FFGear iPhone App

[DAKPluto]

Correct, however it is free PR, and a good community service.

The legal department is not REQUIRED to cease-and-desist every single FFXI related thing they see, they are CHOOSING to.

Actually the legal department kinda has no choice. The way our system works, if you "turn a blind eye" to one person/company, it opens the legal flood gates for your copyrighted images to be exploited by others. So while it may seem like SE is being a dick here, it's because they have a legal need to protect their copyright for profit use. Had his app been free and not for profit, they would have had more legal freedom to allow the usage. But since the app was designed with the explicit intent of profit, using SE copyright protected material, they are forced to shut it down. Of course he could petition SE for permission to use their images and get it in writing. Although they would probably be required to charge some sort of rights fee in that case.

[Tsuki]

well from the snipit you posted, it doesn't say anything about using likeness's. so have some ppl draw and paint some new equips in the likeness of the gear and name it FFXLGear

[Aelfinn]

I'm working on a solution that will keep the look and feel of the application as much as possible w/o violating copyright... won't be done w/it til after xmas or new years. Expect to see it in the store early next year probably.

[Kaslo]

I'm working on a solution that will keep the look and feel of the application as much as possible w/o violating copyright... won't be done w/it til after xmas or new years. Expect to see it in the store early next year probably.

Could you tie it as an update to the existing software? that way it will just change what I have? Not sure if you can but would make it easier.

[Aelfinn]

yes it will be an update, but if you havent already gotten the existing software then you won't be able to til i get the new version out. I had to remove the current one from sale.

[Mercilessturtle]

The way our system works, if you "turn a blind eye" to one person/company, it opens the legal flood gates for your copyrighted images to be exploited by others.

That is how *trademark* law works. Copyright is an entirely seperate issue. Trademark is for names, copyright is for "creative works". You have to defend your trademark or it can fall into common use, and you lose the trademark. Aspirin is the most familiar example, used to be a trademark and now anyone can use it. There is nothing like that for copyright, square could let people use their images if they wanted. But unless SE says its ok, the little images of gear are copyright SE, and you can't distribute copyrighted works without permission.

[DAKPluto]

That is how *trademark* law works. Copyright is an entirely seperate issue. Trademark is for names, copyright is for "creative works". You have to defend your trademark or it can fall into common use, and you lose the trademark. Aspirin is the most familiar example, used to be a trademark and now anyone can use it. There is nothing like that for copyright, square could let people use their images if they wanted. But unless SE says its ok, the little images of gear are copyright SE, and you can't distribute copyrighted works without permission.

Incorrect. I refer you to the now famous example of the day cares that were sued by Disney for using the copyrighted images of their characters.

[Mercilessturtle]

Incorrect. I refer you to the now famous example of the day cares that were sued by Disney for using the copyrighted images of their characters.

No, that would be hard since there is no such example. You may refer me to the well known example of disney threatening to sue daycares for trademark infringment though (they didn't actually sue, just told them to take down the images or they would sue). Of course, that's exactly what I said, trademark has to be enforced, copyright does not. Mickey mouse is a registered trademark of disney, so they have to protect it. Copyright does not need to be registered, and can't become generic and lost like trademark. Disney does not have to sue every single website that has ever posted an image from one of their films for instance, even though those are copyrighted.

There's plenty of info on the web about this, it wouldn't take long to check if you are mistaken or not before proclaiming reality to be "incorrect". Hell, even just skim the wikipedia pages on trademark, copyright, and trademark dilution.

[DAKPluto]

Trademark is for names

take down the images

hmmm

[Mercilessturtle]

I was simplifying for you since you are confused, only talking about the ffxi app in particular. The name ffxi is trademark and needs to be protected. The images are copyright and do not. Notice how BG has ffxi icons and SE hasn't threatened legal action?

If you want to know the specifics of trademark, then go read like I said. It's not like this is top secret information you can't find any where. Trademark is exactly what it says, trade marks. Names, slogans, logos, icons, mascots, etc. Any mark used to identify a brand.

[tonystigma]

The name ffxi is trademark and needs to be protected. The images are copyright and do not.

FFXIclopedia.

Shut the fuck up.

[Aelfinn]

Anyway, back on topic.

The solution that I'm working on will allow the user to provide item icons for the app.

The app will "ship" with default images, ie generic sword, generic helm, etc... I will not and cannot supply you with any copyrighted images, so...

I'm making public a more user friendly version of the tool I created to gather all of the icons in the first place. The OSX version is almost done, I'll port it to Windows shortly after. This will allow you to create a zip archive of properly named (for the iPhone app) icons.

the iPhone app will allow you to get your "user-generated" icons onto the phone/ipod in one of two ways.
1. Mass import via ftp. Upload the zip file created by the previously mentioned icon tool.
*Requires use of an ftp client (FileZilla is known to work well w/the Ftp Server Lib I'm using)

2. Provide a url to an image. This will be a way for you to update the icon for an item w/in the app itself.



Anyway, this is what I'm currently working on. I'll keep you all updated as things get closer to ready for submission to the app store.

[lysol]

bring this to android somebody!!

[Cyprias]

This process seems a little complicated. Possibility that the user-friendly icons can just be the ffxi gear icons anyway or? I'm slightly confused as I bought the app and love it, however questioning whether it's worth doing all of this transferring of files to get similar results.

[Kohan]

This process seems a little complicated. Possibility that the user-friendly icons can just be the ffxi gear icons anyway or?

The reason they placed quotation marks around the phrase "user-generated" was to imply sarcasm. That's correct usage, by the way. Although most people think they're invoked thus for emphasis -- outside of actual quoting -- they couldn't be more wrong.

In other words, obviously, they're implying that's what these "user-generated" icons are going to be. It's supposed to be all "wink wink, nudge nudge," not "I'M GOING TO BE REALLY FUCKING BLATANT WHILE TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT SHIT AND NOT GET IN LEGAL TROUBLE."

A tip: strive to be more observant and considerate. It might help you understand things, and not have to ask mindless questions.

Beyond that, it's unfortunate this happened, as I was eagerly awaiting the chance to purchase the application myself. Once payday came, it had already been taken down for the aforementioned reasons. I definitely look forward to the new version.

[Kidzukai]

sadface, was planning on getting this tomorrow, too. Good luck on the new version; looking forward to picking it up when it's ready.

[Cyprias]

Oh I see haha. I usually observe sarcasm quite easily. That one caught me off guard I guess, my bad.

[Ladymist]

any update regarding this app? I got a Ipod Touch for Christmas and now i want this app.

[Chen]

someone port it to PC for download gdi!

[Tsuko_Asura]

Anyway, back on topic.

The solution that I'm working on will allow the user to provide item icons for the app.

The app will "ship" with default images, ie generic sword, generic helm, etc... I will not and cannot supply you with any copyrighted images, so...

I'm making public a more user friendly version of the tool I created to gather all of the icons in the first place. The OSX version is almost done, I'll port it to Windows shortly after. This will allow you to create a zip archive of properly named (for the iPhone app) icons.

the iPhone app will allow you to get your "user-generated" icons onto the phone/ipod in one of two ways.
1. Mass import via ftp. Upload the zip file created by the previously mentioned icon tool.
*Requires use of an ftp client (FileZilla is known to work well w/the Ftp Server Lib I'm using)

2. Provide a url to an image. This will be a way for you to update the icon for an item w/in the app itself.



Anyway, this is what I'm currently working on. I'll keep you all updated as things get closer to ready for submission to the app store.

Why you didn't redirect all of this time and energy to making an application that everyone could use is beyond me.