Controllable track-skipping

A method comprising:

• receiving input over a network requesting a skip of at least a portion of one of the media items in a block, the skip having a length, the block comprising a plurality of media items;
• determining whether adding the length of the requested skip to a current slippage value would exceed a predetermined maximum slippage value;
• responsive to a determination that adding the length of the requested skip to the current slippage value would not exceed the predetermined maximum slippage value, allowing the requested skip;
• and
• upon conclusion of media playback of the block, determining a new slippage value.

A method comprising:

• modifying an original performance complement limitation by extending a compliance time period by a predetermined additional time period;
• formulating a media item playback list conforming to the modified performance complement limitation;
• responsive to user input over a network requesting a skip of at least a portion of a media item:
• determining whether the requested skip would cause a violation of the original performance complement limitation;
• responsive to the requested skip not causing a violation of the original performance complement limitation, allowing the requested skip;
• and
• responsive to the requested skip causing a violation of the original performance complement limitation, denying the requested skip.

A computer program product tangibly encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for selectively limiting skipping during media playback of a block, comprising:

• computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to receive input requesting a skip of at least a portion of one of the media items in the block, the skip having a length, the block comprising a plurality of media items;
• computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to determine whether adding the length of the requested skip to a current slippage value would exceed a predetermined maximum slippage value;
• computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer, responsive to a determination that adding the length of the requested skip to the current slippage value would not exceed the predetermined maximum slippage value, to allow the requested skip;
• and
• computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer, upon conclusion of media playback of the block, to determine a new slippage value.

A computer program product tangibly encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for selectively limiting skipping during media playback, comprising:

• computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to modify an original performance complement limitation by extending a compliance time period by a predetermined additional time period;
• computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to formulate a media item playback list conforming to the modified performance complement limitation;
• computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to, responsive to user input requesting a skip of at least a portion of a media item:
• determine whether the requested skip would cause a violation of the original performance complement limitation;
• responsive to the requested skip not causing a violation of the original performance complement limitation, allow the requested skip;
• and
• responsive to the requested skip causing a violation of the original performance complement limitation, deny the requested skip.