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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Saracenus" data-source="post: 5370368" data-attributes="member: 47839">A point I think is being missed:By putting data in the cloud WotC is doing a very smart thing and separating its data from the user interface (UI).Right now, when I download CB (which was created using the .NET dev tools), the data is formatted for that program and local on my computer. Anything I create there is also local to my computer. I have to expend effort to make sure all my [computers] have the same data that I have created (this goes the same for the Monster Builder too).Under the new web based CB I am only downloading a front end (built with silverlight) and accessing the data up in the cloud. WotC's data and my own created material.Now, if Microsoft does dead end silverlight, while that would be a major bummer, its not a complete disaster... the data is still accessible by a different front end that WotC can design using whatever tools are appropriate.My biggest concern involves how they are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database_normalization" target="_blank">normalizing their data</a>. Right now, if I search for Hags in the compendium most of them will not show fey as their origin in the stackblock but if I search for all things fey, they will show up in the search list as fey (their statblocks still show natural, elemental, immortal, etc.).This means the statblocks are being generated not from data in the database tables but from an image blob. This explains why all the statblocks prior to MM3 didn't change. Instead of changing the formatting once and calling the data up to fill it, they would have to change each statblock image blob.This decision saved them development time in the beginning but screwed them when it came time to make big changes or add material to the system. To add a single monster you have to add all the data twice, once for the search fields and a second time for the image blob.This means they have a greater chance for errors to creep in and any changes now require at least twice as much work.Getting back to the web based CB, if the data base is "atomized" properly meaning the data is broken down to its smallest parts and is format neutral then WotC can more efficiently update said info because you are just entering data and not formatting it. Instead, the front end takes the data and formats it into usable information, i.e. your character.Because your character is just a collection of data points, other front ends can access it in new and interesting ways. Say a combat tracker that just has to point at the unique identifier for you PC (PC id#?) and wham, all the info is dumped into the app. You could give your DM your unique ID and wham it drops into his combat tracker program. That would be without having to export it out into the .DnD4e format and then import it into the new app.I am not glossing over the problems that on-line only presents to folks, I am merely pointing out there is a legitimate advantage to putting all the data up in the cloud. In the end it might be better for almost everyone that it is. Time will tell us if this is true.Right now I am on a 3 month subscription to see how this shakes out. I will make my informed decision at that point if the new system is working for me or not.My Two Coppers,</blockquote>

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