Legal PHP related question!

[jn]

Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be notified if
another site changes?

Let's say I use PHP to watch all sites in a webring/network/whatever...can
people pay me to be notified when those sites change?

Thanks

[OneSolution]

Re: Legal PHP related question!

Why don't you start it, and then stop if someone complains?

I mean, cash in hand ain't a bad thing.


"jn" <jsumner1@cfl.r r.com> wrote in message
news:BPWwb.7873 2$86.1038211@tw ister.tampabay. rr.com...[color=blue]
> Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be notified[/color]
if[color=blue]
> another site changes?
>
> Let's say I use PHP to watch all sites in a webring/network/whatever...can
> people pay me to be notified when those sites change?
>
> Thanks
>
>[/color]

[jn]

Re: Legal PHP related question!

"OneSolutio n" <onesolution@ja takainc.com> wrote in message
news:GeXwb.97$k Y5.76565596@new ssvr11.news.pro digy.com...[color=blue]
> Why don't you start it, and then stop if someone complains?
>
> I mean, cash in hand ain't a bad thing.
>
>
> "jn" <jsumner1@cfl.r r.com> wrote in message
> news:BPWwb.7873 2$86.1038211@tw ister.tampabay. rr.com...[color=green]
> > Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be[/color][/color]
notified[color=blue]
> if[color=green]
> > another site changes?
> >
> > Let's say I use PHP to watch all sites in a[/color][/color]
webring/network/whatever...can[color=blue][color=green]
> > people pay me to be notified when those sites change?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >[/color]
>[/color]

It's bad if I have to give it all back when the service is shut down ;)

[timmeh]

Re: Legal PHP related question!

I don't see how it could be.. Unless you actually have to make a copy of the
site in order to watch it..


"jn" <jsumner1@cfl.r r.com> wrote in message
news:BPWwb.7873 2$86.1038211@tw ister.tampabay. rr.com...[color=blue]
> Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be notified[/color]
if[color=blue]
> another site changes?
>
> Let's say I use PHP to watch all sites in a webring/network/whatever...can
> people pay me to be notified when those sites change?
>
> Thanks
>
>[/color]

[jn]

Re: Legal PHP related question!

"timmeh" <timmeh@insight bb.com> wrote in message
news:0OYwb.3089 39$Tr4.977054@a ttbi_s03...[color=blue]
> I don't see how it could be.. Unless you actually have to make a copy of[/color]
the[color=blue]
> site in order to watch it..
>
>
> "jn" <jsumner1@cfl.r r.com> wrote in message
> news:BPWwb.7873 2$86.1038211@tw ister.tampabay. rr.com...[color=green]
> > Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be[/color][/color]
notified[color=blue]
> if[color=green]
> > another site changes?
> >
> > Let's say I use PHP to watch all sites in a[/color][/color]
webring/network/whatever...can[color=blue][color=green]
> > people pay me to be notified when those sites change?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >[/color]
>
>
>[/color]

The thing is, I'm setting up a site to specifically make money off of their
network. I dunno, maybe it is legal :)

[Wald]

Re: Legal PHP related question!

"jn" <jsumner1@cfl.r r.com> wrote:[color=blue]
> The thing is, I'm setting up a site to specifically make money
> off of their network. I dunno, maybe it is legal :)[/color]

Why don't you just ask them? Anyway, the way you state it here, it
sounds as if they might severely object to your plans...

[jn]

Re: Legal PHP related question!

"Wald" <arnout.standae rt@n-o-s-p-a-m.cit.kuleuven. ac.be> wrote in message
news:Xns943F645 C77E78arnoutsta ndaertagrku@134 .58.127.12...[color=blue]
> "jn" <jsumner1@cfl.r r.com> wrote:[color=green]
> > The thing is, I'm setting up a site to specifically make money
> > off of their network. I dunno, maybe it is legal :)[/color]
>
> Why don't you just ask them? Anyway, the way you state it here, it
> sounds as if they might severely object to your plans...
>[/color]

Haha, probably :) But there are other sites that charge money to track
changes on websites. It's a little iffy. Maybe I will ask them.

[Kevin Thorpe]

Re: Legal PHP related question!

jn wrote:[color=blue]
> Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be notified if
> another site changes?
>
> Let's say I use PHP to watch all sites in a webring/network/whatever...can
> people pay me to be notified when those sites change?[/color]

IANAL, but what I would watch out for are:

1. does the website already offer *paid* update notification? If they do
then you are setting yourself up in competition. Not necessarily a bar
to you doing it, competition is protected by law usually, but could make
them take notice of you. If they offer free notification then I can't
see why they'd complain.

2. be careful about their bandwidth usage. This is the important one. If
you are scanning their whole site at 30 second intervals (say) then they
would have good cause to prosecute you for abuse of service. They could
also note this and ban your IP address killing your service.

Essentially what you are suggesting is a form of advertising for the
websites you monitor, paid for by a small(?) subscription to you. As
long as you can demonstrate benefits to the website owners then they are
likely to support you. If you start leeching their websites and charging
big bucks then you are certain to be hassled.

[Tim Tyler]

Re: Legal PHP related question!

jn <jsumner1@cfl.r r.com> wrote or quoted:
[color=blue]
> Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be notified if
> another site changes?[/color]

That's what http://www.netmind.com/ used to do.

Net Mind was free, though - and might not be a great example - since it
is no longer there.
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/ tim@tt1lock.org Remove lock to reply.

[jn]

Re: Legal PHP related question!

"Kevin Thorpe" <kevin@pricetra k.com> wrote in message
news:3fc47d2e$0 $25039$afc38c87 @news.easynet.c o.uk...[color=blue]
> jn wrote:[color=green]
> > Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be[/color][/color]
notified if[color=blue][color=green]
> > another site changes?
> >
> > Let's say I use PHP to watch all sites in a[/color][/color]
webring/network/whatever...can[color=blue][color=green]
> > people pay me to be notified when those sites change?[/color]
>
> IANAL, but what I would watch out for are:
>
> 1. does the website already offer *paid* update notification? If they do
> then you are setting yourself up in competition. Not necessarily a bar
> to you doing it, competition is protected by law usually, but could make
> them take notice of you. If they offer free notification then I can't
> see why they'd complain.
>
> 2. be careful about their bandwidth usage. This is the important one. If
> you are scanning their whole site at 30 second intervals (say) then they
> would have good cause to prosecute you for abuse of service. They could
> also note this and ban your IP address killing your service.
>
> Essentially what you are suggesting is a form of advertising for the
> websites you monitor, paid for by a small(?) subscription to you. As
> long as you can demonstrate benefits to the website owners then they are
> likely to support you. If you start leeching their websites and charging
> big bucks then you are certain to be hassled.
>
>[/color]

No, they don't have one. I'm going to be offering a system to users that I
have been using myself for a year.

It will update once or twice a day. I'm only getting the HTML of the page
remember....tha t's not a lot to transfer :)

[jn]

Re: Legal PHP related question!


"Tim Tyler" <tim@tt1lock.or g> wrote in message news:HoyH8v.Cv2 @bath.ac.uk...[color=blue]
> jn <jsumner1@cfl.r r.com> wrote or quoted:
>[color=green]
> > Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be[/color][/color]
notified if[color=blue][color=green]
> > another site changes?[/color]
>
> That's what http://www.netmind.com/ used to do.
>
> Net Mind was free, though - and might not be a great example - since it
> is no longer there.
> --
> __________
> |im |yler http://timtyler.org/ tim@tt1lock.org Remove lock to reply.
>[/color]

Here are some others:

http://www.trackengine.com/ , http://www.changedetection.com/ ,
http://www.infominder.com/ , and http://www.watchthatpage.com/

Some are free, some aren't. The difference is I will be targeting users of a
specific network, and they don't have to add the 300+ sites themselves one
at a time :)

[FLEB]

Re: Legal PHP related question!

Regarding this well-known quote, often attributed to OneSolution's famous
"Wed, 26 Nov 2003 05:54:46 GMT" speech:
[color=blue]
> Why don't you start it, and then stop if someone complains?
>
> I mean, cash in hand ain't a bad thing.
>
>
> "jn" <jsumner1@cfl.r r.com> wrote in message
> news:BPWwb.7873 2$86.1038211@tw ister.tampabay. rr.com...[color=green]
>> Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be notified[/color]
> if[color=green]
>> another site changes?
>>
>> Let's say I use PHP to watch all sites in a webring/network/whatever...can
>> people pay me to be notified when those sites change?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>[/color][/color]

Or, only take down people who complain.

--
-- Rudy Fleminger
-- sp@mmers.and.ev il.ones.will.bo w-down-to.us
(put "Hey!" in the Subject line for priority processing!)
-- http://www.pixelsaredead.com

[FLEB]

Re: Legal PHP related question!

Regarding this well-known quote, often attributed to jn's famous "Wed, 26
Nov 2003 19:06:58 GMT" speech:
[color=blue]
> "Kevin Thorpe" <kevin@pricetra k.com> wrote in message
> news:3fc47d2e$0 $25039$afc38c87 @news.easynet.c o.uk...[color=green]
>> jn wrote:[color=darkred]
>>> Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be[/color][/color]
> notified if[color=green][color=darkred]
>>> another site changes?
>>>
>>> Let's say I use PHP to watch all sites in a[/color][/color]
> webring/network/whatever...can[color=green][color=darkred]
>>> people pay me to be notified when those sites change?
>>> (smip)[/color][/color]
> It will update once or twice a day. I'm only getting the HTML of the page
> remember....tha t's not a lot to transfer :)[/color]

If their server works right, you might be able to get away just grabbing
the last-updated headers.

--
-- Rudy Fleminger
-- sp@mmers.and.ev il.ones.will.bo w-down-to.us
(put "Hey!" in the Subject line for priority processing!)
-- http://www.pixelsaredead.com

[jn]

Re: Legal PHP related question!

"FLEB" <soon.the.sp@mm ers.and.evil.on es.will.bow-down-to.us> wrote in
message news:qxppgmb2ly wq$.6mbdp5yxhh6 z$.dlg@40tude.n et...[color=blue]
> Regarding this well-known quote, often attributed to jn's famous "Wed, 26
> Nov 2003 19:06:58 GMT" speech:
>[color=green]
> > "Kevin Thorpe" <kevin@pricetra k.com> wrote in message
> > news:3fc47d2e$0 $25039$afc38c87 @news.easynet.c o.uk...[color=darkred]
> >> jn wrote:
> >>> Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be[/color]
> > notified if[color=darkred]
> >>> another site changes?
> >>>
> >>> Let's say I use PHP to watch all sites in a[/color]
> > webring/network/whatever...can[color=darkred]
> >>> people pay me to be notified when those sites change?
> >>> (smip)[/color]
> > It will update once or twice a day. I'm only getting the HTML of the[/color][/color]
page[color=blue][color=green]
> > remember....tha t's not a lot to transfer :)[/color]
>
> If their server works right, you might be able to get away just grabbing
> the last-updated headers.
>
> --
> -- Rudy Fleminger
> -- sp@mmers.and.ev il.ones.will.bo w-down-to.us
> (put "Hey!" in the Subject line for priority processing!)
> -- http://www.pixelsaredead.com
>[/color]

That was my first thought, but some of the pages in the network don't give
them. MD5 is pretty fast anyway :)

[Pablo]

Re: Legal PHP related question!


"jn" <jsumner1@cfl.r r.com> wrote in message
news:BPWwb.7873 2$86.1038211@tw ister.tampabay. rr.com...[color=blue]
> Is it illegal for me to set up a site where people can pay to be notified[/color]
if[color=blue]
> another site changes?
>
> Let's say I use PHP to watch all sites in a webring/network/whatever...can
> people pay me to be notified when those sites change?
>
> Thanks
>
>[/color]

There are a few services which offer this :

http://www.netmind.com/

http://www.changedetect.com/

http://www.mymindit.com/

And others...

Some browsers have an offline viewer capability. Does not seem illegal to
me. But you should consult an attorney if in doubt.

Pablo