What will Masterplan be after the C&D?
- Thread starter doctorhook
- Start date
tomBitonti
Hero
Data Scraping in itself is not illegal. Feist (spelling?) Publications has a recent case where it goes into it. The interesting point in that case is that it allows data scraping - the limits are in direct relation to the creative aspect under US copyright law. In that light, I think the users of Masterplan are in clear violation of the law when they retain data after their DDI accounts expire. Masterplan only provides active DDI account users the ability to scrape the information.
Scraping: Data theft is scaling up - SC Magazine US This covers the brief version.
If they apply a secondary standard in cutting off an active DDI account, I hope the DDI ToS has a "do whatever we like clause".
As a side note.... Feist does not assign guilt on the usage of scraping technology which is why I would side with Masterplan in a court case. WOTC has to somehow convince a US court that the copyright clause allows them to regulate the actions of a third party software vendor, in regards to its usage of legal scraping technology, with no binding contract to WOTC while the simple solution is for WOTC to change it's DDI terms of use and enforce its claims.
Hi,
That note is interesting, but a little weak. Scraping graphics for slide presentation may be fairly harmless, but it could very often be illegal.
I think a key issue will be how much data is scraped, as well as to what use it is put, and how long it is retained.
My understanding is that you have a fair use right to retain the data temporarily, for specific uses, and that you definitely do not have the right to retain major portions of the data for lengthy periods of time, unless you have be granted that right by the copyright holder.
The issue that I can see Hasbro having is that MasterPlan enables an infringement, in that too much data is scraped, and that data is retained for too long.
Can someone answer a question as to whether or not you are permitted to scan data from books that you own, and whether you own a printed copy of material if that allows mass scraping? (Inverted, if I have a PDF, absent a specific provision, am I allowed to make a print-out of that PDF?)
As far as what mass scraping is legitimate, that is an interesting question. However, the notion that an indexing bot has the right to perform mass scraping seems to be turning out to be no, if the recent problems that Google has been having in regards to its attempt to create an index to all printed material, including the ability to display select (small) portions of the data, is to be taken as a guide.
Thx!
Scribble
First Post
I have it... seems to have removed the compendium links.
Fifth Element
Legend
If you upgraded from an older version to this one, would you still have your Compendium library available to use?
IANAL.
Now, my understanding of Canadian Law as it currently stands is that you are allowed to have a personal electronic copy of any print products you own and vice versa, with the understanding that if you get rid of the originally purchased copy, you must get rid of the scanned/printed copy that you made.
Again, IANAL, so my understanding may be *completely* wrong.
Agreed. It's why I do not see WOTC going very far with it in court. All legal obligations rest solely on the end user in regards to material covered under the creative expression clause in the copyright act.
Yup, I agree that is the likely claim. However, I can't find a single case that assigns blame to the makers of data scraper software for the transfer of infringing material by a third party end user. It's the heart of the theory that most people are putting out here. I am not saying that such cases don't exist, mind you. It's what I'm asking Mudbunny about in PM. So, I'm all ears if people have a case for it.
Google's issues stem from their usage of material that breaks the creative expression rule. They host and transmit data that violates the copyright act. It's a massive distinction between Masterplan 8.8 and Google books. Masterplan does not host infringing data. It does not transmit data, either.
*not sure about the limits on hard copy count and testing import features, now*
...and yes... The .library files do transfer. I deleted the things, however. So, nobody gets to use my DDI account info. It works on both custom files and WOTC files.
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Scribble
First Post
Haven't tried anything- and I don't have an old library to use, but I think so as it lets you load libraries.
(I have an earlier version I just never used MP really.)
Kurtomatic
First Post
While I understand the risks involved in 'presuming' anything about WotC's mindset, (as far as I am currently aware) apps like iPlay4e don't use the Compendium API in any way different than a web browser does. WotC isn't going to send a C&D to Mozilla, Microsoft, Google, Apple, etc.*We presume WotC has no problems with it, as it hasn't received a C&D yet and its sins seem much less egregious. That said, Masterplan was around for a while before it got a C&D. While it's unlikely that iPlay4E hasn't been noticed by WotC yet, it remains possible that WotC could change still its mind about iPlay4E.
I'm just sayin'.
Sending your browser a Compendium http link generated with ID values from an exported character file would seem to be the whole point behind the API's very existence. The CB files contain the actual hyperlinks in clear text. Also if you happen know that the Compendium power ID number for Fey Step is 1449, you can simply type www.wizards.com/dndinsider/compendium/power.aspx?id=1449 into your browser, and bingo! You have now used the Compendium API without using any client at all (other than your web browser, of course). Congratulations!
Dr. Confoundo
First Post
This is a very important question to have answered - I don't want to download the new version if it deletes all of my old info.
Can anyone give a definitive answer?
Scribble
First Post
Well, seeing as there's no "install" that goes on, there's really nothing it's doing. You're just unzipping an exe and running said exe.
I think as long as you don't unzip it to the same directory you unzipped the original you should be ok.... But I take no responsibility if it does otherwise
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