Okay, for anyone who hasn't read the newest announcement at the very top of the forum, go read it now.
While these new rules may seem like a good idea, they have a few very harmful side effect for us texturepack makers:
1) The burden of proof is now on US. That means that we have to PROVE that any pack that uses our work without our permission is doing so illegally. Am I the only one who sees how easy it would be for a thief to say, 'I didn't steal so-and-so's textures, I made them myself-- they happen to look EXACTLY THE SAME with one pixel changed'?? With these new rules, it would be almost impossible to prove that someone stole your artwork.
2) Essentially, these new rules are screwing over artists who no loner visit the forums, because THEY THEMSELVES have to report the theivery and prove that it happened. Sorry, no more good samaritans protecting your textures from being whored out!
I say we should immediately call for a revision of these new rules. Who's with me???
UPDATE (aka the fallout):
We have reached a sort of tenative peace with the admins over this issue. Thank you for all your zealous support.
Also according to the Brene Convention, World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty,and Digital Millennium Copyright Act your work is already protected and you should not have to provided a lisence on your pack.
Also according to the Brene Convention, World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty,and Digital Millennium Copyright Act your work is already protected
That's great, except people routinely ignore those protections and swipe your stuff anyway. The problem is that now it's almost impossible to act against the swiping.
Policing copyright and content stealing on the Internet is like casually strolling into the Vietnamese jungle and kindly asking everyone to use squirt guns.
Policing copyright and content stealing on the Internet is like casually strolling into the Vietnamese jungle and kindly asking everyone to use squirt guns.
So we should just lay down and let ourselves get machetted?? What the hell are mods (and, heck, even good samaritans) for it not to police the forums?
EDIT: Worse, should be just hand a machette to the people trying to hack us to pieces?
I reported somebody who clearly just ripped from the Jolicraft pack, reported them, got a PM from a mod saying that the artist himself has to report them. LOLWUT. :sleep.gif:
I saw the rules awhile ago, and as I was reading that I wondered "How can you prove it's yours?" The best thing you can really do is say he took it. They can always look at who added it first, but what happens if you just updated your texture? It could be taken as "Oh he just added that texture now" then that person gets away with it.
Policing copyright and content stealing on the Internet is like casually strolling into the Vietnamese jungle and kindly asking everyone to use squirt guns.
I am not sure what point you are trying to make with this comment. We are not talking about the internet as a whole. We are talking about THIS forum. A forums that has moderators. A people who's job it is to moderate the forums and act against rule infringement. Already I spend several hours a week perusing the internet making sure that my work as not been stolen and now I have to spend even more time acting as a pseudo moderator on this forum.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Look, I don't care if your 8 or 20. If you can't take criticism or opinions, then get off the internet." -Stronghold257
I can't say I support this new system. It's supposedly to make the mods jobs easier, because apparently they have to PM the creators of the packs to check if they gave permission anyway. All I can see it doing is causing chaos. I suggest the rules require that proof of permission be posted in the thread, and if it's not, assume no permission has been given. This current system is the other way around, and just make it a lot easier for people to rip off textures.
I saw the rules awhile ago, and as I was reading that I wondered "How can you prove it's yours?" The best thing you can really do is say he took it. They can always look at who added it first, but what happens if you just updated your texture? It could be taken as "Oh he just added that texture now" then that person gets away with it.
There is watermarking software that doesn't leave an visible mark. It stores digital information in each pixel and editing the image doesn't remove said information. Sadly I can't remember the name or if it is free.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Look, I don't care if your 8 or 20. If you can't take criticism or opinions, then get off the internet." -Stronghold257
There is watermarking software that doesn't leave an visible mark. It stores digital information in each pixel and editing the image doesn't remove said information. Sadly I can't remember the name or if it is free.
I'm just pissed that I am being forced to figure out how to do watermarks in the first place. What kind of community is this where an artist's right to be free from having their artwork stolen is not respected?
technically they are already copyrighted. According to the things mentioned above by Xypharius. Those things, by the way, are accepted by the U.N. not just the U.S.A. What we are required to do is STATE that our work is copyrighted and then POLICE these forums.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Look, I don't care if your 8 or 20. If you can't take criticism or opinions, then get off the internet." -Stronghold257
Due to a new rule change, if a pack has no license visible on the page it is now considered free to distribute. Any breach of license must also be reported by the creator themselves. I can't see it making anyone's job easier apart from those stealing textures.
technically they are already copyrighted. According to the things mentioned above by Xypharius. Those things, by the way, are accepted by the U.N. not just the U.S.A. What we are required to do is STATE that our work is copyrighted and then POLICE these forums.
That's ********... I don't even understand that distribution crap
Due to a new rule change, if a pack has no license visible on the page it is now considered free to distribute. Any breach of license must also be reported by the creator themselves. I can't see it making anyone's job easier apart from those stealing textures.
If that is the way they are handling it than they are violating a large slew of copyright laws accepted by hundreds of countries. That is amazing, and here I though we were following U.S. copyright laws and not creating our own that don't make sense.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Look, I don't care if your 8 or 20. If you can't take criticism or opinions, then get off the internet." -Stronghold257
This is pushing me to remove my content from this site in protest. The only reason I'm keeping it here is because of the comments I get from the community.
It's an illogical rule. There are far more reasonable alternatives. Fortunately, since everyone seems to realise this, it hopefully won't last too long.
I suggest this thread set up a poll that can act as a petition. Those in favour of the new rules, and those against. That way we can have something concrete to show to the admins.
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Retired StaffWhile these new rules may seem like a good idea, they have a few very harmful side effect for us texturepack makers:
1) The burden of proof is now on US. That means that we have to PROVE that any pack that uses our work without our permission is doing so illegally. Am I the only one who sees how easy it would be for a thief to say, 'I didn't steal so-and-so's textures, I made them myself-- they happen to look EXACTLY THE SAME with one pixel changed'?? With these new rules, it would be almost impossible to prove that someone stole your artwork.
2) Essentially, these new rules are screwing over artists who no loner visit the forums, because THEY THEMSELVES have to report the theivery and prove that it happened. Sorry, no more good samaritans protecting your textures from being whored out!
I say we should immediately call for a revision of these new rules. Who's with me???
UPDATE (aka the fallout):
We have reached a sort of tenative peace with the admins over this issue. Thank you for all your zealous support.
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Retired StaffThat's great, except people routinely ignore those protections and swipe your stuff anyway. The problem is that now it's almost impossible to act against the swiping.
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Retired StaffSo we should just lay down and let ourselves get machetted?? What the hell are mods (and, heck, even good samaritans) for it not to police the forums?
EDIT: Worse, should be just hand a machette to the people trying to hack us to pieces?
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Retired StaffI am not sure what point you are trying to make with this comment. We are not talking about the internet as a whole. We are talking about THIS forum. A forums that has moderators. A people who's job it is to moderate the forums and act against rule infringement. Already I spend several hours a week perusing the internet making sure that my work as not been stolen and now I have to spend even more time acting as a pseudo moderator on this forum.
There is watermarking software that doesn't leave an visible mark. It stores digital information in each pixel and editing the image doesn't remove said information. Sadly I can't remember the name or if it is free.
-
View User Profile
-
View Posts
-
Send Message
Retired StaffI'm just pissed that I am being forced to figure out how to do watermarks in the first place. What kind of community is this where an artist's right to be free from having their artwork stolen is not respected?
That's ********... I don't even understand that distribution crap
If that is the way they are handling it than they are violating a large slew of copyright laws accepted by hundreds of countries. That is amazing, and here I though we were following U.S. copyright laws and not creating our own that don't make sense.
It's an illogical rule. There are far more reasonable alternatives. Fortunately, since everyone seems to realise this, it hopefully won't last too long.
I suggest this thread set up a poll that can act as a petition. Those in favour of the new rules, and those against. That way we can have something concrete to show to the admins.