Okay, so a lot of people have been getting their mods copied on different websites.
This is not about how that happened, it's about how to prevent it. This is a list of licenses, pick one you like, modify it and post it in your mod thread. That way you'll have at least some legal standing in case you ever need it.
This mod (plugin, a patch to Minecraft source, henceforth "Mod" or "The Mod"), by the terms of http://www.minecraft.net/copyright.jsp is sole property of the Mod author (, henceforth "Owner" or "The Owner"). By default it may only be distributed on minecraftforums.net, mcmodcenter.net. It may only be mirrored or reposted with advance written permission of the Owner. Electronic Mail is fine if you wait for a response. URL shorteners or other attempts to make money off The Owner's Mod are strictly forbidden without advance written permission
Quote from Rotten194 »
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
0. USED TERMS
MOD - modification, plugin, a piece of software that interfaces with the Minecraft client to extend, add, change or remove original capabilities.
MOJANG - Mojang AB
OWNER - , Original author(s) of the MOD. Under the copyright terms accepted when purchasing Minecraft (http://www.minecraft.net/copyright.jsp) the OWNER has full rights over their MOD despite use of MOJANG code.
USER - End user of the mod, person installing the mod.
1. LIABILITY
THIS MOD IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' WITH NO WARRANTIES, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE. THE OWNER OF THIS MOD TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES INCURRED FROM THE USE OF THIS MOD. THIS MOD ALTERS FUNDAMENTAL PARTS OF THE MINECRAFT GAME, PARTS OF MINECRAFT MAY NOT WORK WITH THIS MOD INSTALLED. ALL DAMAGES CAUSED FROM THE USE OR MISUSE OF THIS MOD FALL ON THE USER.
2. USE
Use of this MOD to be installed, manually or automatically, is given to the USER without restriction.
3. REDISTRIBUTION
This MOD may only be distributed where uploaded, mirrored, or otherwise linked to by the OWNER solely. All mirrors of this mod must have advance written permission from the OWNER. ANY attempts to make money off of this MOD (selling, selling modified versions, adfly, sharecash, etc.) are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN, and the OWNER may claim damages or take other action to rectify the situation.
4. DERIVATIVE WORKS/MODIFICATION
This mod is provided freely and may be decompiled and modified for private use, either with a decompiler or a bytecode editor. Public distribution of modified versions of this MOD require advance written permission of the OWNER and may be subject to certain terms.
I believe that this clause is the basic copyright. But you should use it anyway.
Include, that the software in source and binary forms may not be modified or redistributed.
You should also clarify, that binary version may not be decompiled with or without programs.
I made a strict limiting license today. (Just use, exclusive redistribute). I will post it tomorrow.
Include, that the software in source and binary forms may not be modified or redistributed.
You should also clarify, that binary version may not be decompiled with or without programs.
WUT?
Actually, include the inverse of that.
Quote from crow on irc.esper.net »
Please go decompile a mod. This way you get code to borrow or use for your own mods. Give credit where due, thanks. Remember that mods should pretty much be considered open source.
Include, that the software in source and binary forms may not be modified or redistributed.
You should also clarify, that binary version may not be decompiled with or without programs.
WUT?
Actually, include the inverse of that.
Mods can be open source. I also believe in open source, but I think it is annoying to hunt all the source copyers.
According to this I will make my mod only open source as either a reference for modders, which ask me, or for modders, which need my mod to develop their own. In this case the person gets a special permission.
I think we should make a thread with explained and good mod licenses. (This one could be, but has to be better structured)
Edit: I would recommend an explanation for each license. Good work anyway! I like how the modding community sticks together.
Mods can be open source. I also believe in open source, but I think it is annoying to hunt all the source copyers.
According to this I will make my mod only open source as either a reference for modders, which ask me, or for modders, which need my mod to develop their own. In this case the person gets a special permission.
Well, I think that it should be just an an exception for those that "use parts of code for learning or reference purposes" or something like that.
Mods can be open source. I also believe in open source, but I think it is annoying to hunt all the source copyers.
According to this I will make my mod only open source as either a reference for modders, which ask me, or for modders, which need my mod to develop their own. In this case the person gets a special permission.
Well, I think that it should be just an an exception for those that "use parts of code for learning or reference purposes" or something like that.
Mods can be open source. I also believe in open source, but I think it is annoying to hunt all the source copyers.
According to this I will make my mod only open source as either a reference for modders, which ask me, or for modders, which need my mod to develop their own. In this case the person gets a special permission.
Well, I think that it should be just an an exception for those that "use parts of code for learning or reference purposes" or something like that.
Something like:
The source code of the software may not be read without any written or special permission. A person has a special permission, if it uses the source code only for private, uncommercial reference purposes, including, but not limited to, learning.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
0. USED TERMS
MOD - modification, plugin, a piece of software that interfaces with the Minecraft client to extend, add, change or remove original capabilities.
MOJANG - Mojang AB
OWNER - <your name>, Original author(s) of the MOD. Under the copyright terms accepted when purchasing Minecraft (http://www.minecraft.net/copyright.jsp) the OWNER has full rights over their MOD despite use of MOJANG code.
USER - End user of the mod, person installing the mod.
1. LIABILITY
THIS MOD IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' WITH NO WARRANTIES, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE. THE OWNER OF THIS MOD TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES INCURRED FROM THE USE OF THIS MOD. THIS MOD ALTERS FUNDAMENTAL PARTS OF THE MINECRAFT GAME, PARTS OF MINECRAFT MAY NOT WORK WITH THIS MOD INSTALLED. ALL DAMAGES CAUSED FROM THE USE OR MISUSE OF THIS MOD FALL ON THE USER.
2. USE
Use of this MOD to be installed, manually or automatically, is given to the USER without restriction.
3. REDISTRIBUTION
This MOD may only be distributed where uploaded, mirrored, or otherwise linked to by the OWNER solely. All mirrors of this mod must have advance written permission from the OWNER. ANY attempts to make money off of this MOD (selling, selling modified versions, adfly, sharecash, etc.) are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN, and the OWNER may claim damages or take other action to rectify the situation.
4. DERIVATIVE WORKS/MODIFICATION
This mod is provided freely and may be decompiled and modified for private use, either with a decompiler or a bytecode editor. Public distribution of modified versions of this MOD require advance written permission of the OWNER and may be subject to certain terms.
uncommercial reference purposes, including, but not limited to, learning.
You do realize that, if retroactively applied to risugami's thread, that would ban everybody from using adfly (and possibly donate buttons; I don't know about the legal stuffz on that)? I think that the point I'm trying to make is to put as few restrictions as possible on decompiling and source code.
Maybe "decompiling and using the source code has the same terms as the main body of Minecraft". Is that acceptable?
IANAL
Edit: I'm...really confuzzled. About everything related to this.
uncommercial reference purposes, including, but not limited to, learning.
You do realize that, if retroactively applied to risugami's thread, that would ban everybody from using adfly (and possibly donate buttons; I don't know about the legal stuffz on that)? I think that the point I'm trying to make is to put as few restrictions as possible on decompiling and source code.
No. This special permission is only for the actual licensed mod. Also, if you have a written permission, you can use adfly.
As I said before, this license is very strict and not recommended for a mod, which acts as a base for many mods, but for not extendable mods.
Great job. Using these disclaimers should help the problem out a bit!
However, I see one thing. (I'm no lawyer, I'n just trying to use common sense :smile.gif:
"The Owner may seek damages through a lawsuit."
Wouldn't it be "The Owner may seek compensation for the damages through a lawsuit?"
Just a guess. But I'm glad you're doing this!
Great job. Using these disclaimers should help the problem out a bit!
However, I see one thing. (I'm no lawyer, I'n just trying to use common sense :smile.gif:
"The Owner may seek damages through a lawsuit."
Wouldn't it be "The Owner may seek compensation for the damages through a lawsuit?"
Just a guess. But I'm glad you're doing this!
Just to be clear, MCModCenter(mcmodcenter.net) Staff do not upload others mods, regardless. We leave that to the authors of the mods to choose if they wish to use us or not and with the more well known members of the modding community lending a hand, are able to assure that mods are only uploaded by their respected creators.
Your stuff is protected regardless under the law if you can prove its yours, licenses are only really useful if you want to reduce your copyright rights, not make them more secure.
I'm just wondering, how does all this legal stuff go into play with the fact that this modifies a game made by other developers. If they make and own the property you modify, wouldn't they be able to claim that anything that modifies their game, is their property? Then it would be their decision whether or not people could distribute other peoples' mods. Does this make sense at all?
This is not about how that happened, it's about how to prevent it. This is a list of licenses, pick one you like, modify it and post it in your mod thread. That way you'll have at least some legal standing in case you ever need it.
Longer and updated list: http://pastebin.com/z3eavkFh
If you don't like adf.ly or don't feel like waiting 5 seconds then just copy and paste the url up there into your browser bar.
Tags - ctrl+r these:
- your username
- your actual name
- the current year
Feel free to use these in your thread.
CC0 terms
Include, that the software in source and binary forms may not be modified or redistributed.
You should also clarify, that binary version may not be decompiled with or without programs.
I made a strict limiting license today. (Just use, exclusive redistribute). I will post it tomorrow.
WUT?
Actually, include the inverse of that.
Mods can be open source. I also believe in open source, but I think it is annoying to hunt all the source copyers.
According to this I will make my mod only open source as either a reference for modders, which ask me, or for modders, which need my mod to develop their own. In this case the person gets a special permission.
I think we should make a thread with explained and good mod licenses. (This one could be, but has to be better structured)
Edit: I would recommend an explanation for each license. Good work anyway! I like how the modding community sticks together.
Well, I think that it should be just an an exception for those that "use parts of code for learning or reference purposes" or something like that.
Agreed.
Something like:
The source code of the software may not be read without any written or special permission. A person has a special permission, if it uses the source code only for private, uncommercial reference purposes, including, but not limited to, learning.
You do realize that, if retroactively applied to risugami's thread, that would ban everybody from using adfly (and possibly donate buttons; I don't know about the legal stuffz on that)? I think that the point I'm trying to make is to put as few restrictions as possible on decompiling and source code.
Maybe "decompiling and using the source code has the same terms as the main body of Minecraft". Is that acceptable?
IANAL
Edit: I'm...really confuzzled. About everything related to this.
I like this. It should be the SMML (Standard Minecraft Modding License)
No. This special permission is only for the actual licensed mod. Also, if you have a written permission, you can use adfly.
As I said before, this license is very strict and not recommended for a mod, which acts as a base for many mods, but for not extendable mods.
However, I see one thing. (I'm no lawyer, I'n just trying to use common sense :smile.gif:
"The Owner may seek damages through a lawsuit."
Wouldn't it be "The Owner may seek compensation for the damages through a lawsuit?"
Just a guess. But I'm glad you're doing this!
Thanks, I'm glad you like it.
Sig made by llama66613
Follow me on twitter