[mythtv] Proposal for Zap2It labs

[Michael M. Wasser]

Justin Moore wrote:
> My understanding is that Zap2It is discontinuing the free listings
> because some "home" users were using the data for money-making purposes.
> Assuming they saw their listings being used, why not use an old
> cartographer's trick; introduce subtle errors into the data for each
> customer and when you see another set of listings, figure out which
> "home" customer is leaking the data.  See
>
> http://www.ianbyrne.free-online.co.uk/special/errors.htm
>
> This would help Zap2It track down the ones leaking their listings, allow
> us TOS-abiding users to keep our listings, and generally keep everyone
> happy.  Obviously there are more details to work out, but this general
> approach could be feasible.
>
> -jdm
>
>   
Why get this complex at all?  Zap2It could include the errors in every 
copy sent to 'home' users.  All Zap2It needs is to be able to identify 
that a particular party is misusing their data.  Why would Zap2It need 
to know the username they used to gain access to this data?  In the 
example with the oil company road maps article, Ordnance Survey only had 
to show that Automobile Association (AA) copied the maps -- not show how 
AA acquired them.

Michael Wasser