Stuarts Homepage

It seems as though the BBC has decided to remove the links to the .ram files from their listen again service. I noticed that only some of the programmes had this link a while ago and now they all seem to have gone. I presume this is to make it harder to copy the stream to a mp3 or ogg file.

Obtaining the ram file is still pretty easy, in fact using the command line to get it is easier than copying the previous link. So on a Linux command prompt enter:

curl http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/genres/comedy/aod.shtml?radio4/nowshow | grep [.]ram

Where the link is a copy of the link to start playing the file. This should give one line on the console starting something like:

<a href="/radio/aod/shows/rpms/radio4/nowshow.ram"><img src="/radio/aod/images/ico_realplayer.gif" width="16" height="12" alt="" border="0" align="left" vspace="1" />Listen using stand-alone Real Player</a><br clear="left" />

Put this link to the .ram file into my script listenagain.sh, add the http://www.bbc.co.uk on the front, and this will create an mp3 or ogg file of the show.

This also raises the issue in my mind if this is legal, and from my reading of the BBC terms and conditions it would be, then why is the BBC trying to make it difficult to do. Are we not creating a divided society where the computer literate have better access to information because they can get around silly roadblocks.

Some of the BBC shows are available as podcasts, though this is very limited in the scope compared with the total radio output of the BBC.

Because I can transfer TV shows to my laptop from my mythtv system and play them on the train, without breaking any DRM or having any arbitrary time limits but the general public have to use the likes of iPlayer, or 4OD that have all of these restrictions in place, I have better access to information. Is this right.

I can here the counter arguments that releasing this onto the Internet in these formats would encourage rampant copyright infringement. I believe that the fundamental point here is that the law works in a retrospective manner. You are punished for the deeds you have committed, there should not be limitations on information that disenfranchise the majority of the law abiding public because of a few who would abuse that access and break the law.

The internet proper is starting to become available on mobile phones. I use the Train Information for my daily commute, but there are a number of other sites I have found useful. Yell the yellow pages directory have a mobile friendly option, results are marked up using the "tel:" links so that the phone numbers are directly dialable from the search results.

With this in mind I have had a go at adapting my web search page to give a mobile friendly version. This is still work in progress and I will probably fiddle with it a bit more.