Information Overload on GiP Changes

[Budgie]

First my grateful thanks for the massive amount of work which 
dinkypumpkin and others have put into GiP.  I have made constant use of 
--pvr facility, mainly for radio, over the last two years and am most 
grateful for the work which has brought my family and me a great deal of 
pleasure.  I too am deeply troubled by the loss of this facility.

I have been following the fast moving discussion and developments of 
fall back options but regret have not been able to keep up.  In fact I 
am left at starting gate.  Please could somebody point me to where I can 
find out what exactly is Nitro API and where does it fit in with BBC.

Also I see references to JSON.  OK, JavaScript Object Notation but what 
does it mean to me and where does it fit in with GiP and BBC.  I 
thought, in my ignorance, that JavaScript was going the way of the brown 
ball.  Certainly I get grave warnings when it is used or fails to work 
on the web management interface of my L2 managed switch.

Hope to learn more in due course and with help.
Regards,
Budgie