[gsg]

I find that the offline lin file viewer (a great tool indeed) could be improved.

I wish I could review (offline) the hands played on BBO adding comments for partnership use, extract, classify (by partner, topic, or disaster type ) and store them for training use with my partner(s).
I think it would be wonderful if I could store a disaster hand (with comments and agreements for future disaster avoiding) directly from lin files.
I wish I could review (offline) the hands with 1,2 or 3 hands covered bid by bid, card by card (the idea is a step by step reviewing to enforce partnership or for mentoring purposals).

I need the following informations:
Is the BBO offline lin files reader going to implement features like these sooner or later?
Does a lin file editor product already exists? Where may I purchase it?

If not:
Would the writing from scratch of a lin files offline reader/writer considered violation of intellectual property?
Would the writing of a lin file converter to another format considered a violation of intellectual property?

Thanks in advance to who will answer my questions.

[gsg]

No more need for answers, thanks

The pbn road seems far better than the lin one, for my purposes.

Already got a lin converter, converted all my BBO files to pbn notation and started writing a 'pbn based trainer' for personal use (couldn't find one in the market tough some product was close).

[fred]

Sorry I did not answer your questions sooner. I missed your first post.

When you log in to BBO, the MOVIE window itself contains a simple .lin file editor that allows you to add comments to your files.

We do sell (license actually) a more powerful .lin file editor that can be used to create the "fancy" bridge movies (.lin files) you see in various places. Probably this is overkill for what you have in mind. If you want more information about this program please send me e-mail (fred@bridgebase.com).

In most cases I do not mind if people write programs that operate on .lin files. I could have made the file format much more cryptic if I wanted to discourage this.

I do mind when people make illegal copies of the .lin files (or CDs) that we sell.

I do mind when people use .lin files in a commercial way without our permission.

It was nice of you to ask.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[pigpenz]

so the lin files are licensed to you Fred?
I was talking with E Marzo of Dealmaster about being able to import his files into lin format so i could load up my own hands for tournaments i run.

[fred]

pigpenz, on Dec 31 2005, 06:33 PM, said:

so the lin files are licensed to you Fred?
I was talking with E Marzo of Dealmaster about being able to import his files into lin format so i could load up my own hands for tournaments i run.

Sorry I am not sure I understand your question.

The only "ownership rights" we claim over any .lin files are for files that contain copyright material that we sell (such as the .lin files that make up the CD-ROMs we have developed with Larry Cohen for example).

I have no problem at all if people use these files in whatever non-commercial way they want. Although Ed Marzo's Dealmaster is a commercial product, I would be happy to see this program be able to open .lin files.

Our company also owns various pieces of software that can be used to create, edit, and display .lin files. Some of these programs are free (like BBO) and some are not (like our fancy .lin file edit), but people who use any of these programs are "licensing" them from us. In other words, BBO still owns the software, but the user owns a license that allows him/her to use the software (under certain conditions).

If that doesn't answer your question, please clarify!

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com