Creating an open source WoW database

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-08-2008 @ 6:17PM

Daniel said...

Well, being the person mentioned in this blog post, I am surprised that people have an issue with the whole idea.

Let me clarify a few things:

1. My background does not matter for it does not change the quality of the idea.
2. Do not misunderstand Open Source here. The main idea is to make the site code and related tools open source. I am not talking about open sourcing the data, as all data is copyrighted by Blizzard and shall remain theirs.
3. I am only using C# / .NET 2.0 for a simple reason. It is nice if you want to do quick mockups and tests. Think of it as an implementation prototype. I can write the whole client in plain C++ with STL only, if that's what people want. I do use Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX and have no issue with making a Mac app.
4. I know very well about database design, and have worked with databases that outnumber the size and complexity of a WoW content database with ease. WoW content is not really big in terms of data.
5. Yes, there is PHP for the server-side application, but it could be Java, Ruby, or whatever you want. Even Python or Perl are no issue for me.

Please, do not misunderstand this. The post is about a development prototype. Neither are the chosen platforms final, nor is the whole idea final.

If there really is any developer among the people commenting, he / she should really know that ideas start with quick prototypes, that are iterated again and again until they reach something usable.

I am open for discussion, but please keep away the flames.

PS: Paid services and database... e.g. allakhazam -> http://www.allakhazam.com/Premium_Chart.html but hey, I am just making this up, do I?

12-08-2008 @ 6:44PM

Ekimus said...

While some of the comments above may be flames, I hope that it doesn't deter you from your ultimate goal.

With that being said, I'm not entirely certain what that goal may be. At it's core, it seems that you've prototyped an open database much like Amazon is now doing with research data. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/12/04/amazon-launches-public-data-sets-to-ease-research/).

I can see many possibilities for a system such as this. All without the (IP Based) restrictions that Blizzard currently implements.

12-08-2008 @ 9:33PM

Malgayne said...

Just to be clear, all of Allakhazam's database content is publicly available. They charge for a few of the more advanced ways of searching, but the raw data is just as public as any other DB.

12-09-2008 @ 12:02AM

SimpleSurvival said...

It was not my intention to simply 'flame'
Critical review of concepts is very necessary in the development process...

"Your own private forum / journal
100% ad free
Personal forum avatar & custom title
Enhanced forum access (emoticons, polls)
Advanced forum search (including site comments)
A personalized @allakhazam.com email address
Access to contests & drawings
Access to Gamestop.com coupons
Image hosting with forum posting capability"
none of these paid for features have anything to do with the databases of information that your application intends to duplicate... I fail to see how they relate to your project...

I'm all for .net programming... I'm a software engineer and .net proves to be a pretty easy and fast way for agile development... I would say that it is my preferred platform for true object oriented programming... plus it does lend itself quite nicely to SOA... I've written a few fairly large accounting projects in .net

I've never been really happy with the Zend framework tho... as my post would suggest... the happiness in php is its simplicity, and the more crap you throw into it, the more people will giggle at the php programmer who thinks he's a developer... writing scalable PHP apps is not an easy task...
PHP is a fine selection for your database, both import and presentation... my only criticism was Zend...
If language didn't really matter, then why even bother being specific about it??? Why not throw together a mashup using whatever language you want, say "Here's the concept, never mind the language... real programming comes next"

I don't really see the appeal to the project because numerous well supported sites already exist... A community supported database will only be as useful as the community around it... I ultimately switched from thott to wowhead based on the quality of the comments, There are still some types of searches I go back to thott for.

I might be overcomplicating the database in my head, but the biggest hurdle in designing it is flexibility and speed (another minus that I found about thott)

Open sourcing a platform for cookie cutter DB sites would just dilute the resource pool and ultimately create 1000 half assed DB sites that are aiming for banner ad revinue
Until I find a DB site that makes me put in a credit card number to see where Mankrik's Wife is... I'm quite content with what already exists

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