Re: FLASH: No more demo FLAs

[Branden Hall]

Good question... and one that is really quite fuzzy in nature...

So here's an equally fuzzy, but hopfully satisfying answer...


Concepts are one thing... Like adding numbers... or faking a draggable

mask...  or programatic movement... or even basic collision detection. This

stuff has been well documented in tutorials and wads of files.  Thats

perfectly fine stuff! Use as needed! The reason behind this is because these

concepts are needed to build a whole, they do not stand on their own.  You

*have* to use them in some context that requires more than just swapping in

graphics.


What is not cool to just take and run with are whole collections of ideas,

like my swing, or my reactive matrix, throw new graphics on them, and call

them your own.  If you take these things, learn from them, and take that

code to make something else, thats great! And its totally cool with me!  The

code is meant for educational purposes, to learn how to code in flash, and

you can use it build from...  I love to see it!


The problem that I had with todays culprits were that they simply took my

code

slapped some cheesy graphics on top and called it theirs...  nothing was

really changed...


I guess the best analogy would be weather you use code as a tool, or as a

final product...  if you use a saw to build a house, you built the house,

its yours!  But if you just repaint the saw and call it your idea, thats

wrong....


I hope that cleared things up a bit...


-= Branden J. Hall

-= Multimedia Developer/Instructor

-= Fig Leaf Software


----- Original Message -----

From: Cheri Harder <

chericahome [dot] com

>

To: <

flasherchinwag [dot] com

>

Sent: Friday, February 04, 2000 8:32 PM

Subject: Re: FLASH: No more demo FLAs



Can you help us, here, Branden.  Some of us have been discussing this and

are having a really hard time distinguishing the fine line between OK and

NOT OK when it comes to programming.  I've always had trouble with the grey

area here.  I am not saying that whoever is using your code was in any way

in a gray area I am just asking for further clarification if I may...along

these lines:


and I'm trying to use extremes just to make myself and my confusion

understood


We all know 2 + 2 = 4

Most of us know how to set up the if..then...construct in Flash

Therefore, most of us know how to set up the

set variable "n" = (2 + 2)

if n = 4 then

    go to and play (whatever)

end if


Now, a new person comes along and I show them the above and they use it in

their code.


1)  Obviously it's not MY code to make public or not, because "everybody

already knows this"


2)  When someone wants to accomplish the above, this would likely be the

only way to do so


The point I'm trying to get at here, is WHERE does this "obviously it's ok"

change to "obviously it's NOT ok"   Does the next guy have to say "1 + 3 =

4" ??  This is an honest question and I'm NOT trolling, here.  :-)  I really

don't know the answer.


Like, the only way to "drag" a mask layer is to fake doing so, by

tell-targetting the underlying layer to move in the opposite direction of

the drag.  Now, I learned that on this list and have intention of using it

in a paying contract.  I didn't "copy any code" as it were, I just read the

eMail with the explanation, but looking at my result, how would anyone know

that I didn't copy?  This is the only way to accomplish the end result, and

it might very well look like I copied someone's code, you know?  Oh, I am

not explaining this very well.  LOL.


I guess, where does "common programming functional knowledge" stop and

"stealing someone's code" begin?  Anyone?  I certainly don't mind giving

credit where credit is due, and I certainly don't want to use anything that

would even appear to be unethical pilfering, but I really don't know where

this line is....


And I, for one, sure as H don't want to lose the actual tangible fla's from

Branden, 'cuz that is the absolute best way to learn, by tearing apart those

files.


~~~~Cheri Harder~~~~~

charderawsolution [dot] com

Advantage Web Solution

"Developing your internet storefront"

www.awsolution.com


> This is not cool.  I have written numerous

> demos FLAs and released them to the flash community for people to learn

> from

..........

> portraying my code as their

> own...  no mention of my name or anything at all.  They are trying to show

> off thier talent and creativity, while all they are really doing is

showing

> their ability to shove new graphics onto my code, nothing else has

changed.




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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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  "The World’s Premier Flash Solutions Conference and Expo"

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-Register before Feb 25 and save $200!!-- www.flashforward2000.com

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To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

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