A new site called wizardrss.com has emerged which is simply a copy of the full-text RSS service I developed for FiveFilters.org. Unfortunately the authors fail to mention this and even worse violate the AGPL license by not offering users the opportunity to download the source code. I would contact them about this but there’s no contact information.
Interestingly, it was today featured on KillerStartups.com where they ask “Will this service remain a free one?” The point of releasing the source under the AGPL is precisely for users not to worry about that question – if it ends up turning into something you don’t like, you take the code and host it yourself. In this case, they’ve taken the code, hosted it themselves but failed to tell their users that they can do exactly the same.
If you do use the service and you’d like the source code, head over to FiveFilters.org for download instructions.
If the authors of WizardRSS are reading this, please include a way for your users to download the source code.
5 Comments
Denounce it somewhere, if you put the wrong url http://www.wizardrss.com gives you an error.
eg http://www.wizardrss.com/feed/www.algo.com
result: Error retrieving http://www.algo.com
say that is very similar to this line in your script.
if (!$html) die(‘Error retrieving ‘.$url);
Claim it to release the source code as is you do you, luck with your claim.
forgiveness is the message I am writing in Spanish translated with google.
Greetings.
Thanks Damian. Yes, checking error messages as you suggest, or the way the program works, and even parts of the HTML proves that it’s a copy of the code. They could try and change these elements to hide the fact but I think it’d be easier for them to simply offer download instructions. I don’t really want to spend too much time on this so hopefully it’ll be cleared up soon.
Sorry to hear about that. Sucks.
But I must say that having tested both now, your services works a lot better as the wizardrss site apparently messes up non-english characters.
Five-filters retrieved the feed with (danish) characters flawless.
Thank you!
Thanks Søren, glad it worked okay for you. They’re probably running an older version of the code if the Danish characters are not being handled well.
Excellent service. I do not understand Why WizardRss does not acknowledge your effort and work?!