Ah – ignore my lat mail then. J
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kim Plowright
Sent: 27 July 2006 20:18
To: backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk
Subject: [backstage] Weather Feeds: these are NOT covered under the
backstage terms, please do NOT use them.
Hello Everyone,
Jem is not around today, so I've been asked to put my official BBC hat on [1]
and let you all know the situation with the weather feeds referenced below.
Here's the short version
The weather feeds detailed below are *NOT COVERED* by the BBC backstage terms.
Please, *DO NOT* use those feeds.
I'm *REALLY SORRY*, I know you're all frustrated by the saga of getting the
weather feeds to you.
So, here's a slightly longer version.
As you all know, the data in the weather feeds isn't actually owned by the BBC
- the BBC has an agreement with the Met Office to use the data. The good people
in BBC Weather have been negotiating with the Met to get this data publically
available, but that's been a lengthy process. Obviously, we have to find an
arrangement that keeps both the Met and the BBC, and you lot on the list happy.
Eventually, it was agreed in principal that the data could be released to
backstage under a developer key system, so the Met would know who was using the
data and how. As the government expects them to expolit their assets
commercially to relieve the burden on the tax payer, this seems reasonable;
they can tell if someone starts a commercial service using the non-commercial
data and make them stop.
The developer key system was a slight problem, though - there have been real
problems getting the system set up on the BBC infrastructure. I'm not sure what
the problems have been, I'm sorry, but I do know that the BBC boxen are
somewhat eccentric and difficult to work with, and probably wanted the code in
BBC 32K BASIC on punch cards or something. So that's where we are.
The availability of the data without that key system has the potential to
really sour the BBC's relationship with the Met Office. It may well make
negotiating further data releases really hard, both internally and with other
BBC partners; and might jeopardise the whole backstage project. It's bigger
than 'just backstage', too - it's all of the BBC's weather service that could
be affected.
So - and I'm sorry to have to ask you this - please could you refrain from
using the feeds below.
Kass, the lovely head developer in weather, is trying to get a free-to-air 2
day with observations RSS feed up and running, but she's trying to do that on
top of her regular stiff workload (in the same way that I keep an eye on the
list above my regular job, just out of love for the project). Once the new
backstage producer starts, then hopefully they'll pick up the work on the
developer key. I'll keep prodding people around the organisation to keep things
moving; as you know, we're restructuring inside the BBC at the moment, so
things are rather up in the air. In the meantime, I really appreciate your
patience and forebearance in the face of lovely JSON feeds...
I know this makes us look like a bunch of numpties, and I'm personally really
sorry.
Sorry if this sounds a bit formal, I just had to rewrite it after my work
webmail ate the previous draft!
Kim
[1] Heather coloured tweed, with a trout fishing fly in the hatband, for those
of you who remember.
