hello first of all, thanks for your answer and IMDbPY!
>> i've written a desktop movie database app that uses IMDbPY to >> fetch movie information (http://www.corecode.at/moviedb/index.html). > > Cool - when it's available to download, drop me a note (with a > short description and the license) so that I can add it to the list > of IMDbPY-based programs. given you encouraging answer i hope to be able to make a beta release in the next few days. > >> but now that the project approaches readiness for public consumption >> i have some doubts if the "IMDB conditions of use" > > Recurring question, as you can imagine. :-) yeah sorry i had look at everything on the imdbpy website and also looked into the e-mail list archives but didn't find anything besides the small disclaimer site. perhaps most of the contents of this e-mail could be copied there? > [...] >> >> really it seems like using the plain text data files they are >> distributing is the only legal way? > > In my opinion, the real discrimination is amongst the ways you > (and your users) will use your program and - even more important - > the information fetched from IMDb (whether their come from the > web site or from the plain text data files). > To explain myself: the important thing is that you (or your users) > do not make a profit out of it. > I can foresee some problems if you sell your program, and > _very serious and well deserved_ problems if you resell the data > you gather. ok thanks. indeed i do not plan to sell my app. anyway, this sounds a bit like "using IMDbPY or distributing a app that uses IMDbPY to fetch movie information is illegal, but they won't come after you until you make a profit out of it". > Those information are _their_ property, and you must not profit from > them. For no reason and in no way. it's a bit disturbing that the data is their property although most of it has been entered by users, akin to the gracenote thing. > > Basically, as long as you (and your users) use it for your own > personal and non-commercial reasons, I guess it's fine. given i've put so much time into the app already i guess i'll just put the app online and if they don't like it they can always let me know and i'll take it down. > This means no reselling (of the data or of a service based on > that data) and no republishing under no circumstances [2]. yeah i think so much is obvious. > Fetching data for your own good, with no economic return (not > even in the form of ads associated to your program or their data, > for example) is fine, and there's not much difference if you > access it through a browser or another program. right. therefore i find it a bit weird that they explicitly forbid extracting data from their webpage and on the other hand they put those useless text database online. > >> also AFAIK the local access module was removed from IMDbPY and i >> have the impression using the SQL module is difficult in my case - >> since it is a self contained desktop app. > > It's not that bad (it's practically identical to accessing the web > server), but it's true that you'll force your users to run the > imdbpy2sql.py script and download the plain text data files. > Not exactly two trivial tasks, for a lot of people. :-) especially mac users ;-> > > By the way, check if the information you need are accessible also > via the 'mobile' data access system: it's faster and requires less > bandwidth (but beware that the cast list will be shorter, some > information will be missing and it's more prone to break, in case > the html of the IMDb site changes). ok thanks. > >> what is with the programs listed on the IMDbPY Programs site? are >> they ignoring the issue? do any of them use the http access module? > > Most of them use the 'http' access module and a lot of them asked > me your same question. :-) > > Some (but here I'm mostly talking about writers of similar > libraries, especially in the past), have even tried to ask permission > to write this kind of program. > Unfortunately, besides for some very rare exceptions, almost > everyone got the wrong (standard) reply from IMDb's sell dept and > they were invited to buy a licence (which - if I remember correctly - > starts at 50,000 dollars). the website lists 15.000 now. which is ridiculous, there surely is demand for apps which can fetch movie info from imdb for personal usage. that is a scenario they don't seem to anticipate. i'm sure they could make some money there, e.g. request a profit share in paid apps and require showing their ads in free apps. > > To conclude: I've never intended IMDbPY to be a tool to break some > copyrighted material and I've always asked IMDbPY users (end users > and programmers) to do the same; it's their data with their terms > of use and they must be respected. > IMDbPY is almost 6 years old, and is by far the most complete and > widespread library to access IMDb's data. IMDb is by now well aware > of its existence [3], to the extent of a public praise from Col Needham > himself, from what I've heard. > Anyway if I'm found dead tomorrow, killed by a bunch of ninjas, you know > who to blame. ;-) > > I hope this more or less answers your questions. thanks a lot! > > PS: your application looks very cool, and I loved Flesh+Blood, with > my myth Rutger Hauer and a very young Jennifer Jason Leigh [4]! :-) ;-) i hope the app is ready soon, though you'll need a mac to use it. thanks, julian ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Verizon Developer Community Take advantage of Verizon's best-in-class app development support A streamlined, 14 day to market process makes app distribution fast and easy Join now and get one step closer to millions of Verizon customers http://p.sf.net/sfu/verizon-dev2dev _______________________________________________ Imdbpy-help mailing list Imdbpy-help@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/imdbpy-help
