Twin Rose
First Post
Some months ago, I posted on a thread regarding XML datasets for the popular character generator "PCGen". To clear the air about something, what I posted was that an end-user could make an XSL Stylesheet to transform one set of XML to another and use the files interchangibly.
Recently, this was shown to me, and my email box has been getting complaints:
"6.) A way of protecting PCGEN LMC created datasets (our section 15
statement should cover this).
<Paul> YES, but NOT to protect against CMP. Technically right now
ANYONE could swipe the datasets for their pay product (can we say Twin
Rose)"
First of all, let's take a look at the "morale issues" behind this. XML is about free exchange, and about end-users being able to do what they need to do with their data. This includes transforming the format one database program needs with another - and this goes both ways. Businesses who need various forms of customer databases use XSL transformers to ensure that they don't have to do the work twice. And they share these transformers with others using the same 2 (or more) programs. That is the POINT behind XML.
Secondly, there is no 'stealing' non-orriginal material. This is the open gaming license that we're talking about. The only way I could -stop- end users from making their own transformers is to encrypt my data. PCGen could do the same - they could write encrypters into PCGen. Of course, since PCGen is an open source project, that would be more or less impossible - someone could just find the encryption in the source.
Third is that people creating these files are doing so to help others. Campaign Suite has literally thousands of customers, and many more in people who have downloaded the free trial and continue to use it. I don't see why someone who spent so much time designing a "data-set" would get upset if someone created a transformer to use that data with 2 programs - in the end, this work that someone volunteered to do is getting enjoyed by that many more people. To say, "You, stop that! Make your own!" I believe goes against everything XML, PCGen, and myself stand for - making peoples games easier. Punishing people for choosing to purchase a campaign management program, I believe, is inappropriate.
Fourth is that this is creating a strain between myself, and people I consider - if not friends, at least good aquaintences and professional colleagues. Both the BoD at PCGen and myself worked hard to create cordial relationships. And of course, buying everyone who works for PCGen a round of drinks at GenCon was fun, not to mention getting arrested by Klingons together. Fact is, we've talked -together- about cross compatibility, and we believed it was in the best interest for everyones users to create a ROBUST and compatible system that everyone could use. We're in this to make games better, after all, and that should be making them better for -everyone-, and in the end, we all have the same goals. I would hate to think that this may never happen, now.
Last has nothing to do with this, but it the perception I'm getting through hate-mail that I receive. This is that people feel I'm somehow -evil- for creating a professional, for sale product. The amount of time I devote to the CS (and now, Campaign Suite Extended) project is anywhere from 40-80 hours a week, and usually somewhere in the middle. My users would be more upset if I worked a full time job, and worked on CS as a hobby. THey enjoy around the clock tech support, and my working hard to ensure bugs don't remain. Also, it is next to impossible to get a 'free' product into distribution, and to be available at local gaming stores around the world. Some people, hard as it is to believe, don't have internet access. I don't believe they should be denied character generation software or other tools just because they don't. But a production run of CDs, shipping, etc is not free.
Thank you for your time, and I'll happily answer any questions posted to this thread.
Recently, this was shown to me, and my email box has been getting complaints:
"6.) A way of protecting PCGEN LMC created datasets (our section 15
statement should cover this).
<Paul> YES, but NOT to protect against CMP. Technically right now
ANYONE could swipe the datasets for their pay product (can we say Twin
Rose)"
First of all, let's take a look at the "morale issues" behind this. XML is about free exchange, and about end-users being able to do what they need to do with their data. This includes transforming the format one database program needs with another - and this goes both ways. Businesses who need various forms of customer databases use XSL transformers to ensure that they don't have to do the work twice. And they share these transformers with others using the same 2 (or more) programs. That is the POINT behind XML.
Secondly, there is no 'stealing' non-orriginal material. This is the open gaming license that we're talking about. The only way I could -stop- end users from making their own transformers is to encrypt my data. PCGen could do the same - they could write encrypters into PCGen. Of course, since PCGen is an open source project, that would be more or less impossible - someone could just find the encryption in the source.
Third is that people creating these files are doing so to help others. Campaign Suite has literally thousands of customers, and many more in people who have downloaded the free trial and continue to use it. I don't see why someone who spent so much time designing a "data-set" would get upset if someone created a transformer to use that data with 2 programs - in the end, this work that someone volunteered to do is getting enjoyed by that many more people. To say, "You, stop that! Make your own!" I believe goes against everything XML, PCGen, and myself stand for - making peoples games easier. Punishing people for choosing to purchase a campaign management program, I believe, is inappropriate.
Fourth is that this is creating a strain between myself, and people I consider - if not friends, at least good aquaintences and professional colleagues. Both the BoD at PCGen and myself worked hard to create cordial relationships. And of course, buying everyone who works for PCGen a round of drinks at GenCon was fun, not to mention getting arrested by Klingons together. Fact is, we've talked -together- about cross compatibility, and we believed it was in the best interest for everyones users to create a ROBUST and compatible system that everyone could use. We're in this to make games better, after all, and that should be making them better for -everyone-, and in the end, we all have the same goals. I would hate to think that this may never happen, now.
Last has nothing to do with this, but it the perception I'm getting through hate-mail that I receive. This is that people feel I'm somehow -evil- for creating a professional, for sale product. The amount of time I devote to the CS (and now, Campaign Suite Extended) project is anywhere from 40-80 hours a week, and usually somewhere in the middle. My users would be more upset if I worked a full time job, and worked on CS as a hobby. THey enjoy around the clock tech support, and my working hard to ensure bugs don't remain. Also, it is next to impossible to get a 'free' product into distribution, and to be available at local gaming stores around the world. Some people, hard as it is to believe, don't have internet access. I don't believe they should be denied character generation software or other tools just because they don't. But a production run of CDs, shipping, etc is not free.
Thank you for your time, and I'll happily answer any questions posted to this thread.
