What Is Screen Scraping?

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Data from a website or app can be extracted through a method known as "screen scraping," "web scraping," or "data scraping." Picture yourself at an enormous, free-for-all buffet, where you sneak in a to-go container and start loading it up with your plate. It's similar to "screen scraping," in which data is taken from a website or app without the owner's knowledge or consent. Screen scraping is performed for several reasons, the most common being market research, pricing comparison, and content collection. Similar to sampling a wide variety of foods at a buffet, screen scraping aims to provide users with a comprehensive overview of a given topic. What is the process of screen scraping, then? To begin, an HTTP request is sent to the web page's server. The server then responds with the requested web page in HTML format. Screen scraping software then reads this HTML and extracts the information you need, much like selecting your favourite foods from a buffet. Using web application programming interfaces is a technical part of screen scraping. A web application programming interface (API) allows a website to grant third-party programs access to its features and data. The information you need is conveniently organized in a "to-go" section, like at a buffet. However, not all sites offer web APIs, and even when they do, there may be restrictions on how much information may be retrieved. Screen scraping can be employed to get around these restrictions and get more data. Utilizing a web scraper or bot is another technological part of screen scraping. The term "web scraper" refers to a piece of software developed to gather information from the World Wide Web. A bot is a software designed to automatically carry out repetitive tasks. The best way to see a bot is as a robotic arm at a buffet, helping you avoid waiting in line by getting food for you. Like you might not be allowed to take a to-go container at a buffet, screen scraping can create ethical and legal concerns. Screen scraping isn't permitted on all websites; some even charge you to get their data. Understanding and adhering to a website's terms of service is essential. To "scrape" means to gather information off a computer screen, such as from a webpage or program. It's like grabbing food from a buffet, but instead of taking it home to enjoy later, you're collecting it for analysis. Automation and screen scraping efficiency is achieved through web application programming interfaces (APIs), web scrapers, and bots. Don't break any rules on the sites you're scraping; utilize your newfound scraping skills for good.

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Related Terms by Data Management

Data Vaulting

Data vaulting is like having a super-secret, ultra-safe subterranean vault to keep your precious data. A data vault is used to preserve valuable data in the same manner as a traditional vault to store valuable items such as gems and money. In the field of computer science, "data vaulting" refers to the practice of backing up and storing data in an off-site location that is both safe and distant. This helps to secure the data against calamities such as fire or water as well as theft, much like a vault protects precious things from theft and other threats. Data vaulting's "off-site storage" is crucial. Off-site storage is like storing essential assets in a vault in a distant city from where they are used. This helps safeguard the data from calamities that may occur locally and minimizes the likelihood of losing data. The phrase "incremental backup" is another significant and crucial technical buzzword. Instead of backing up the complete data set, incremental backup copies only the parts of the data that have been modified since the last time it was backed up. This helps save time and storage space, just as you only need to store newly valuable goods in the vault rather than all of the items each time, similar to how you only need to store freshly valuable items in the vault. Safeguarding data in a data vault is an essential part of any disaster recovery and business continuity strategy. Data vaulting helps safeguard precious data in the same way as a vault protects valuable objects. This enables businesses to swiftly recover from disasters and reduces the amount of downtime they experience. Consequently, consider using data vaulting to ensure your sensitive information's safety! It is comparable to possessing a top-secret, extremely secure, underground vault for sensitive data, replete with off-site storage and incremental backups. Have faith in us; your data will be grateful.

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Data Brokering

Data brokering has hit the big time. It's creating buzz, controversy, and even a few scandals as companies mine and sell information about how people spend money. Don't you have to hand your wallet to a data broker? There are many ways to Defense yourself from these businesses who want your information and earn profits from it later. Data brokering is a collaborative process involving the right data sets to address a business problem. It requires expertise, domain knowledge, and the ability to navigate different datasets to find the ones that have the information needed to solve a particular issue. It may require data cleansing to make the information most valuable and easily understood. Providers make their data available to other businesses in the data brokering model. Data consumers can search for data that meets their requirements. Once the information is selected, it is downloaded and used for a specific business objective. Data brokering is a collaborative process across industries, countries, and cultures. Companies that offer data to other businesses are called data brokers. Data brokers must consider the laws and regulations that apply to their data. They must also consider the technical requirements of the data consumers using different systems and technologies. Data brokers must also create a system that enables other businesses to access their offered data. Data brokering is not a one-time process; it is an ongoing process that requires continuous updating and maintenance. The report then provides examples of data brokering, such as purchasing data from a pollster and selling it to a political campaign. The rest of the piece explores the implications of data brokering for businesses and consumers and some real-life examples of data brokering in practice. Most of us must realize how much our data is collected, sold, and used by companies to formulate targeted advertising. A glimpse into the lucrative world of data brokering illustrates how much information about us is being bought and sold.

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Digital Video Broadcasting-Satellite Second Generation (DVB-S2)

There is a new standard in town, and the digital standard is here to stay. Digital Video Broadcasting-Satellite Second Generation (DVB-S2) has been around since 2003, and it's finally picking up steam with broadcasters and consumers alike. Its predecessor, DVB-S (the first generation of satellite digital television), debuted in the mid-'90s and was formally adopted in 1998 by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). Now we're moving on to the next generation of digital broadcasting: DVB-S2. What makes this new technology so unique? It's not just faster than the old one; it's also more reliable and flexible. You can expect higher data rates, better channel capacity, improved error correction capabilities and, most importantly, better picture quality! The DVB-S2 standard provides specifications for delivering high-definition and ultra-high-definition television (HDTV and UHDTV) video and audio over satellite and cable networks in the form of a standardized "satellite box" or set-top box or a high-end residential gateway. The standard is designed to be extensible to deliver new services such as 3G/ LTE mobile, IPTV, and OTT content. The DVB-S2 standard was ratified by the ETSI in March 2005 and published in October of that year. The measure was expected to be implemented in equipment by manufacturers in the second quarter of 2006. The DVB-S is like the first-generation iPhone. It was revolutionary, changed everything, and everyone wanted to get their hands on it. Then, after about a decade of using that same old technology, we were ready for something new: the second-generation iPhone with the glass screen and facial recognition that makes all your friends jealous when they see you using it. The DVB-S2 is beautiful, sleek, and fast like that second-generation iPhone. The only problem is that it needs to be entirely out (like the second-generation iPhone).

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