[mythtv-users] Boxee/Hulu?

[Michael T. Dean]

On 02/20/2009 11:17 PM, Eric Sharkey wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 20, 2009 at 9:52 PM, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>   
>> On 02/20/2009 03:26 PM, Raymond Wagner wrote:
>>     
>>> Scott D. Davilla wrote:
>>>       
>>>> Hulu is working again in XBMC -> http://xbmc.org/trac/ticket/5941
>>>>
>>>> That took what, 1.5 days :)
>>>>         
>>> Boxee was told by Hulu they were no longer allowed to access content.
>>> There is no 'hack' or update to be done.  They are violating Hulu's
>>> terms of service.
>>>       
>> Agreed...
> Nonsense.  The terms are ridiculous.
>   

OK, let's cut it down to 1, then:

By visiting the Hulu Site (whether or not you are a registered member)
or using any of the Hulu Services on any of the Sites, you are accepting
this Terms of Use.

Therefore, if you think the terms are ridiculous (and do not accept
them), you are not allowed to visit the site.  Their site, their
prerogative.

>> # uses technology or other means to access the Hulu Services that is not
>> authorized by Hulu
> Where is the list of authorized technology which can be used to access
> Hulu?  If I have a Linksys router between my computer and my internet
> service provider, how do I know if this brand of router has been
> approved by Hulu to carry their packets? Can I use an IPv6 host to
> access Hulu through a 6to4 gateway?  Has Hulu approved IPv6 and 6to4
> gateways?  What if my computer is solar powered, is that ok?
>
> Hulu can't possibly even pretend to individually authorize every
> technology or means that may in some part be used to provide access to
> their content.
>   

Why not write them and ask them for a list--or just search their site
and I'm sure you'll find it.  And, once you do, you'll see that the list
itself makes your argument irrelevant.  Oh, and you'll also find that
the list does /not/ include XBMC or (as it now seems) Boxee.

>> (including disabling or circumventing any mechanisms
>> for preventing the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of the Hulu
>> Services);
> Boxee, for what I've seen of it, does not facilitate reproduction or
> distribution.  It sends a request to the Hulu servers, the Hulu
> servers make copies of the data and distribute them to the Boxee
> client, and then the Boxee client displays it.  The only reproduction
> and distribution being done here is being done by Hulu and not Boxee.
>   

OK (I haven't used Boxee, so I'll take your word for it).  However,
that's all one

>> # accesses the Hulu Services through any automated system, including
>> "robots," "spiders," or "offline readers" (other than public search
>> engines for the sole purpose of, and solely to the extent necessary for,
>> creating publicly available search indices — but not caches or archives
>> — of the Hulu Services);
> Boxee is not an automated system; it is not an offline system; it does
> not cache or archive content.
>
> Where is the violation here?

Again, haven't used it, but still it definitely violates the "not
authorized by Hulu" rule--which is the whole reason that the topic came
up.  And, because it violates that rule, the case is closed until
someone changes the rules.

Mike "Has more TV to watch than time, thanks to Myth" Dean
(so why would I care if I can't use Hulu to watch more TV?)