Stripping Code...

[artsapimp]

I have been asked to build a site for a sports handicapper and he claims there is a program that strips paragraphs from major sites like ESPN and automatically updates the html on his page. I am trying to understand how this is done and I've got a few ideas, please tell me if I'm on the right track and/or how I should make this happen.

Make a script that gathers the source code for ESPN.com. (I am assuming the paragraphs giving brief tidbits of sports information is always in the same part of the code) Grab the specific lines where the articles are written and add those to a database or some other type of dynamic data container (text file, etc.). The homepage I am building would then reference that file and write the articles.

Is that right? How would I grab the source code? How would I strip a specific article?

If you have heard of this program please tell me the name of it. Thanks.

[Statica]

You're looking at creating a portal using PHP [preferably] or PERL and "grabbing" headlines. Stripping and all that is secondary. Its fairly routine, for PHP users. Or if you dont want to reinvent wheel, use an opensource PHP headline grabber for a known site [like slashdot] and adapt for ESPN.
Check out PHPNuke. which is simply the best there is.

Pros: Its all freeware & its all for *nix

By the way, all the material on those sites are copyrighted. In fact, when the .coms were new nba.com went on a witch-hunt catching ppl who hosted NBA scores without that "expressed written consent"

[Statica]

http://www.phpnuke.org
http://www.webfetch.org

repositories @
http://www.sourceforge.net
http://www.freshmeat.net

As I said, you will notice that they have known sites that they use in their portals, its very routine for ppl in the PHP know [or PERL] to adapt.