Blocking iPlayer Live Streams

Cornucopia

VisionMan wrote: »

Grossly and irrationally disproportionate. How so?

Not on this thread, particularly, but the wider discussion on MSE & beyond.

Since you've asked, I will rant for a bit...

It's been quite entertaining over the past few years being legally licence-free. The lower technical quality of catch-up seemed like a reasonable quid pro quo for not needing a Licence. The ability to watch what you wanted when you wanted was a bonus. Personally, I never really stopped to think about the nonsensical nature of being required to have permission from the State to watch TV... well, because I didn't.

Railing against the bad guys at TV Licensing and the BBC has been fun, and I have been able to use my knowledge to help people, which is always good. We were able as a group to inflict some minor, but quite irritating legal insect bites on the great behemoth, which is a very pleasant feeling.

I still believe that TV Licensing working to BBC policy lacks the sensitivity and the aptitude for legal compliance that ought to be required before being allowed the huge privilege of investigating offences within people's homes. It's also frustrating that there are legal arguments which it is not financially viable to investigate. These problems will (in all likelihood) carry on into the new regime, perhaps worsened, since public gullibility and TVL/BBC misinformation are part of the issue. It's disappointing to see what ought to be obvious issues being potentially prolonged or worsened over the coming decade.

The new proposals and the way they are being reported (too vaguely) and discussed (with too great a tone of schadenfreude) is starting to get annoying. In the absence of any perspective, I'd at least like some clarity on a piece of Government policy that will affect me personally.

By re-opening things and re-drawing the terms of being legally Licence-free, the Powers That Be have caused me to think again about the issue of requiring State permission to watch TV, and I find it ludicrous - monstrous, even.

On the other hand, I don't get worked up about First World problems.

VisionMan

That wasn't a rant. It was a feeling. Nowt wrong with that, my friend.

I know the general population don't understand the TVL, but the media are even worse. They are parasites.

My rant over.

VisionMan

Cornucopia, I want you on the Select Committee that will be giving consideration to these changes. And you can do it you know. Despite the fact you have your head screwed on.

gjchester

Cornucopia wrote: »

By re-opening things and re-drawing the terms of being legally Licence-free, the Powers That Be have caused me to think again about the issue of requiring State permission to watch TV, and I find it ludicrous - monstrous, even.

But its not about watching TV, its about raising revenue.


As I mentioned before VED (Tax Disc on a car) is very similar, its a relatively preset amount , Ok it may vary on the car emmissions, for the ability to do something.


Why should it be the same tax rate for two identical cars if one does 10 miles a year and one 10,000, clearly one will get more use from roads so contribute more to then in terms of damage, and ideally pay more towards the road upkeep (there's an argument they do in tax on petrol but the road tax still remains the same).
Similarly a low emission car (ie zero taxed) will damage a road more or less the same as a "normal" taxed car as long as they are the same approx. size and weight, but political will to encourage low emissions means they are differently taxed.


The likes of the BBC have to be paid for, should it be subscription is different argument, but you either pay a portion to use what you wish, or pay at point of use.

Cornucopia

gjchester wrote: »

But its not about watching TV, its about raising revenue.

Yes, it's about several other things as well. But the fundamental thing is it's permission from the State to be able to watch TV. I accept the money funds the BBC (which isn't all bad), but the Government and the BBC have just shown that they can play games around that arrangement when it suits them, so I don't feel remotely apologetic to do the same.

As I mentioned before VED (Tax Disc on a car) is very similar...

It has similarities. The fundamental difference is that cars need regulation - they are fundamentally dangerous things. I think the similarity (between the LF and VED) starts to look more plausible when someone viewing a TV recklessly down the High Street mows down a group of sightseeing nuns.

The likes of the BBC have to be paid for, should it be subscription is different argument, but you either pay a portion to use what you wish, or pay at point of use.

Yes. This is the slightly disturbing thing about what's just happened. Subscription backed by encryption is there for the taking and has substantial practical, legal and social benefits compared to what we currently have. And yet for reasons that no one is rushing to explain, we didn't get that.

gjchester

Cornucopia wrote: »

And yet for reasons that no one is rushing to explain, we didn't get that.

Let me try with a few examples

Project Lorenzo -NHC e-Care records - Launched 2002, due to be live in 2005. Called to aco!!!! in 2013 after a £13Bn spend and was called "hopeless" by MP's, currently live in 13 out of 220 NHS trusts, with those 13 reporting "issues"

My Benefits Online (MyBOL) - DWP - £27m spent before they wrote off the web-based benefits system.

National Identity Card Scheme. Budgetted at £3bn, £5Bn spend before it was watered down and shelved.


Do you honestly have faith that the UKGov could rollout any such project with any degree of success, despite the fact that both Sky and Virgin seem to manage it so well.

Cornucopia

You think the reason why we didn't get subscription for the BBC is because the public sector cannot "do" IT projects?

Okay....

gjchester

Cornucopia wrote: »

You think the reason why we didn't get subscription for the BBC is because the public sector cannot "do" IT projects?

Okay....

No I think the asking for a complicated logon system of smartcards, account, passwords and so on would lead to a sytem based on a complicated plan, they will fail to specify it correctly, change minds half way through and then wonder the entire process costs far more than it take in.

Cornucopia

You may be right, but that's a pretty poor reason assuming it forms any part of the actual decision-making process.