WW Points (Weight Watchers point calculator) v1.0.0 (7/23)

taalibeen · 07/23/2009, 04:15 PM

For anyone that is, will be be on, or have someone close to you that is on Weight Watchers, here's an app that allows you to figure out how many "points" your food is worth according to WW standards.

Select the appropriate number of calories, fat, and fiber per serving and there you go!

ADGrant · 07/23/2009, 04:22 PM

I had an app that did this on PalmOS and also tracked points and set the points budget. WW sued the developer.

taalibeen · 07/23/2009, 04:49 PM

Well they must be suing a lot of people. There's hundreds of sites up around the net that have the formula.

Colonel Kernel · 07/23/2009, 04:51 PM

Yeah, if you were looking to get the Homebrew scene some attention, this ain't how to do it. WW, I think, has their method patented.

This may be less of an issue these days as the POINTS system is no longer WW's focus and I find that CNET is also brazzen enough to distribute the app.
WWCalc - Calculator & Journal - Free software downloads and reviews - CNET Download.com

For the record, WWcalc was better than the official WW app in many ways.

Darth Pooh · 07/23/2009, 05:04 PM

Diets are for sissy's

Changed the title to reflect the forum guidelines.

taalibeen · 05:57 PM

[QUOTE]Yeah, if you were looking to get the Homebrew scene some attention, this ain't how to do it. WW, I think, has their method patented.[\QUOTE]

I'm not a developer per se, I'm an Oracle DBA.

The little apps I've done are pretty much for my own benefit, and I thought I'd share them. I could really care less if any of my 'lil apps gets famous (which I would highly doubt anyway!)

Habla! - my wife is Puerto Rican, and I've been learning Spanish, that was why I made it.

WW Points - my wife did WW to trim down for our wedding. Even though she's no longer really doing WW, and we're active in the gym and salsa dancing, sometimes she still looks at food and asks, "I wonder how many points this is?"

So, I made WW Points to answer that question for her.

The formula I used is publicly accessible anyway: Weight Watchers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Colonel Kernel · 06:50 PM

Of course the formula is available. It's been patented. When you patent something you have to tell people what it is you've patented. There is no such thing as a secret patent.

I understand that you made it for your wife, but to then release it is, yes, technically going over the line.

If Weight Watcher's never says anything then you're fine, but it's a risk I wouldn't take.

taalibeen · 07/23/2009, 07:11 PM

Reading more into it, what is copyrighted is the CURRENT formula, which differs from the one I used, and is widely available around the net.

Apparently, it would only be an issue if I used the current formula which is available (in theory) only to WW members.

Since that is not the case, put your fears aside - and if you need it, use WW Points! LOL.

On a side note, if for some incredibly strange reason, WW decided to come after me - bypassing the 100+ sites using the same formula (which IS NOT copyrighted) - it would only be a testament to the power of the Pre!

kreed · 07/23/2009, 07:35 PM

Believe it or not, it's the "Points" that is their copyright. Just don't say points, and don't reference weight watchers. Otherwise, yeah, they are sue happy unfortunately. Cease and Desist will hit precentral in about 2-3 days.

taalibeen · 07/23/2009, 09:43 PM

Mods, if you're listening - please rename this thread to WW "Things a a QB scores when he completes a pass to a wide receiver who happens to have already crossed the goal line" calculator, and change all references of weight watchers to "people who think they've eaten one too many donuts."

That should solve any legal issues.

Colonel Kernel · 07/23/2009, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taalibeen

Mods, if you're listening - please rename this thread to WW "Things a a QB scores when he completes a pass to a wide receiver who happens to have already crossed the goal line" calculator, and change all references of weight watchers to "people who think they've eaten one too many donuts."

That should solve any legal issues.

Der.

You're right, the formula is NOT copywritten. It's patented: 6040531, 6878885.

But if iPhone and other apps exist unthreatened, as I've just learned, then likely you will be fine. But not because you're in the right, because they choose not to enforce their patent.

Darth Pooh · 07/23/2009, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taalibeen

Mods, if you're listening - please rename this thread to WW "Things a a QB scores when he completes a pass to a wide receiver who happens to have already crossed the goal line" calculator, and change all references of weight watchers to "people who think they've eaten one too many donuts."

That should solve any legal issues.

If you wish, I'll change it... but let's get that guy a lil shorter yano?

biggamer3 · 07/23/2009, 10:27 PM

Great app!

Sky Nazi · 07/24/2009, 10:54 AM

In order to create a "patent friendly" app, the application should allow the user to assign the values in the equation for calculating "points" or "food values."

taalibeen · 07/24/2009, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky ****

In order to create a "patent friendly" app, the application should allow the user to assign the values in the equation for calculating "points" or "food values."

I'm not quite sure I understand your suggestion.

CTL Advance · 07/24/2009, 11:30 AM

Most likely the other apps license the patent from WW.

I was going to work on this myself but looks liek you beat me to it. PreFart has taken most of my time.

Great App!

WAMS · 07/25/2009, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CTL Advance

Most likely the other apps license the patent from WW.

I was going to work on this myself but looks liek you beat me to it. PreFart has taken most of my time.

Great App!

LMFAO.......PRE FARTS HAS TAKEN TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME..... HAHAHAHA AND YOU ADMITTED IT

g33kgirl · 12:32 PM

OMG thank you! I hate having to log onto the website, zoom in on the screen just to see the fields. This will have me so much time.

Suggestion: let the user enter values from keyboard. It would be quicker.

johnknapik · 07/26/2009, 03:31 PM

Nice quick app... thanks!

mackgunz · 07/26/2009, 05:54 PM

thanks

07/23/2009, 04:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
ADGrant Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,905 Likes Received: 7 Thanks: 76 Thanked 105 Times in 82 Posts	I had an app that did this on PalmOS and also tracked points and set the points budget. WW sued the developer.
	Liked by

07/23/2009, 04:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
taalibeen Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 249 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 13 Thanked 69 Times in 26 Posts	Well they must be suing a lot of people. There's hundreds of sites up around the net that have the formula.
	Liked by

07/23/2009, 04:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
Colonel Kernel Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 773 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 191 Thanked 101 Times in 58 Posts	Yeah, if you were looking to get the Homebrew scene some attention, this ain't how to do it. WW, I think, has their method patented. This may be less of an issue these days as the POINTS system is no longer WW's focus and I find that CNET is also brazzen enough to distribute the app. WWCalc - Calculator & Journal - Free software downloads and reviews - CNET Download.com For the record, WWcalc was better than the official WW app in many ways.
	Liked by Thanked By: ame

07/23/2009, 05:04 PM	#5 (permalink)
Darth Pooh Sith Lord of the Honey Pot Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,379 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 62 Thanked 229 Times in 95 Posts	Diets are for sissy's Changed the title to reflect the forum guidelines.
	Liked by

07/23/2009, 05:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
taalibeen Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 249 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 13 Thanked 69 Times in 26 Posts	[QUOTE]Yeah, if you were looking to get the Homebrew scene some attention, this ain't how to do it. WW, I think, has their method patented.[\QUOTE] I'm not a developer per se, I'm an Oracle DBA. The little apps I've done are pretty much for my own benefit, and I thought I'd share them. I could really care less if any of my 'lil apps gets famous (which I would highly doubt anyway!) Habla! - my wife is Puerto Rican, and I've been learning Spanish, that was why I made it. WW Points - my wife did WW to trim down for our wedding. Even though she's no longer really doing WW, and we're active in the gym and salsa dancing, sometimes she still looks at food and asks, "I wonder how many points this is?" So, I made WW Points to answer that question for her. The formula I used is publicly accessible anyway: Weight Watchers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Last edited by taalibeen; 07/23/2009 at 05:57 PM. Reason: Formatting
	Liked by

07/23/2009, 06:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
Colonel Kernel Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 773 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 191 Thanked 101 Times in 58 Posts	Of course the formula is available. It's been patented. When you patent something you have to tell people what it is you've patented. There is no such thing as a secret patent. I understand that you made it for your wife, but to then release it is, yes, technically going over the line. If Weight Watcher's never says anything then you're fine, but it's a risk I wouldn't take. Last edited by Colonel Kernel; 07/23/2009 at 06:50 PM.
	Liked by

07/23/2009, 07:11 PM	#8 (permalink)
taalibeen Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 249 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 13 Thanked 69 Times in 26 Posts	Reading more into it, what is copyrighted is the CURRENT formula, which differs from the one I used, and is widely available around the net. Apparently, it would only be an issue if I used the current formula which is available (in theory) only to WW members. Since that is not the case, put your fears aside - and if you need it, use WW Points! LOL. On a side note, if for some incredibly strange reason, WW decided to come after me - bypassing the 100+ sites using the same formula (which IS NOT copyrighted) - it would only be a testament to the power of the Pre!
	Liked by

07/23/2009, 07:35 PM	#9 (permalink)
kreed Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 5 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Believe it or not, it's the "Points" that is their copyright. Just don't say points, and don't reference weight watchers. Otherwise, yeah, they are sue happy unfortunately. Cease and Desist will hit precentral in about 2-3 days.
	Liked by

07/23/2009, 09:43 PM	#10 (permalink)
taalibeen Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 249 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 13 Thanked 69 Times in 26 Posts	Mods, if you're listening - please rename this thread to WW "Things a a QB scores when he completes a pass to a wide receiver who happens to have already crossed the goal line" calculator, and change all references of weight watchers to "people who think they've eaten one too many donuts." That should solve any legal issues.
	Liked by

07/23/2009, 10:27 PM	#13 (permalink)
biggamer3 Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 535 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 22 Thanked 18 Times in 12 Posts	Great app!
	Liked by

07/24/2009, 10:54 AM	#14 (permalink)
Sky Nazi Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 99 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 24 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	In order to create a "patent friendly" app, the application should allow the user to assign the values in the equation for calculating "points" or "food values."
	Liked by

07/24/2009, 11:30 AM	#16 (permalink)
CTL Advance Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New York Posts: 246 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 45 Thanked 54 Times in 20 Posts	Most likely the other apps license the patent from WW. I was going to work on this myself but looks liek you beat me to it. PreFart has taken most of my time. Great App! __________________ Devices: Blackberry 7130, 8130, 8330, HTC Touch Pro, Treo 600, 700wx, Pro, Palm Pre
	Liked by

07/26/2009, 11:49 AM	#18 (permalink)
g33kgirl Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 44 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 3 Thanked 8 Times in 4 Posts	OMG thank you! I hate having to log onto the website, zoom in on the screen just to see the fields. This will have me so much time. Suggestion: let the user enter values from keyboard. It would be quicker. Last edited by g33kgirl; 07/26/2009 at 12:32 PM. Reason: Suggestion
	Liked by

07/26/2009, 03:31 PM	#19 (permalink)
johnknapik Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 39 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 24 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Nice quick app... thanks!
	Liked by

07/26/2009, 05:54 PM	#20 (permalink)
mackgunz Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 24 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	thanks
	Liked by

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