Army List Software: Wish List.

JimmyThePict · Post by **JimmyThePict** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 11:23 pm

Able to run it on a mac (sorry, but that is what I use

)

mikekh · Post by **mikekh** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:50 am

JimmyThePict wrote:Able to run it on a mac (sorry, but that is what I use )

Oh yes!

peterrjohnston · Post by **peterrjohnston** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:10 pm

mikekh wrote: The core requirements are fairly straightforward and, whilst open source is a good idea, there is probably not enough work for more than one person. However I don't intend to charge for it. I just need to find time!!

Whilst open source licensing is an obvious step if you don't intend to charge for it and make
it freely available, I would have said how you host it is more important. If you stick the
project on one of the free source code hosting sites like sourceforge or google code,
anyone can access and contribute (obviously it's not a free for all, all projects have
at least one person as admin...

).

batesmotel · Post by **batesmotel** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:49 pm

A major enhancement to the software would be to allow it to import troop definiitons/unit sizes/troop limits from a database with a predefined format. The software would then be able to use this to populate/check the army as the user is creating a list.

This could either allow an individual user to enter data for his troops and the armies he uses in the data base which the software could then import or possibly even make it possible for Slitherine to publish such a database for their exisiting lists. I would suspect that this wouldn't cannibalize sales of the Army List books like a condensed list might. Alternatively, include a CD with data for each book of lists with those armies included.

Chris

mikekh · Post by **mikekh** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:04 pm

batesmotel wrote:A major enhancement to the software would be to allow it to import troop definiitons/unit sizes/troop limits from a database with a predefined format. The software would then be able to use this to populate/check the army as the user is creating a list.

This could either allow an individual user to enter data for his troops and the armies he uses in the data base which the software could then import or possibly even make it possible for Slitherine to publish such a database for their exisiting lists. I would suspect that this wouldn't cannibalize sales of the Army List books like a condensed list might. Alternatively, include a CD with data for each book of lists with those armies included.

Chris

My concern about doing something like that is copyright and the intellectual property of Slitherine/Osprey. I don't want a summons!

Copyright and IP are not being infringed with a spreadsheet type application.

Thanks

Mike

mikekh · Post by **mikekh** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:08 pm

peterrjohnston wrote:
mikekh wrote: The core requirements are fairly straightforward and, whilst open source is a good idea, there is probably not enough work for more than one person. However I don't intend to charge for it. I just need to find time!!
Whilst open source licensing is an obvious step if you don't intend to charge for it and make
it freely available, I would have said how you host it is more important. If you stick the
project on one of the free source code hosting sites like sourceforge or google code,
anyone can access and contribute (obviously it's not a free for all, all projects have
at least one person as admin... ).

Thanks for the suggestions, unfortunately I'm using some commercial software libraries that I've purchased and used on other projects. To make it Open Source would mean I'd have to upload the libraries too and that would be illegal under the specific license terms.

Thanks

Mike

batesmotel · Post by **batesmotel** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:43 pm

mikekh wrote:
batesmotel wrote:A major enhancement to the software would be to allow it to import troop definiitons/unit sizes/troop limits from a database with a predefined format. The software would then be able to use this to populate/check the army as the user is creating a list.

This could either allow an individual user to enter data for his troops and the armies he uses in the data base which the software could then import or possibly even make it possible for Slitherine to publish such a database for their exisiting lists. I would suspect that this wouldn't cannibalize sales of the Army List books like a condensed list might. Alternatively, include a CD with data for each book of lists with those armies included.

Chris
My concern about doing something like that is copyright and the intellectual property of Slitherine/Osprey. I don't want a summons!

Copyright and IP are not being infringed with a spreadsheet type application.

Thanks

Mike

I do not see any way where you could be accused of infringing Copyright or the IP of Slitherine just by allowing someone to import from a database. That would make about as much sense as suing Xerox Corp. for this for manufacturing copiers and that could be used to copy the rules or lists.

You shouldn't provide a database containing protected information from Slitherine/Osprey and could even include a warning that users should be sure not to use the capability to violate copyright or IP laws.

As an example of a use for the database that would clearly not violate any Copyrights or IP, I would use a database would be to track the number of elements of troops that my gaming group o owns for making up a list. That way I wouldn't set up a list or a scenario that uses 16 elements of slingers for instance when the group only has 12 painted. This csort of capability would provide a substantial enhancement to the army list spreadsheet currently available.

mikekh · Post by **mikekh** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 4:14 pm

batesmotel wrote:
...I do not see any way where you could be accused of infringing Copyright or the IP of Slitherine just by allowing someone to import from a database.

Depends what's in the database. If it's data that's taken from the army lists as written in the books then clearly that's an infringement of copyright.

batesmotel · Post by **batesmotel** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 5:12 pm

mikekh wrote:
batesmotel wrote:
...I do not see any way where you could be accused of infringing Copyright or the IP of Slitherine just by allowing someone to import from a database.

Depends what's in the database. If it's data that's taken from the army lists as written in the books then clearly that's an infringement of copyright.

Assuming the application isn't distributed with a database containing the army list information, then the publisher of the application isn't violating Slitherine's copyright. If I create a database for my own use with the army list software, and don't distribute it, then that most likely would be fair use (assuming I own the lists to copy the information from) and certainly would not be a copyright violation on the part of the publisher of the software.

As an example, if I used a scanner to scan the army lists and then imported this into MS Word or Excel, Microsoft would not be guilty of a copyright violation. I would if the way I used the imported information exceeded what is covered under fair use.

Chris

celticht32 · Post by **celticht32** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:24 pm

So any new updates to the application??

chris