GoUniverse (New KGS client)

[Nyanjilla]

It's seems like i got a ban for talking to much about GoUniverse in the EGR.
"the rule is: "no more than one ad per 24 hours for the entire server". Not three within 30 minutes."

Or it's not me got ban again?

Akkkkk.... it looks like the same problem. Someone else being naughty, from your GoUniverse's IP address, so everyone got booted. But I see that another admin cleared the block eventually.

[Bonobo]

Dear KOCMOHABT, since I am a curious person, I need to know: are you involved with the “new” (i.e. apparently hijacked) Advanced Study Room (ASR)?

Because … please see for yourself. You may have already ready my ranting comment on G+, though, since I tagged you in it

[Go_Japan]

http://lifein19x19.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=13705

This post of ASR, aren't they supposed to mention OP?

Dear KOCMOHABT, since I am a curious person, I need to know: are you involved with the “new” (i.e. apparently hijacked) Advanced Study Room (ASR)?

Because … please see for yourself. You may have already ready my ranting comment on G+, though, since I tagged you in it

I think the more people that use this client the better. I am not associated with ASR at all, but I don't really think there is any problem in advertising the client. The only thing you might take issue is that they didn't mention the creator. I don't really think even that is a major issue though, since KOCMOHABT could put his name right smack in the middle of the log in page if he wanted to.

I also assume that KOCMOHABT will somehow monetize this in the future and the more people you get hooked in beta, the better you will be when it is released.

As a side note, I could not read the full post from ASR because it wouldn't load. I kept getting an browser error.

[KOCMOHABT]

Dear KOCMOHABT, since I am a curious person, I need to know: are you involved with the “new” (i.e. apparently hijacked) Advanced Study Room (ASR)?

Because … please see for yourself. You may have already ready my ranting comment on G+, though, since I tagged you in it

The answer is: i'm not involved in this at all, more over nobody from ASR didn't contact with me. Despite this, they had wrote "We are in an intensive dialogue with the programmer to develope the application further on to cover your needs."

But, i must agree with @Go_Japan, there is nothing bad if they will use my app. But it's bad when whey are lying about developing.

[Bonobo]

But, i must agree with @Go_Japan, there is nothing bad if they will use my app.

I tend to disagree about this.

The way they put it, it looks as if GoUniverse is a brainchild of ASR, or at least as if it were a commissioned work, as if they were the principal and you were just a mere contractor.

And about possible monetizing … ASR’s way of claiming the credits for GoUniverse while not even mentioning the developer’s name, well, you just connect the dots … just watch what’s going on, be careful whom you trust or whom you allow to use your credentials, your work, and in which way.

I’m done here, I think … all I wanted was to direct your attention to these things which seem VERY odd to me (to say the least), and because I have seen similar things before, and they culminated in a very ugly way.

[LocoRon]

The way they put it, it looks as if GoUniverse is a brainchild of ASR, or at least as if it were a commissioned work, as if they were the principal and you were just a mere contractor.

This is the way I read it as well. Like they're trying to advertise their own software.

In my mind, this alone elevates them from mere spammers to something more harmful, more insidious.

[Go_Japan]

But, i must agree with @Go_Japan, there is nothing bad if they will use my app.

I tend to disagree about this.

The way they put it, it looks as if GoUniverse is a brainchild of ASR, or at least as if it were a commissioned work, as if they were the principal and you were just a mere contractor.

And about possible monetizing … ASR’s way of claiming the credits for GoUniverse while not even mentioning the developer’s name, well, you just connect the dots … just watch what’s going on, be careful whom you trust or whom you allow to use your credentials, your work, and in which way.

I’m done here, I think … all I wanted was to direct your attention to these things which seem VERY odd to me (to say the least), and because I have seen similar things before, and they culminated in a very ugly way.

The issues here are a bit complicated. There is no way that they can claim owndership over the software. It is clear under US copyright law (that is extended many places around the world) based on the DMCA, that the ownership of the software is the developer, even if it is open source.
They are a bit misleading in their statements on the webpage announcement

Luckily now we can announce a java free, purely web browser based solution we like to introduce to our > 345 league members.

The way they describe it here is as if it is their software, but it is only implicit. They are announcing it, but they don't say that it is theirs specifically. There is not much you can really argue with here I think. If they added a line, "developed by xxx" there is nothing wrong with the above passage. The omission of that statement is not ideal, but also doesn't specifically claim ownership or development by ASR.

The first alpha test by the ASR team is promising (see screenshots). We are in an intensive dialogue with the programmer to develope the application further on to cover your needs.

This is strange considering that the developer said they haven't been contacted by ASR. I am not sure why ASR would say it because this implies much a tighter connection between ASR and the software. However, this negates any and all ownership rights because they specifically say that they are not in fact doing the work themselves.

Overall, I think it is annoying and perhaps a bit of plagiarism, but nothing legally wrong here.

The guy/girl who is actually hosting the software and allowing people to play it without the extension I think is potentially a bigger problem. If the developer decides to monetize the software through ads or something, they would have to get this person to remove it from their server because they could run it without ads or with their own monetization.

That's my opinion anyway. I think probably this is more about ASR and the rift they created with some members of this community rather than between ASR and the developer of GoUniverse.

I would recommend that GoUniverse make it explicit that the software cannot be hosted on a website without permission. They may also wish to add some other legalese to a copyright notice to be sure everyone is clear about the developers position.

[quanloh]

All these only remind me about the new management member of ASR who is good at marketing(or lying in this case).

[yishn]

Even though ASR has done nothing legally wrong, it's still kind of disrespectful and obnoxious. I have to agree with @Bonobo. Also, why do you have to register in the ASR forums as a beta tester? That's pure misdirection.

I would recommend that GoUniverse make it explicit that the software cannot be hosted on a website without permission. They may also wish to add some other legalese to a copyright notice to be sure everyone is clear about the developers position.

IMHO this would go against the idea of open source. It should be free for any other developer to take GoUniverse, modify it, and republish it with the requirements stated under the license (LGPL).

[KOCMOHABT]

Some screenshot will come and reveal the mystery )

[Bonobo]

Pls see also here: ASR league seeks Beta testers for html5 browser client

[Satorian]

Did I get that right, that it would be possible to host the extension's code on an own web server and run it from there? Would be interesting for using it with an Android tablet, where the browser doesn't support extensions.

[Go_Japan]

Did I get that right, that it would be possible to host the extension's code on an own web server and run it from there? Would be interesting for using it with an Android tablet, where the browser doesn't support extensions.

Someone is hosting it already: http://gou.coildomain.com/

[Go_Japan]

Even though ASR has done nothing legally wrong, it's still kind of disrespectful and obnoxious. I have to agree with @Bonobo. Also, why do you have to register in the ASR forums as a beta tester? That's pure misdirection.

I would recommend that GoUniverse make it explicit that the software cannot be hosted on a website without permission. They may also wish to add some other legalese to a copyright notice to be sure everyone is clear about the developers position.

IMHO this would go against the idea of open source. It should be free for any other developer to take GoUniverse, modify it, and republish it with the requirements stated under the license (LGPL).

I don't write software, but I know there are a lot of different licenses out there. The owner can relicense the software anytime they wish. I don't know how "open" software must be to be considered "open source" and whether it is possible to monetize it or not under a very broad open license. Still it does not change the fact that the developer owns the copyright to the software. That won't change no matter how open the licensing is.
I have seen software that was first open source and free change to a paid sub version later as it was developed and updated.

[KOCMOHABT]

Did I get that right, that it would be possible to host the extension's code on an own web server and run it from there? Would be interesting for using it with an Android tablet, where the browser doesn't support extensions.

As was mentioned above, there is a such server already, but that guy/girl doesn't update it somewhy. That's why some functions doesn't work there, like a creating challenge for example. For now you can launch your server, but i wouldn't recommend that, because my app doesn't adapted to tablets and phones. I don't know why some of you guys can't wait a little bit more, when i will release a good version for tablets and phones. It's hard to say when it certainly will be, but it will be done for sure.

PS: Btw, i had waited yesterday for 8 hours an email from ASR legaue and got nothing. Asked about that LinuxGooo before i was going to sleep, he said that i should wait 1 more hour. Still no any email today. And that is what they call "We are in an intensive dialogue with the programmer" )