SumoPaint

[mankmil]

Hi there,

I found SumoPaint which is really cool, free painting app created with flash.
I get the .swf file by examining the source code of the website and was able to pack it as a enyo WebOS app that runs pretty good on the touchpad.
My question is whether I am allowed to post it here or on preware. Any suggestions?

[GMMan]

I would say no, unless you get prior approval from the developer.

[Remy X]

Originally Posted by mankmil

Hi there,

I found SumoPaint which is really cool, free painting app created with flash.
I get the .swf file by examining the source code of the website and was able to pack it as a enyo WebOS app that runs pretty good on the touchpad.
My question is whether I am allowed to post it here or on preware. Any suggestions?

You can find a Flash decompiler app and examine the source of the .swf, then write your own paint app in either flash or utilizing canvas. Then you'll be free and clear as long as you write you code from scratch and have the mods take down this thread.

But talking to the developer might be an easier road to take...

[GMMan]

Won't you be effected by the copyrighted work, making your "cleanroom" version looking suspiciously similar?

[GMMan]

Originally Posted by dignitary

Get permission or have a lawyer handy. Those are pretty much your options.

They'd probably be very unhappy to know someone's packaged it as an app without their permission to begin with. Not cool.

I usually work on something, then before releasing it, ask the developers. Some are receptive, while others not so much. I freaked out one dev by modding his game engine and generally screwing around with it. I don't think he made all that big of a deal of it by the end.

[Remy X]

Originally Posted by GMMan

Won't you be effected by the copyrighted work, making your "cleanroom" version looking suspiciously similar?

That just depends on the skill and creativity of the developer. Even big names like Microsoft and Google have had times where their devs turned to "reverse lazyneering" rather than code from scratch. Some have been caught, some haven't, but when you have a different syntax style and app structure with your own improvements to the algorithms and UI, you can pass it off as your own work.

If the original dev used anything generic that can be found in a web-based tutorial, the copycat is even safer.

There's no absolutes here, what's true in one case doesn't always carry over to the next.. The situation is too fluid, with many variables to consider before saying yes or no...