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Latest Info

2/15/05

Fixed bug for shows that end at midnight.

2/14/05

Finally.....the latest version of XMLTV is bundled in the current download. Now, it will work straight out of the box.

6/2/04

XMLTV's tv_grab_na (now shipped with WhatsOn) no longer works. However, tv_grab_na_dd does work. You can get WhatsOn working by manually upgrading XMLTV. Eventually I will upgrade the install package, but for now, you need to do the fix yourself.

11/30/03

Latest version of XMLTV is now in the base install package. Simply download and install to fix any problem.
For my UK users: there is currently a problem with the xmltv install. It should work if you download directly from the XMLTV site. Sorry, I still haven't fixed this.

11/22/03

Zap2it has changed their format, blocking downloads for US users. But don't despair, there is a new version of xmltv available for download. The download page is here or get the new executable here.
For my UK users: there is currently a problem with the xmltv install. It should work if you download directly from the XMLTV site. I will fix this soon.

10/25/03--Added updated conduit to base install package.

10/24/03--Updated Conduit is released

I have released an updated conduit that should fix the hotsync problem experienced by about 50% of the users. Click here for more info.

9/23/03--WhatsOn is back and it's free!!!

I found a fantastic open source project called XMLTV that provides a new (and now stable) source of TV Guide data.

I have updated the Palm app to support the extended viewing area of the Sony Clie and have rewritten the WhatsOn conduit to read xmltv format.

And, as promised below, I have eliminated the shareware fee for WhatsOn.

WhatsOn is now back to stay!!!!

5/10/03--GIST drops data support!!!

It has happened once again. GIST has dropped their consumer data service and WhatsOn no longer has any source of TV Guide data.

I will write a new scraper, but due to time constraints, I cannot guarantee when. I have open sourced the WhatsOn Webscraper, and if anyone is willing to help me update the code to use a new source of data, I will make the rest of WhatsOn available for free.

WhatsOn was the first TV Guide available for the Palm, and has always been the best. However, there are new corporate imitators like Evolve Communications and ConnectedMedia and I cannot commit the same resources to WhatsOn as my big business competitors. So instead, I will compete on value, on compassion, and on Price->WhatsOn will be back and will be free!

Please let me know if you are willing to help.

1/31/02--WhatsOn Web Scraper is back!!!

Originally broken when tvguide.com changed their format to block handheld viewers like you, WhatsOn is back thanks to data provided by GIST Communications Inc. Thanks to the generosity of Gist, you can plan on WhatsOn working for a long, long time. Just install and go.

10/28/01--WhatsOn Web Scraper goes Open Source!!!

My son is now almost a year and a half old. He was born on May 28. He's been great, but getting just 10 minutes to work on anything but work or childcare is almost impossible. In that period, TV Guide once again changed their format and brought the web scraper to its knees. This time the site was completely rewritten with the purpose of blocking third-party programs like WhatsOn from scraping program data. This happened shortly after Henry Yuen acquired TV Guide and he is a known fanatic for hoarding his intellectual property. There is no simple way to get WhatsOn functioning again with tvguide.com. But don't despair, there are plenty of other sources of tv guide data on the web. However, just now I don't have time to implement them.

So, I have decided to open source the WhatsOn web scraper. Using my code as an example, anyone can write a program to get their favorite TV Guide data and write it in the simple format that is readable by WhatsOn for Palm. By open sourcing the code, I am hoping the fans of WhatsOn will be able to do a better job than I have been doing at keeping the scraper functional. At the time I write this there is no functional web scraper for WhatsOn. If you are interested in seeing WhatsOn continue, please email me a working version of your web scraper using your favorite source of data and I will post it on this site.

5/13/00--WhatsOn is Back!

After many long nights and much time and effort, WhatsOn is back in business and ready to deliver the latest TV Guide information to your Palm Top. Unfortunately as a result of the new website format, you are able to download only 5 consecutive hours of data for now.

These last few months have been extremely stressful and I want to thank those of you who have been so supportive over this period of time. Please enjoy WhatsOn and remember to show your appreciation by registering. Thanks.

3/15/00--it's been about two weeks and there is no update yet. I apologize for not getting one out sooner, but there have been a number of things coming together that have made this release extremely difficult. In particular, the change to the web site's format was significant enough to require an almost total rewrite of the web scraper. Secondly, the amount of free time I have to work on WhatsOn has been extremely limited lately. My real job (believe it or not, I can't support myself in Silicon Valley on $20 shareware payments) has been requiring a lot of time and so has my wife who is entering the 30th week of her pregnancy. So, unfortunately there is no update available now, but I hope to have one soon. Please keep checking this website for the latest information. Thanks.

3/1/00--it appears that the format for the WhatsOn Web Scraper's host website has been changed. This means that the scraper algorithm employed by the WOWeb Scraper is no longer valid and the application has ceased to function. Please check back to this website in the next few days to get updated information. Hopefully an updated version will be available at that time. Thank you.