gw trying to stop people from using Army Builder

[dawnofthedead]

A buddy sent this to me and I thought some of you guys would find it interesting. GW sent a letter to Datafilecentral.com (the people who make data files for AB) to stop making data files for all of there GW products. Here is the link:

[url]http://forums.wolflair.com/showthread.php?t=21779[/url]

[Wolfshade]

I am not surprised, what the people who write the 40k/WFB/LoTR data files are doing is essentially distributing GW's copywrited data. Now, creating your own data files is fine and dandy as long as it is for personal use and you owned the source, i.e. codex/army book as it would come under personal use.
The concern is what this will mean to Wolflair as their product is really good but if I could no longer get the data files for it for 40k it would be of no use to me, I'd go back to my excel and codex.

[gcsmith]

gotta love the GW is Evil reaction. Also Wolfshade since Wolflair don't produce the army apps it means nothing, they just build the ground software, at leas that's what I saw.

[eldargal]

Yep, apparently stopping people from distributing copyright material is 'evil'. No sympathy from me on this, GW do a lot of hamfisted legal things but this isn't one of them.

[gcsmith]

Yep, apparently stopping people from distributing copyright material is 'evil'. No sympathy from me on this, GW do a lot of hamfisted legal things but this isn't one of them.

I agree, GW are forced to do these actions due to UK laws, if it wasn't for that GW probably wouldn't pursue these things.

[pauljc]

Yeah, all I see is a company trying to safeguard it's IP and data, and trying to make some money. Which isn't exactly easy to do in this internet age.

Warhamer isn't exactly an open source product..

[Wolfshade]

gotta love the GW is Evil reaction. Also Wolfshade since Wolflair don't produce the army apps it means nothing, they just build the ground software, at leas that's what I saw.

Wolflare produce the application, what they don't do is the data files, in essence the AB compatable version of the codex. But, all the people I know who use it do so soley for GW games and so with that not being availble I doubt that any of the people I know will renew their license and therefore, Wolflare will not be getting their money and so Wolflare's marketshare/profitability will decrease, which would be bad for them.

[gcsmith]

Wolflare produce the application, what they don't do is the data files, in essence the AB compatable version of the codex. But, all the people I know who use it do so soley for GW games and so with that not being availble I doubt that any of the people I know will renew their license and therefore, Wolflare will not be getting their money and so Wolflare's marketshare/profitability will decrease, which would be bad for them.

That is unfortunate, but the reality is they depended on another persons IP to make money on that basis. Still with the emergance of WM/Hordes they have stuff to do ther.

[Wolfshade]

Exactly and as much as they claim to be seperate from those people who make data files, and they are, those people are a very important part of the overall business strategy.
Of course, the best solution (read: the one that would not occur) is that the files can be produced under licesnse from GW and when you buy a codex you get a copy of the equivalent data files.
GW ages ago had their own computer programme roster and it wasn't well supported/advertised and didn't get a following.

[Cpt Codpiece]

I think if the heads of GW are getting twitchy about AB now, after all this time.... i mean i was using AB when GW had the software for sale LOL, its not like AB is a new product.

but anyway, what i was saying, if the nobz at GW are getting twitchy now, then maybe something is in the works, a rehash of the old system, or given the current releases an ipad only army roster maker that auto updates with the codici ((sp?) in your itunes account?

i would not be shocked to see the ipad thing though, it does make a lot of sense given they way they are moving.