of Illinois
Phone: (217) 244-5711                405 N. Mathews Ave
Fax  : (217) 244-6078                Urbana, IL  61801, USA