My square eyes are now widescreen

[andrewducker]

[Poll #1656749]

A quick definition for the non-technology-minded:
If you're watching it on iPlayer or via any website, or via Video On Demand, then you're streaming. If you download a file to your computer to watch whenever you feel like it then you're downloading.
Oh, and VHS tapes, for the purposes of this poll, count as shiny disks. You are also banished back to the Second Millenium.

Comments

[andrewducker]

A better idea is "shows". I don't care what production studio produces Chuck, or which channel it was originally broadcast on. I just want to watch the show.

[pseudomonas.livejournal.com]

Sure, but if you had a mix of shows of consistent type (or even eclectic but tailored to your tastes), the outlet that sells it to you (broadcaster/ISP/web-service/cinema) might well brand it a Channel, even if it was a one-of-a-kind Andrew Ducker Channel. ISTR last.fm uses that sort of language, or used to?

[andrewducker]

Yeah, but why would anyone be interested in the Andrew Ducker channel? I mean, a couple of friends might be, just so they could laugh at my taste, but other than that?

[pseudomonas.livejournal.com]

People follow your posts of web links, no? I can imagine following the channel of someone I felt had good taste in whatever, for the same reason as I keep an eye on some people's link feeds, and for the same reason that people follow the likes of BoingBoing.

Or perhaps they wouldn't and I'd watch the pseudomonas channel instead, or one of several custom channels depending on whether I was after news or entertainment.

[broin.livejournal.com]

But you watch shows based on reviews or recommendations, right? I know your tastes pretty well, so if I heard of a new show about, say, redheads in tech support fighting Lovecraftian monsters and having difficulties with a range of assorted lesbian fuckbuddies... where was I?

[andrewducker]

So, the Buffy fanfic channel, eh?

My point would (kinda) be that that isn't a channel, it's you recommending stuff to me. It might be slightly channel like in some ways, but it's nothing like the experience we currently have of "So, what's on channel five right now?". Recommendation engines are clearly the future of, well, all kinds of consumption.

[broin.livejournal.com]

But what's the difference between a handful of people deciding they like Top Gear, Brit comedy and Top Gear and... some other people doing the same?

Commissioning?

[andrewducker]

Options. The reason channels exist is that they were the only way to get a show from "them" to "us". When that was the case (or still is for a lot of people) they watch whatever's on BBC1 at 6, if that's when they turn the TV on, followed by whatever's on it at 7pm, unless they choose to turn over to watch whatever is on at 7pm on ITV. It's not just "something from the BBC", it's "whatever is on at that time on the BBC".

With recommendations from your friends, you see that "Simon likes Top Gear Season 5 Episode 17", and can watch that right now, if you fancy it, or use it as a launching board into the entirety of TV, depending on what you want. Completely different experience.