Palm Familiar, legal issues, & possible solutions

[RyanL]

What if you distribute the source code? That's human readable.

Edit: I see that someone else already suggested this. Oops. Errr, what he said!

-Ryan

 

[RyanL]

UGH!!!!!!! DUPLICATE POST!!!!!!! ME=LOSER!!!!!

 

[Henry]

There's an interesting question: I would love to hear an official WotC position on releasing source code as a way to distribute the OGC in an executable, because it would clear up a LOT of concern about more than just PDA programs.

 

[Artoomis]

I like the approach that Tim Evans has used in developing PCGenView. He displays data that is calculated by PCGen, which is d20 compliant.

You may want to look at PCGenView to see what he's done, and if it's even worth it to write your own.

 

[SaiZai]

AFAIK, none of the suggested approaches are fully technically compliant; that Wizards hasn't yet threatened them does not indicate that they won't.

To put it simply, releasing source or simply indicating calculations are potentially fakable things, and thus not acceptable to an ultra-extreme-paranoid interpretationi... which is what one must assume.

I'd refer those interested in the legal nitpicking to the (very, very) extensive threads devoted solely to that issue.

 

[Cergorach]

AFAIK, none of the suggested approaches are fully technically compliant; that Wizards hasn't yet threatened them does not indicate that they won't.

PcGen got the all clear sign from the folks over at WotC, so it's save to say that their solution is pretty save. But if you really want to know for sure, why not contact them personally and ask them waht they find acceptable for your idea for an app, that will end all this senseless speculation.

 

[deltacoder]

just an idea:

what if you put all of the calculations into what are essentially "tooltips"? i.e. you move the pointer (or stylus for PDA) over a field and the calculation pops up?

Content such as feats, etc could also have tooltips - all human readable content, while not diminishing the power of the program.

 

[SaiZai]

what if you put all of the calculations into what are essentially "tooltips"? i.e. you move the pointer (or stylus for PDA) over a field and the calculation pops up?

Content such as feats, etc could also have tooltips - all human readable content, while not diminishing the power of the program.

Having the tooltip actually calculate the result would have the same problem; it's merely a minor detail of display.

Whether it would be OK to just display the formula, and have the user do it, is grayish; it is kinda pointless though in terms of usability.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Hey, SaiZai,

Just in case you missed my answer to your original question (before all the "legal" discussions started) I'll repeat it here.

Regarding your actual question I'd say go for option 1 every time. A usable program in the shortest possible time makes sense for lots of reasons: programmer satisfaction at getting something completed, user satisfaction at getting their hands on something useful, "prototyping benefit" which often comes as you write the first working version of the program and get lots of ideas for the next version, etc.

Cheers

 

[deltacoder]

Having the tooltip actually calculate the result would have the same problem; it's merely a minor detail of display.

Whether it would be OK to just display the formula, and have the user do it, is grayish; it is kinda pointless though in terms of usability.

I think you misunderstood me. What I mean is still have the box calculate the result, but also show how it calculates the result - therefore, all of the OGC is still human readable, and therefore compliant.