For information only - No longer functional

Better BBC radio schedules

	You don't have to put up with the BBC's awfully designed radio schedule pages any longer.
	And you can mark programmes and series you want to listen to.
	And you can jump to other stations with a single click.

Firefox only
Why and how to install firefox now

Sorry, you don't appear to be using Firefox
or Javascript is switched off.

Do you lose the will to live while scrolling down?
Compare these two versions to the same scale.

BBC Mine

And the BBC have
had to make their
text smaller.

Do you get frustrated by lack of useability?

BBC

Whilst "Search R4" might be useful this should go at the bottom"
News readers don't leave long pauses between each word so why is there so much wasted space on the web pages?
More information about schedules scattered around higgldy-piggeldy. On a long page perhaps the calendar should be shown in a long column rather than blight one third of the page with wasted space beneath.
The date as a sub-title. It isn't useful and it gets confused with the main title. (To fix this blot is trivial so clearly nobody has actually thought about it.)
Listen again takes up more precious vertical space.
The useful information is spread all over the place and hidden in the camouflage.
Mine

People want to look at what's on their other favourite stations as well. Compact jump-elsewhere buttons on the top row.
Let's make it easy - How simple
When browsing the schedule, a week ahead and past at a time is enough for most people.
Let's make it easy - How simple
The programme titles are the most important things.
Let's make them stand out (And put the whole page in larger text for easier reading.) - How simple.
A compact headphones icon indicates listen again and the animated aerial indicates listen now.
Let's put all 'click to listen' things in one column. - How simple
What do people want to do lots of with schedules... ...Read them ahead of time and mark things of interest.
Such an obvious need so let's do it. - How useful.

Do you lose the will to live while scrolling down? Compare these two versions to the same scale.
BBC	Mine
	And the BBC have had to make their text smaller.

Do you get frustrated by lack of useability?

BBC Whilst "Search R4" might be useful this should go at the bottom" News readers don't leave long pauses between each word so why is there so much wasted space on the web pages? More information about schedules scattered around higgldy-piggeldy. On a long page perhaps the calendar should be shown in a long column rather than blight one third of the page with wasted space beneath. The date as a sub-title. It isn't useful and it gets confused with the main title. (To fix this blot is trivial so clearly nobody has actually thought about it.) Listen again takes up more precious vertical space. The useful information is spread all over the place and hidden in the camouflage.	Mine People want to look at what's on their other favourite stations as well. Compact jump-elsewhere buttons on the top row. Let's make it easy - How simple When browsing the schedule, a week ahead and past at a time is enough for most people. Let's make it easy - How simple The programme titles are the most important things. Let's make them stand out (And put the whole page in larger text for easier reading.) - How simple. A compact headphones icon indicates listen again and the animated aerial indicates listen now. Let's put all 'click to listen' things in one column. - How simple What do people want to do lots of with schedules... ...Read them ahead of time and mark things of interest. Such an obvious need so let's do it. - How useful.

This only works with the Firefox web browser

Q: Why only Firefox?
A: Because it supports add-ins which enable me to write a program that allows me to remove the useful data from the original web page, reformat it and add other useful facilities.
Q: I don't have Firefox - why should I go to the bother of installing it?
A: A much nicer browsing experience customised to your personal preferences.
There are 101 good reasons you should use it: In particular blocking adverts and naughty scripts, changing the look and feel, make downloading videos simple and stripping the dross from web sites to give clean pages with the information you want presented how you want it.
Q: OK I'll give it a try... ...How do I get started?
A: Follow these instructions in new window

Simple to use

Install using the button at the top of this page. Then restart Firefox.
Now go to www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/schedule/ (New window) You should see my version of the Radio 4 schedule where you can get at everything with just a single press of the Page Down key. Click on the Original Format button to see what you've just escaped from.
Now click the back button to return to the new format.
Clicking on the R7 button takes you to Radio 7.
Clicking on gives listen again and clicking on gives listen-now.

Wouldn't it be great if you could mark a programme for listening to later? Here's how:

A single programme	Click on the start time to give a YELLOW pin
A whole series at a certain time of day	Click on the coloured section on the left to give a RED pin
Clicking again on a RED pin changes it to BLUE which tags the programme with its sub title. Use this for something like Book of the week where you want all 5 programmes for a particular book. (Use RED for all books of the week.)
Keep clicking on the pins to change colour or delete.

Notes

The first release was 21st April and is developing.
Your feedback will improve it and the BBC's tinkering will probably break it. Please let me know
Version information is Here (new window)
It works by downloading the BBC's web page but before displaying it strips out everything except the useful data and reformats it.

Hacking

If you want to fiddle with the source then download it (a Greasemonkey script) by right-clicking here

Your suggestions are welcome send email