Programming Forums > Community Forums > Coder's Corner Lounge

russianpirate · Jul 3rd, 2007, 12:45 AM

All I need to use from a Website (softpedia.com) is the version number (and maybe the download link) for several programs. First of all, I believe that's not original content by the website and second of all their Terms of Use don't say anything regarding that except that they own (copyright) everything. I'm planning to even add a "Powered by softpedia.com" in the statusbar or in a corner of my program. I believe it's fair use because I'm not stating I'm the creator/owner of the information I use and I also link to the website in my program. What are your opinions?

PS: By the way writing my 2nd somewhat "functional" program in Perl

DaWei · Jul 3rd, 2007, 9:30 AM

Ask them. Consult an attorney.

Eoin · Jul 3rd, 2007, 10:01 AM

For the most part Softpedia is just a catalogue, follows the links back to the authors homepage and ask them directly. Forget about the middleman.

russianpirate · Jul 3rd, 2007, 10:24 AM

Well I am downloading information from their site, not the authors. It's just a version number only.. I mean is it seriously illegal to use that information. I already contacted the websites, but right now I'm studying whether it would legal without their consent anyway.. cause a version number is a fact, they can't own copyright to it. Right?

PS: I don't have money to use a lawyer on this kind of thing. I'm only 16.

Duck · Jul 3rd, 2007, 10:36 AM

^^ What exactly does your program do, why do you want to download the version numbers? Or don't you want to say?

russianpirate · Jul 3rd, 2007, 10:38 AM

It tracks for software updates. Scans registry, detects installed programs, once a day or 12 hrs or so downloads htmls for those programs and looks at the version numbers. That's it. And it's non-commercial opensource, I could just post the code to my program online without the URLs and tell people what to put there. It's not like I'm violating the copyright.. that would be if I just use their whole site (or some created material) and say I made it. BUT, I am going to make it clear that softpedia.com was used for information.

Duck · Jul 3rd, 2007, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by russianpirate

It tracks for software updates. Scans registry, detects installed programs, once a day or 12 hrs or so downloads htmls for those programs and looks at the version numbers. That's it. And it's non-commercial opensource, I could just post the code to my program online without the URLs and tell people what to put there. It's not like I'm violating the copyright.. that would be if I just use their whole site (or some created material) and say I made it. BUT, I am going to make it clear that softpedia.com was used for information.

Sounds good.... and like fair use of their site (but I'm not a lawyer).

russianpirate · Jul 3rd, 2007, 11:08 AM

Yeah I'm going to wait a little while for more opinions from people and for that email from softpedia.

Eoin · Jul 3rd, 2007, 12:08 PM

I wouldn't worry about Softpedia, they never ask permission from anyone else in the first place. They have some of my Software up here and I know a number of other authors in the same boat.

In my case it doesn't bother me but I've heard one author complain that they direct link to the downloads and not the pages that host them, so your end-users might never even see your own little corner of the web.

russianpirate · Jul 3rd, 2007, 12:10 PM

Okay and anyway there's nothing about that in their terms of use right? Cause versiontracker specifically states no "data mining".. but that's cause VersionTracker has their own program Version Tracker lol I'm just making an open source version of that so people don't have to pay money anymore

Jul 3rd, 2007, 12:45 AM	#1
russianpirate Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	Fair Use? All I need to use from a Website (softpedia.com) is the version number (and maybe the download link) for several programs. First of all, I believe that's not original content by the website and second of all their Terms of Use don't say anything regarding that except that they own (copyright) everything. I'm planning to even add a "Powered by softpedia.com" in the statusbar or in a corner of my program. I believe it's fair use because I'm not stating I'm the creator/owner of the information I use and I also link to the website in my program. What are your opinions? PS: By the way writing my 2nd somewhat "functional" program in Perl

Jul 3rd, 2007, 9:30 AM	#2
DaWei Resident Grouch Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,453 Rep Power: 10	Ask them. Consult an attorney. __________________ Abstraction doesn't make it impossible to write bad code; it makes it possible to write superior code. Contributor's Corner: Grumpy on C++ Exceptions DaWei on Pointers

Jul 3rd, 2007, 10:01 AM	#3
Eoin Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 152 Rep Power: 3	For the most part Softpedia is just a catalogue, follows the links back to the authors homepage and ask them directly. Forget about the middleman. __________________ Visit my website BinaryNotions.

Jul 3rd, 2007, 12:08 PM	#9
Eoin Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 152 Rep Power: 3	I wouldn't worry about Softpedia, they never ask permission from anyone else in the first place. They have some of my Software up here and I know a number of other authors in the same boat. In my case it doesn't bother me but I've heard one author complain that they direct link to the downloads and not the pages that host them, so your end-users might never even see your own little corner of the web. __________________ Visit my website BinaryNotions.

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Jul 3rd, 2007, 10:24 AM	#4
russianpirate Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	Well I am downloading information from their site, not the authors. It's just a version number only.. I mean is it seriously illegal to use that information. I already contacted the websites, but right now I'm studying whether it would legal without their consent anyway.. cause a version number is a fact, they can't own copyright to it. Right? PS: I don't have money to use a lawyer on this kind of thing. I'm only 16.

Jul 3rd, 2007, 10:36 AM	#5
Duck Programmer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: England London Posts: 72 Rep Power: 3	^^ What exactly does your program do, why do you want to download the version numbers? Or don't you want to say?

Jul 3rd, 2007, 10:38 AM	#6
russianpirate Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	It tracks for software updates. Scans registry, detects installed programs, once a day or 12 hrs or so downloads htmls for those programs and looks at the version numbers. That's it. And it's non-commercial opensource, I could just post the code to my program online without the URLs and tell people what to put there. It's not like I'm violating the copyright.. that would be if I just use their whole site (or some created material) and say I made it. BUT, I am going to make it clear that softpedia.com was used for information.

Jul 3rd, 2007, 11:08 AM	#8
russianpirate Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	Yeah I'm going to wait a little while for more opinions from people and for that email from softpedia.

Jul 3rd, 2007, 12:10 PM	#10
russianpirate Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	Okay and anyway there's nothing about that in their terms of use right? Cause versiontracker specifically states no "data mining".. but that's cause VersionTracker has their own program Version Tracker lol I'm just making an open source version of that so people don't have to pay money anymore

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Fair Use?