[FX.php List] [XPOST]Any interest in using FX.php with FileMaker4.1?

Stephen Knight stephen at fmwebschool.com
Thu Jul 13 13:10:48 MDT 2006 

Dear Chris and List,

First I must apologize for my wording, it was incorrect, so Mr. Hansen need
not worry.  
We are not selling FX.php, RetroFX is not an FX.php class as I inadvertantly
said, 
it does not use any FX.php code,  it generates the XML that FX.php reads
therefore it is a server and FX.php is a RetroFX client.  As far as I can
tell..this does not violate the License Agreement.

* You allow people to download FX.php from your site, but only if they
provide their personal information.

The only information that we collect is information to help us provide
better products.  We have received hundreds of emails from individuals that
have thanked us for our products because the sample files that come with
FX.php were difficult and not intuitive.  We have worked hard and provided
numerous free resources for the FileMaker community.  Answred thousands of
emails when you were not avialable.  Created a strong forum for individuals
to ask questions and get help.  Created free working example files and given
them away, Gannt Charts, Graphing, CRM programs, survey examples files,
etc....  So if I am guilty of asking the following questions.

Name, email, business, type of OS, and would you like more information,
please forgive me.  What do I send these individuals?  A getting started kit
that helps them navigate through the world of FileMaker web publishing.  All
Free. Also, if they do not wish to provide their information they can still
download FX.php.  

* You don't inform people on the download page that yours is not the
official site, or that FX.php can be downloaded elsewhere without providing
this information.

FX.php is a free class written by Chris Hansen of iviking.org. (copied off
the front page of http://www.fxforge.net )

Perhaps it seems to you that no harm has been done, but I disagree:  
you once forwarded to me a bug fix that had been found by someone, and
reported to you.  Because this was sent to me without the person's name,
that person didn't get the credit that they deserved for that fix.  This
also implies that the person who emailed you assumed that FMWebschool was
responsible for FX.php and its maintenance.  You say you spent 60 hours on
this project, I've spent  
close to 1000; and many others have spent at least what you have.   
And yet you are the first to require payment for your contribution.   
Do you really feel that your contribution is more valuable than those of
others, or more worthwhile than FX.php itself?

I forwarded you several buggs, one when I was creating CAFEphp...I'm not
sure if I ever got credit or not, I'm truly not concerned with that...
Please don't get me started on how many thousands of hours I have given to
the FileMaker community.  Newsletter with over 5000 members, free forum over
500 members, Free blog http://www.fmwebschool.com/filemaker_consultant.htm
with tons of articles and contracts...

Sorry that you feel as if you must publicly lash out!!!

You are welcome in the FX.php community.  If you want to sell support for
FX.php, or training, that's great.  But please give credit where credit is
due, and don't violate the license.  I am very pleased with the open and
friendly way in which people help one another in this community.  And I
apologize for reacting so strongly, however the American legal system is
such that a trespass once allowed is hard to subsequently prohibit.  FX.php
is free and will remain so.  That is my promise to the community.

Hmmmm, after this attack..perhaps I would be better off getting some body
armour first.

In Kindness and bewilderment
Stephen Knight









In Kindness
Stephen K Knight
http://www.fmwebschool.com
800.353.7950 / 386.453.5843
FMWebschool, we bring the web to life 
FX.PHP PHP XML MySQL CDML ASP
-----Original Message-----
From: fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org
[mailto:fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org] On Behalf Of Chris Hansen
Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2006 2:29 PM
To: FX.php Discussion List
Subject: Re: [FX.php List] [XPOST]Any interest in using FX.php with
FileMaker4.1?

Stephen,

By the terms of the license of FX.php you are NOT allowed to sell any
product which uses FX.php code, unless you make some arrangement with those
who have created the base class; and since I maintain FX.php, that means me.
You have made no effort to do this.  I appreciate that you need to run a
business, but you cannot legally sell a work derived from FX.php.  In the
past, you have sold related products which didn't actually incorporate
FX.php code and that's fine.  But charging for a modified version is another
matter.  If you want to contribute to FX.php, that would be great, but it
seems like you're generally missing the point of open source.  Of course,
you could charge a fee to some people, as long as the source code were
freely and readily available for download from your site.  That way, those
who wanted to contribute could, but anyone could use it (or improve it.)

I have to say that I feel that your participation with FX.php is somewhat
disingenuous:

* You allow people to download FX.php from your site, but only if they
provide their personal information.

* You don't inform people on the download page that yours is not the
official site, or that FX.php can be downloaded elsewhere without providing
this information.

Perhaps it seems to you that no harm has been done, but I disagree:  
you once forwarded to me a bug fix that had been found by someone, and
reported to you.  Because this was sent to me without the person's name,
that person didn't get the credit that they deserved for that fix.  This
also implies that the person who emailed you assumed that FMWebschool was
responsible for FX.php and its maintenance.  You say you spent 60 hours on
this project, I've spent  
close to 1000; and many others have spent at least what you have.   
And yet you are the first to require payment for your contribution.   
Do you really feel that your contribution is more valuable than those of
others, or more worthwhile than FX.php itself?

You are welcome in the FX.php community.  If you want to sell support for
FX.php, or training, that's great.  But please give credit where credit is
due, and don't violate the license.  I am very pleased with the open and
friendly way in which people help one another in this community.  And I
apologize for reacting so strongly, however the American legal system is
such that a trespass once allowed is hard to subsequently prohibit.  FX.php
is free and will remain so.  That is my promise to the community.

Sincerely,

--Chris Hansen
   FileMaker 7 Certified Developer
   Creator of FX.php
   "The best way from FileMaker to the Web."
   www.iViking.org


On Jul 13, 2006, at 10:17 AM, Stephen Knight wrote:

> I have just finished writing an FX.php class the allows you to use 
> FX.php with FileMaker 4.1.  Many of you will remember that 4.1 did not 
> require FileMaker Unlimited.
>
> If you feel this would be a valuable tool and if there is enough 
> interest I will place it on our website and release it for a very 
> small fee.
>
> In Kindness
> Stephen K Knight
> http://www.fmwebschool.com
> 800.353.7950 / 386.453.5843
> FMWebschool, we bring the web to life
> FX.PHP PHP XML MySQL CDML ASP
>
> _______________________________________________
> FX.php_List mailing list
> FX.php_List at mail.iviking.org
> http://www.iviking.org/mailman/listinfo/fx.php_list
>

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