Fix my hijack feed [Archive]

shadowfax

Jul 1st, 2005, 08:44 PM

While I appreciate the iTunes feed you created at:

http://tuner.podcastalley.com/feed_tuner.php?id=1093

You have no right to change my copyrighted content.

I have updated my RSS feed to be iTunes compliant while YOUR hijack of MY feed is screwing with my RSS content.

Fix it or Remove it please!

Doing stuff like this isn't right!

Thank you...

theFerf

Jul 1st, 2005, 08:50 PM

I appologize upfront for the miscommunications. PodcastAlley.com is not hijacking your podcast feed. here is the excerpt from the question mark next to the apple feed:

"With the recent release of the new Apple iTunes PodcastAlley.com is proud to announce the support for this new service. Apple has introduced many new variables into the XML feed requirements and PodcastAlley.com is here to help you make the most of these variables as well as to help you get your podcast into the iTunes Music Store for podcasting.

The major issue right now is that most applications used for blogging/podcasting and the websites that host podcasts are not currently prepared for these new variables. PodcastAlley.com is here to help by providing you with this new Apple Compliant Podcast Feed for you to submit to iTunes.

While the feed is working great right now, you will notice a few of the variables are missing. This will not affect your iTunes feed. In a short while we will be launching a new podcaster login section for you to update these variables yourself!

All you have to do is copy and paste the link that reads iTunes Ready Feed from your details page into the proper field on the new iTunes Podcast Submit Page and you are ready to go! Stay tuned for some great things to come from PodcastAlley.com."

Like it reads, the intent is not for people to SUBSCRIBE with this link, but rather as a resource for podcaters to see how their feed is supposed to be formatted, or if they wish, to use this feed if they have no way of incoporating itunes tags (like with dircaster and most other services).

This will be updated shortly to make this point more clear. Again, applogies for making you think that PCA was hijacking your feed.

bradcast

Jul 2nd, 2005, 11:19 AM

You have altered my feed and my copyright notice also. I do not interpret a feed that is available for alternate subscription as being a "resource", it is an altered feed and it was posted without my permission.

I am requesting that you take down the feed pointing to the The Bradcast immediately. While an apology is appreciated, the feed must come down.

Thank you

Brad Gibson
www.bradfordgibson.net
The Bradcast

owyn

Jul 2nd, 2005, 11:30 AM

thefly

Jul 2nd, 2005, 11:41 AM

I can appreciate the thinking behind putting these feeds on a publically-available page. However, I can feel some people's frustration over this.

I have a big enough problem with my listenership being split among multiple feeds. (source feed from the server, prior feedburner feeds, many other feeds hijacked from sites like del.icio.us and other "podcatcher" sites.) It's crazy enough figuring out how to notify people of my correct feed and consolidating them without another errant feed popping up.

What happens when PCA takes down the feed and people who have subscribed no longer get it? I think we'll lose listeners.

I'm not so concerned with my copyright and such. I'm releasing my podcast under creative commons which allows attributable distribution.

I am concerned about lagged updates and broken updates, however.

shadowfax

Jul 2nd, 2005, 12:05 PM

Brad:

The simplest way for Chris to comply with your request is to remove you from the directory.

Chris busted his but to provide a service to the community. The feed was exposed outside of the planned "My Podcast" environment due to the early release of iTunes and the complete lack of planning information from Apple about the change.

Sorry you are so upset, but, don't bust Chris's but over this.

As I stated, it was great Chris did this, but it wasn't approved and he is adjusting content... that is no different than if he just copied my whole site and mirrored it on podcastalley without my approval...

The simplest way for Chris to fix this is REMOVE the OPTION not my listing or break it so it isn't a valid XML and make it an example.

As I stated, my TRUE feed is compliant! Anything that takes my content and adjusts it and makes it so people can subscribe via THAT link and not mine, is a Hijack. How hard is that to understand? My XML and RSS is copyrighted and no one has the right to adjust it.

Case in point:

<itunes:owner>
<itunes:name>filmgod@hotmail.com</itunes:name>
<itunes:email>filmgod@hotmail.com</itunes:email>
</itunes:owner>
<itunes:link rel="image" type="video/jpeg" href="http://">HomeNetworkHelp.Info</itunes:link>

See that? It is the PodcastAlley xml feed? It is wrong and incorrect. Here is my feed:

<itunes:owner>
<itunes:name>Christiaan Stoudt</itunes:name>
<itunes:email>filmgod@hotmail.com</itunes:email>
</itunes:owner>
-
<image>
-
<url>
http://www.homenetworkhelp.info/images/coverart.jpg
</url>
<title>HomeNetworkHelp.Info Podcast</title>
<link>http://www.homenetworkhelp.info/</link>
</image>
<itunes:link rel="image" type="video/jpeg" href="http://www.homenetworkhelp.info/images/coverart.jpg">HomeNetworkHelp.Info Podcast</itunes:link>

See the difference? My xml is correct, chris' isn't... so remove the option since my feed is valid. Everyone's code is wrong...

It would of been better had Chris just listed a webpage that showed the new xml itunes content instead of trying to do what he did.

It is hard enough to have listeners without people taking them away from you.. hijacked feeds are wrong and people should be stopping them. All it takes is for the person to adjust the feed and he can keep your people or who is to say they won't say their content is yours...

So do you get my point now and why this needs to be fixed?

cc_chapman

Jul 2nd, 2005, 12:31 PM

Why would someone subscribe to the iTunes feed? If I found someone's listen and didn't know anything about podcasting I think I would click onthe word "subscribe" to do that action. Hmmm....

Chris is working his *** off to help podcasters. If anyone doesn't like what Chris is doing to help everyone out then why not request the removal of your podcast from the directory?

There are plenty of other directories out there for you to go with.

Chris, let me thank you for trying to help everyone out.

Patrick

Jul 2nd, 2005, 01:28 PM

There's a medium here between raising hell and kissing ***.

I'm not happy about the iTunes feed. Don't get me wrong - for people who don't know anything about feeds, and just want and easy way to make everything work, I think it's a great option for podcastalley.com to offer.

The problem is right now, it's not an option. I want to be able to shut mine off. I customized my own feed, with the iTunes tags, and podcastalley.com takes that and makes an abortion out of it, basically. It totally changes the tags, and deletes a lot of my correct info.

Saying "why would someone subscribe to that feed?" is irrelevant. I guarantee you people will. The bottom line is it's a feed that's out there, and a lot of people coming here right now don't know much about podcasting, but they've read they need to subscribe with the feed and they might click it, thinking that's the one they need if they use iTunes, etc. There are a lot of scenarios where that feed might attract people to use it.

Yes, Chris is working hard. I've got no doubt that all this will shake out, but there is no reason to put this out right now, until users have the option to shut it off.

If you ask me, it was a big mistake of podcastalley.com to not give podcasters access to their shows through an account for updating purposes and config options to begin with. Chris has obviously realized that and is now fixing it, but that seems pretty basic to me and should have been here from the beginning.

So, I'm not happy about the feed, and wish I could remove it, but I'm not going to demand this and that. I just really hope Chris will take it down until we get the option to turn it on and off ourselves - or at the very least, give us that option soon.

I'm also not just going to kiss Podcast Alley's *** about it. "He's working hard - take it or leave it" is a pretty shitty attitude, too. When something isn't right, it needs to be said. This is a very valid complaint.

shadowfax

Jul 2nd, 2005, 01:38 PM

Thank you Patrick... yes I was a little strong but I am happy to see you overall agree.

It is very easy for people to assume the iTunes link is what is needed for iTunes, not the subscribe. So now they are pointing to the wrong one.

But there is no excuse for it taking so long. It should take 5 minutes to go into the website code and comment out this link until he gets a better solution.

Just think of ALL that hard work people have done to get their XML feeds complaint and now you have people subscribed to the WRONG feed because they didn't know better.

Shame that your listeners aren't officially your listeners because they don't point to your RSS feed.

ptfigg

Jul 2nd, 2005, 02:09 PM

Can someone please explain this issue in detail. This is really a **** shame. I agree it took time and effort to establish a valid reliable feed .

However I am not clear where this so called PCA hacked feed is coming from...if I click 'get info' on my broadcast in iTunes it shows my correct feed. In the last day all episodes are now duplicated in my listeing. Thats another story.

Are the complaints coming from the 'iTunes ready' feed that is listed here in this [PCA] directory?

Please explain.

-paul
-ThePoint
-Podcastrigs

Patrick

Jul 2nd, 2005, 02:12 PM

Yes, the complaints are about the iTunes ready feed on Podcast Alley. Unless iTunes looks to that feed, what shows up in iTunes has nothing to do with this issue.

jimk

Jul 2nd, 2005, 02:41 PM

thefly

Jul 2nd, 2005, 02:50 PM

I'm going to have to agree here that the PCA feed is a total nightmare if we've already made our feed itunes compliant. It's worse than useless, it's usually invalid and/or incorrect.

For those who have NOT validatd their own feed, it;s a blessing. So...It should be optional.

HOWEVER...

This is a free site to us, the podcasters. If we paid for the service and it was botched, we'd have the right to get nasty. We do not, however, pay. So let's keep that thought in mind shall we? Make note of why the issue is a problem, discuss it like adults, but let's leave the high & mighty routine at the door.

True, this is a free service and the work is voulenteered by the great folks running it.

HOWEVER...

I don't recall seeing a "Hey, do you guys want us to do this?" or "what do you think?" question posed. I realize that this was all kind of dropped on us by Apple. But a moment to reflect and ask the community if we want something would have been prudent here.

Obviously, what seemed like a good idea is turning into a problem for some people.

jimk

Jul 2nd, 2005, 03:06 PM

Obviously, what seemed like a good idea is turning into a problem for some people.

Agreed. I'm just saying we can talk about it without the hyperbole.

shadowfax

Jul 2nd, 2005, 05:30 PM

Can someone please explain this issue in detail. This is really a **** shame. I agree it took time and effort to establish a valid reliable feed .

There are two issues...

1. The iTunes RSS feed that you see on podcastalley under each of our profile details. This is a fully useable RSS feed that people click on to add to a podcatching client whether itunes or ipodder, etc.

I did not request this and it is causing people that subscribe to be pointed to the wrong RSS feed and I have no ability to turn it off. So listeners are being hijacked away from my "true" RSS feed. My RSS feed is compliant with iTunes and I no longer need this "feature". I should be able to opt out of this whether this site is free or not.

This is misrepresenting my content and changing copyrighted material.

2. This is something I haven't brought up but is being discussed in yahoo podcasters group. Go to:

http://dawnanddrew.podcastalley.com and see it is redirected to iTunes site: http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/podcastRSS?id=73331700

Now, go to: http://homenetworkhelpinfo.podcastalley.com and see that it is redirected to a blank site.

I have no idea why this feature is available and why some sites are redirected and others aren't. But it DOES have something to do with iTunes and that concerns me... Then I see the #1 point up there and how there are "iTunes" compliant RSS feed on my profile competing with my own REAL RSS feed....

So why don't I have a reason to be concerned when it looks to me like people trying to make it so those coming to this site that want to subscribe to my podcast will now sign up to this sites RSS feed...

So when will advertisements or "other content" be injected into my RSS feed? I already am having my copyrighted RSS feed changed.

I know and FULLY understand this was something Chris was trying to do to HELP people.. I am so appreciative of that and thank him for this... BUT it is time to fix he and he should do so immediately.

docsnavely

Jul 2nd, 2005, 06:57 PM

Patrick

Jul 2nd, 2005, 10:51 PM

Examine the feeds of others and yourself:

http://www.nobodylikesonions.com/feedcheck

shadowfax

Jul 4th, 2005, 02:09 PM

My question to the original poster is why you didn't bring this issue up to Chris in private?

The best solution to resolving a problem with someelse is not a public scene, but a private conversation.

That is unless your whole point was to try and come in here and purposely slander.

It was obvious in other forum posts that this was a non-issue to chris and others and that no one feels its a big deal even though it is hijacking content and providing a WRONG feed for people to subscribe to.

So the only way to get anything done is to bring it up publically... And look... DAYS later and it is still there.. even after people have talked directly to Chris.

Patrick

Jul 4th, 2005, 03:38 PM

Adam Curry said in the latest DSC that this podcastalley.com feed is the one you should submit to iTunes, so there's a lot of misinformation out there.

I wish Chris would just take it down.

shadowfax

Jul 4th, 2005, 04:15 PM

I am SOOOO livid with Chris. This feed is there for some reason and is screwing us all. Again he states in the podcasters yahoo group it was for "good" intentions instead of fixing it.

Now he is creating some "login" system, etc... jesus what a waste of time.

Do you know it would of taken him 2 minutes to just fix this? How?

Make it a HTML display of the content, not an actually subscribable RSS feed.

Had he done that I would of shut my mouth 3 days ago. Jesus.. lets build the great wall of China when all we need is a toothpick.

Patrick

Jul 4th, 2005, 07:53 PM

Chris, I just noticed something in the iTunes feed "help":

" All you have to do is copy and paste the link that reads iTunes Ready Feed from your details page into the proper field on the new iTunes Podcast Submit Page and you are ready to go! Stay tuned for some great things to come from PodcastAlley.com."

You are telling people to use that feed to submit their show to iTunes. That's horrible! Then EVERYONE who listens by iTunes will use that incorrect and horribly-formed feed.

For the love of God, just remove the link already. It's commenting out one line of code. That will make the most people happy. I'd be happy if the link was gone and the URL to that feed no longer worked.

I don't expect a response, but telling us it's not supposed to be public and it's just a tool to see what iTunes feeds are supposed to look like is BS - your words are right there and you tell people to USE that feed. And Apple shows us how the feed is supposed to look in their spec PDF, so we don't need this at all.

allthewhile

Jul 5th, 2005, 12:51 AM

How many people have used the incorrect itunes formatted feed?

Onions: The podcast submit page is the page where one submits an unlisted podcast to iTunes, not "when you wanna subscribe to this show with iTunes, use this feed."

Maybe making it hidden for everyone but the author would work.

Jellicle

Jul 5th, 2005, 12:56 AM

How many people have used the incorrect itunes formatted feed?

I have when I submitted my show to iTunes. It's screwing with my show. I'm not happy.

Patrick

Jul 5th, 2005, 12:57 AM

I'm not sure what you're saying. if a podcast publisher submits his podcast to the iTunes directory with the Podcast Alley FeedF**ker feed, iTunes is going to use that for everyone who subscribes to the podcast through iTunes, and thats the feed iTunes will check for updates.

It's exactly what Chris suggests to do in that text, and it is horrible advice.

jimk

Jul 5th, 2005, 12:59 AM

After spending hours tweaking my feed with the help of Patrick's link...I can definitely say I wish that PCA did not have the itunes feeds. It's coded wrong. The feed is invalid. NONE of them should exist for anyone unless they are properly formed *AND* the show agrees to it.

My $0.02.

Patrick

Jul 5th, 2005, 12:59 AM

Making it hidden won't do anything unless the feed doesn't work anymore. He needs to remove the link and make the feeds stop working. I'm losing my patience, and Chris really doesn't seem to care about what we want.

allthewhile

Jul 5th, 2005, 01:05 AM

Melton: My point was that hopefully some people would see that it wasn't supposed to be used for subscribing. You're correct though, it's not formatted correctly.

This is a side question, but how in Curry's name do you get the stupid cover art to show up within the actual store. The Onion feedvalidator helped me get it to show up when it was playing, but I still haven't been able to get it to show up.

Personally, I found the podcastalley feed helpful, but I still had to use melton's validator to work the kinks out. But I can totally understand podcasters worrying about losing listeners and accidentally handing out strange feeds and never getting those listeners back.

theFerf

Jul 5th, 2005, 01:51 AM

This topic is being locked down. Trust me when i say that your opinions are all being taken into consideration. However, this thread violates some of the forum policies reguarding profanity, personal attacks, and non-constructive criticism.

I have updated the iTunes page for all podcasters as a temporary fix and understand the concerns all of you have. Please have patience. If you have further suggestions or concerns please email them to me at info@podcastalley.com

If you are reading this thread looking for a way to validate your iTunes feed or to find out how to make an iTunes feed, please check out the following link

http://www.nobodylikesonions.com/feedcheck/