ETools Data Sets

[Kiehtan]

Does anyone out there have the Spell Compendium Data Set for Etools? CMP stopped selling it before I had a chance to pick it up so I'd like to pick up a copy. Let me know.

Kiehtan@hotmail.com

 

[kingpaul]

Similar questions have been raised on CMP's boards. From what I recall, something like this is not allowed. WotC considers this transfer of rights a sale, and no one currently has the license to sell datasets based upon WotC's IP.

There's also the logistics involved in removing the d/l rights from the person selling the dataset and adding them to the person who is buying it.

 

[Kiehtan]

Well, they could charge me the cost of the cd and the shipping, and actually give me a copy of the dataset. I am assuming that Wizards is going to come out with something new and better, otherwise they wouldn't have declined the renewal of CMP's license. When they do I'd be picking it up anyway. I'm just looking for a stop gap until then.

 

[Aluvial]

Sorry....

 

[kingpaul]

CMP no longer has the "rights" to sell their data sets anymore. But what if I want to "share" mine?

I'm pretty sure the EULA doesn't allow that.

There are datasets out there. Sure DRM is the issue, but who are you to say that those sets don't belong to me once I've purchased them?

The EULA.

"Something that is not allowed..." I saw your responses when questioned about the PC Gen tool set.... what's the big deal?

You've lost me.

We are a gaming community. If I had the sets, I would gladly share them to help promote the game. THAT is my special interest group. You should be sticking up for US. Not THEM.

Do you have the money to fund a legal campaign against Hasbro? I don't.

I make the claim you are not a gamer of the people but a special intrest lobbiest for the man!

And thank you for your insults. They've been greatly appreciated.

 

[Rel]

Aluvial, advocacy of illegal filesharing is a violation of the ENWorld Rules. So is calling other members names. Please cease both immediately.

 

[Kiehtan]

I don't see what the big deal is. You can input the material from the Wizards books into Etools manually, and I've begin inputting Spell Compendium myself, but it is a laborius process, and a major pain the the rear. Why they make such a big stink about CMP selling a data set when you have the rights to input the data yourself, is beyond me. Really, all I'm doing is paying someone (in this case, CMP) the labor charge for inputting the material themselves rather than me taking hours and hours of my own time to do it. In the end, I'm going to have the same material in my ETools program. It's not like burning a music CD where you are screwing the band by not purchasing a copy yourself.

 

[DaveMage]

I don't see what the big deal is. You can input the material from the Wizards books into Etools manually, and I've begin inputting Spell Compendium myself, but it is a laborius process, and a major pain the the rear. Why they make such a big stink about CMP selling a data set when you have the rights to input the data yourself, is beyond me. Really, all I'm doing is paying someone (in this case, CMP) the labor charge for inputting the material themselves rather than me taking hours and hours of my own time to do it. In the end, I'm going to have the same material in my ETools program. It's not like burning a music CD where you are screwing the band by not purchasing a copy yourself.

I think it pretty much comes down to this:

WotC is the only company that has the right to electronically distribute their copyrighted materials. They can license out that right if they choose, as they had licensed CMP, but no longer.

 

[schporto]

I don't see what the big deal is. You can input the material from the Wizards books into Etools manually, and I've begin inputting Spell Compendium myself, but it is a laborius process, and a major pain the the rear. Why they make such a big stink about CMP selling a data set when you have the rights to input the data yourself, is beyond me. Really, all I'm doing is paying someone (in this case, CMP) the labor charge for inputting the material themselves rather than me taking hours and hours of my own time to do it. In the end, I'm going to have the same material in my ETools program. It's not like burning a music CD where you are screwing the band by not purchasing a copy yourself.

You can also look at it this way:
Burning a music CD from the original or mp3 and sharing is "screwing the band" (as you said). But nobody is getting in trouble (AFAIK) for making a tape from the song on the radio and sharing it among friends. The RIAA has given some mixed messages about this - even in testimony to congress - but at the end, most legal folks believe this is acceptable.
So, if you don't want to enter _all_ of spell compendium, then you do the A's. Get a friend to do the B's, someone else to do C's etc. If you hand each other things at the end I don't think you will get in trouble or cause anyone heart burn. You're paying each other in labor for each set so to speak, and I _think_ this is ok (fair use maybe? I don't know). At the very least - WotC/CMP/RIAA/etc will not be kicking in your door (because they will have no idea about it). BUT sharing that on the internet for anyone to grab is then probably a no-no.

All of this is my understanding - I may be wrong. I often am.
-cpd

 

[DaveMage]

You can also look at it this way:
Burning a music CD from the original or mp3 and sharing is "screwing the band" (as you said). But nobody is getting in trouble (AFAIK) for making a tape from the song on the radio and sharing it among friends. The RIAA has given some mixed messages about this - even in testimony to congress - but at the end, most legal folks believe this is acceptable.
So, if you don't want to enter _all_ of spell compendium, then you do the A's. Get a friend to do the B's, someone else to do C's etc. If you hand each other things at the end I don't think you will get in trouble or cause anyone heart burn. You're paying each other in labor for each set so to speak, and I _think_ this is ok (fair use maybe? I don't know). At the very least - WotC/CMP/RIAA/etc will not be kicking in your door (because they will have no idea about it). BUT sharing that on the internet for anyone to grab is then probably a no-no.

All of this is my understanding - I may be wrong. I often am.
-cpd

IIRC, the RIAA doesn't have as much of a problem with people recording off of the radio because there is a loss in audio quality (i.e., you will still need to buy the song digitially to get an ideal recording). With digital copies, there is no loss of quality no matter how many times it's copied (though the source recording can still leave much to be desired).

However, you cannot legally share *any* electronic copyrighted data unless the publisher gives permission. Do people do it anyway? Sure. But it's not the lawful thing to do.