TWCL

thirdprize · Joined: 17 May 2012 Posts: 3

Ordinary comics seem quite popular on the 'phone and 'pad but there doesn't seem many decent web comic apps out there. Most of them only get the latest episode or just plain don't work. So, I thought I'd write my own.

Please don't consider this spam as I am genuinely looking for feedback and possibly the odd beta tester. So far I have got 20+ big comics in there. It is quite clever as it knows what the latest episode is, which was the last one you read which gives you the choice of where to start. There is a toolbar with first/last/prev/next buttons that work with all the comics and an option of hilighting your favourite comics. I have even got the alt text out of XKCD.

Sort of feedback I'm after is how does it look, what comics should it have (users can't add their own but should be easy enough to host the config on the net for easy updating), usability and all that stuff.

You can see it here http://www.thirdprize.org/WBCX/. If any one is interested the drop us a line. I have several apps on the store and have one attempted web comic to my name. http://www.thirdprize.org/Nurbs/

Cheers.

Shaun

smbhax.com · Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 3:01 am Post subject:

Mightn't repackaging webcomics as you are, presumably without their permission, lead to legal issues at some point?
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thirdprize · Joined: 17 May 2012 Posts: 3

Well, its finally been released.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/webcomix/id549811592?mt=8

It tells you if there are new episodes and remembers you place in story lines. It runs on iPad and iPhone.

and

It's free, so give it a try.

Shaun

Zoe Robinson · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 4:15 pm Post subject:

smbhax.com wrote:

Mightn't repackaging webcomics as you are, presumably without their permission, lead to legal issues at some point?

Yes. It will. Repackaging other people's content without their permission is, essentially, violating their copyright. Repackaging that content and sticking an advert on it in the process, is violating their copyright for profit; and will get you sued.
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ewomack · Grand prize winner! Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 346

I think everyone here is correct - expect only cease and desist orders if you're lucky... expect much worse if you're not... be very very careful with other people's work... in fact, when in doubt don't even go there. Always seek permission from the creators or legal counsel before even considering using other people's work in any potentially infringing manner...
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Ed Womack

wendyw · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 5:05 pm Post subject:

ewomack wrote:

Always seek permission from the creators or legal counsel before even considering using other people's work in any potentially infringing manner...

Yep. Stating that you will remove something if the copyright holder objects is not a suitable approach. Expecting the copyright holders to find you first is not acceptable.

You could simply ask people.
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Casual Notice · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 5:26 pm Post subject:

But putting personal effort and consideration into something is counter to the philosophy that drives one to develop technology to perform acts best done in a stable, non-motive environment (reading comics, catapulting fat birds at pig bastions, typing 180-word updates on the minutiae that even our ownmothers don't care about)...
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What I lack in sincerity, I make up for in sarcasm.
S*P*Q*R

thirdprize · Joined: 17 May 2012 Posts: 3

Well, if you look at the other apps out there, they do just that. They scrape the comic itself from the home page and show that. No credits or anything. I at least pop up the original web page so the comic gets its ad revenue. They have nothing to lose being in the app and the user gets access to a bunch of good titles.

This is really all about user interface. It is the year 2012, so why can't all the story web comics remember where I left off reading? I don't want to have to read the story backward to where I left off. A few let you bookmark but only a handful. Add to that inconsistent placed buttons, etc.

Imagine if an app could do for webcomics what Comixology did for ordinary comics. I bet millions of people who would never go into a comic shop happily download titles. By coming up in a search for "free comics" in the app store, I will hopefully bring more readers to the table.

I wrote this app as it was the sort of app I would love to download myself.

wendyw · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 6:46 pm Post subject:

thirdprize wrote:

Well, if you look at the other apps out there, they do just that. They scrape the comic itself from the home page and show that. No credits or anything. I at least pop up the original web page so the comic gets its ad revenue. They have nothing to lose being in the app and the user gets access to a bunch of good titles.

Pointing out that other people have done worse never makes something acceptable.

As for what people have to lose, well what if Randall Munroe, Fred Gallagher, Dan Shive or one of the others were planning their own app? A free rival would certainly be a problem there. You might not think you're treading on anyone's toes with this, but unless you contact them to find out you have no way of knowing whether or not you are.
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Traegorn · Joined: 16 Feb 2010 Posts: 141

Well, I think he's in the clear only because he's displaying the full website - making it no different than things like comic rocket. I don't know how useful the app is, but content creators will still have all of their ads displayed... So the normal scammy part is gone.

That said, it's likely going to make some creators feel jumpy, as you're marketing your app off of their IP... Asking for permission might have made your life easier.

My only feedback is that for XKCD I'd display m.xkcd.com instead of the regular site -- since that would let readers see the alt text