Gatherer Downloader App (v1.6.8) [hq pics / card database]

[Ark]

v1.6.2 posted at http://ark42.com/mtg/gathererdownloader ... -1.6.2.zip
Fixed a small bug where downloading the same set twice would mess up the card IDs on cards with alternate arts, which would then make saving to sqlite fail.
Added Commander's Arsenal to the default set list.

[Ark]

v1.6.3 posted at http://ark42.com/mtg/gathererdownloader ... -1.6.3.zip
Added work-around for hybrid mana symbol issues in rulings text on Gatherer.

[Ark]

v1.6.4 posted at http://ark42.com/mtg/gathererdownloader ... -1.6.4.zip
Added work-arounds for various un-card issues.

[skibulk]

Does anybody have old databases from Gatherer? Ones which would reflect the original wording from WotC and not the Oracle updated text? Even under the "Display: Printed" tab some text is not accurate. It would be helpful to have a few versions, maybe one per year since Gatherer first launched.

[Ark]

I don't personally keep them around, no.

[woogerboy21]

Looks like the gatherer must have changed. Your app appears to not be collecting the data correctly any longer. Any chance you can take a quick look and if its an easy fix fix it? My HTA still collects data correctly so I'm guessing they have not changed the actual page layouts that the gatherer outputs to web browsers when people query for things.

[Ark]

Wtf.. they removed the : from Name on the text spoiler pages like http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Searc ... ecial=true

Why would they even make a change like that?

[Ark]

v1.6.5 posted at http://ark42.com/mtg/gathererdownloader ... -1.6.5.zip
Added work-around for recent changes to Gatherer pages.
Added Gatecrash and Sorin vs. Tibalt to the default set list.

[woogerboy21]

That's funny. My guess would be an attempt to stop people from scraping the site?

[Ark]

I doubt it. It's most likely just some accident in all likelihood.

[skibulk]

Not to mention that's horrible for SEO. Google has already indexed all those pages by the old url.

[Ark]

The URLs did not change.

[woogerboy21]

I dont know. With the sending of a C&D letter to the cockatrice application it sounds like Hasbro might be trying to put a few steps in place to prevent applications from scraping the gatherer site. Not that what they did was very complicated to figure out.

[Ark]

Cockatrice was a pretty gross pile of obvious copyright violation. Simply scraping data or using Wizard's card text or pictures is not automatically copyright infringement by itself. Creating a competing game that takes sales away from MTGO, by using Wizard's own copyrighted property is surely something that have to go after.

Using card text or card images as reference material such as on eBay sales or in Star City articles or TCGPlayer card listings is something that is surely covered under fair use clauses. Further, reproducing the data in other formats such as on Android devices (like my apps http://ark42.com/mtg/gather42/ and http://ark42.com/mtg/judge42/ ) is a huge benefit to players and judges alike. Not something I really think Wizard's is going to frown upon.

[woogerboy21]

I didn't (and still don't) see cockatrice as what you describe. It don't see how the app creates a competing application to MTGO and still have yet to understand how people think that it takes sales away from the MTGO product. To me what your describing is some how the manufacturer of a game can prevent people from communicating the mechanics of a game.

Whether or not I have a pretty pretty GUI in front of me from an electronic device, I'm sitting across from my competitor verbally talking with him, or I'm in IRC simply typing away on my keyboard, the game is still being played. If an application such as cockatrice didn't contain any of the information from wizards site and simply allowed you to overlay information into the games engine but allowed the functionality it does, would Wizards / Hasbro still have the rights to close it down in your mind?

To me if cockatrice is an "gross pile of obvious copyright violation", apps such as "Magic Workstation" or "LackyCCG" (and many more) fall into the same realm.