How to React to Texture Theft

I say it would be nice if LL created something along the lines of a copyright department. Not to copyright things for us exactly, but to help us in the process where possible. Proper steps and education on the primary forms. And understanding them.
Having that integrated would be nice too. If only.

LL should know this process better than most people in SL. They know how to deal with it anyway.
I just have the idea of an in-world registration process of some kind. The UST wouldn't go for it but SL could help in getting people to register is all I mean.

In real life, a copyright registration for art is about $30.
That is still a lot of L$ for a project in SL that may or may not sell to pay for itself. But that is the going rate for a little peace of mind. Unless LL has an even cheaper solution/process that would help.

If so I think anyone could see the benifit for both LL along with users. In the least, LL would become much more popular for it. Growth is good right? With more content developers realizing they provide real world tools it would appear that LL is taking an interest in people. Not that they don't now.

Of course there is the current way of thinking that basically says "it's not LL's problem and really we should all do it ourselves. If we don't understand the process on how then too bad."
I suppose there is help on the forums. But I don't see how that will ever be obvious to most people. And it's certianly not as convenient as I think it could be.

In any case..
A lot of people don't know the first thing about copyrighting and, most of those who do know how, really hate to mess with it.

But if a company like LL helped with that option, using thier knowlege on the matter, then maybe it could make things much easier for everyone. For those content developers who are serious enough about their creations to get them registered.
The United States Treasury is a pain in the butt sometimes. But with LL behind you, we could have some direct help, or answers, when needed.

For that matter anyone could provide that serveice in world. But since we trust LL enough to actualy build our works in SL.. then it would just make more sense, to me, for them to have a helping hand in the matter.

But maybe thats crazy.
LL could also keep their own records of who registered what. Then maybe the whole thing would not be as painful when someone else appears to be wearing a rip off brand of.. your hair.

And by that very definition, you've taken it out of the context of a "game". Thank you for playing.

Nope, still a game, as it meets the definition. After all some people play WoW to collect items and gold, then sell them on ebay. Its still a game, but they aren't using it as such. Thanks for playing and see you in game!

Here are some thoughts regarding the whole "SL is a game VS not a game" thread. Just because something is used for a game does not mean it is "only" a game. For example there are games in SL, but that does not make SL a game. By comparison if you use your computer for a game does that make everything you do with it a game? Is contacting your friends and family (email or IM) a game? Is working on your finances a game?

Also some have said "SL is a game as it uses game technology". Well just because it uses a certain technology does not make it a "game". For example people have been using CAD and VR design for many years to build items such as cars, planes, buildings etc and test those designs. Making mistakes on screen rather than in real and saving money not to mention lives. Is that all a game? Nope. Just because something can be used for a game, does not mean it IS a game. It depends on what you do with it.

-DB

All this "It's a game", "no it's not" stuff is bordering on reductio ad absurdum. Next, it will be "life is a game", and then we will have completed the circle of the absurd. What happened to the original topic (read the heading)?

"What happened to the original topic (read the heading)?"

Well basically it is the same topic, the reason this "game vs not a game" bit came up is because some feel (aka thieves) that if it is a game it can't hurt anyone by stealing textures because "it is just a game" etc. But regardless stealing is never right, weather in a game, in SL or RL.

-DB

Maybe the correct term would be a simulation. Second Life is a simulation of Real Life, and not necessarily a copy of it, and doesn't Real Life have goals set by the people who are involved in it. In a simulation the goals are impromptu, and vary as the time in the simulation increases, and not set totally before entry. In a game, the goals are very specific, and some games have time limits on those goals.

So, I would conclude that SL is a simulation. I am sure others can, and will disbute this, but from all the MMORPGs(games) , and simulations I have been involved in, that would be my answer to this "Game or Not Game" question.

But, I do agree with DB, we need to stay on topic, it happens.

HUGS, Barb

*dips into bad full with marketting terms*

Second Life is an Enablement Platform.

I do that. I made a little notecard vendor that explains why I make and want my stuff the way I want them and that I primarily make them for myself, and that selling them is just a good and useful bonus. Yet if you are really good at what you do, people will keep on buying no matter what esoteric "build/create philosophy" you may have.

-RODION

I'm not out to change anyones opinion.


SL is to me what it is to me.

SL is to you what it is to you.

Just enjoy it, and worry less about making everyone agree with you.

Back on topic now?

Hold your breath until you turn blue.................

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii...I just felt like posting some random idea that I pulled out of my arse recently. Not that it would work or anything.

I was thinking that if the problem involves people uploading textures that the original creators had already uploaded, there could be a separate servery-machine-thingy that checks each texture being uploaded to see if it matches something previously hosted by the Second life servers, and if it does, it could postpone the uploading until the uploader of the original file gives permission. I know that would take extra time/resources/et cetera to implement such a system, and that even minor changes to the texture would probably circumvent it without some very impressive comparison algorithms in place, but it would be better than nothing, right?



Or maybe not. I should shut up before I spout anything even stupider.


(Please refrain from counting the number of times variations on the word "upload" are repeated in this post. I know I overused it.)

Well nice idea, but there are a couple of problems with it. First off since the SL asset servers store textures as JPG2000 and this is a lossy format, when you reupload it is going to be slightly different than the original so a program is not going to be able to do a "direct compare". Sure a human might be able to tell, but then we get into the second problem: how do you know if the texture is a original or a freely available one? There are many freely available textures around and there is nothing wrong in someone uploading such a texture a second time. Even if they could check to see if a texture has been uploaded a second time, how can one tell if it is original or a texture that is public domain with certainty?

-DB

Not to mention the load it would put on the servers going through terabytes of textures

No need to compare the textures. Just use something similar to the digimarc digital watermarking system. That way people can still upload identical textures without hassle. Only when you upload something that already has a SL watermark on it, then it alerts whomever.