[mythtv-users] Boxee/Hulu?

[Brian Wood]

On Saturday 28 February 2009 08:21:22 Brent Norris wrote:
> > If Hulu are giving you something for free don't you think that fact
> > makes it (morally) even more important to obey the conditions they do
> > impose?
>
> No I don't in this case, because their conditions are stupid.  If
> someone were to give you a car for free, but only if you promise to
> drive it on gravel roads do you think you would find that dumb?  Would
> you drive it on whatever roads you wanted to?
>
> How about if they were to give you a coke, but tell you that you can
> only drink it out of pink cups, would you go out of your way to not
> drink it out of a green cup?  How about if it was a pink cup, but you
> painted it green?
>
> That is the kind of stupidity that is being done here.  "You can watch
> our shows but only from a computer that is connected to a monitor." so
> people are taking their computer (the approved "pink cup") and
> connecting it to their TV (painting the cup "green")
>
> There is no difference to Hulu how I watch the show, I am still watching
> their ad.

Certainly there is a difference. One causes them no problems, the other causes 
their suppliers to have a fit. 

Causing massive cable TV disconnects is not something the content providers 
want to happen, obviously.

The fact that it is both technologically and morally idiotic has never stopped 
the "content providers" in the past. They want to protect their present 
revenue streams,and will not provide content to any entity that threatens 
that.

If the ads are Hulu's, the content providers do not care if you watch them or 
not, they only want to gain additional revenue without threatening their 
present streams.

To quote Jeff Gaspin of NBC:

"There's pressure on all of us," he said, referring to TV networks. "We get 
paid quite a bit of money from cable operators. ... It's important we find 
ways to do business that protects that business model."

Makes sense, from his point of view.

-- 
beww
beww at beww.org