An original Idea

Last night I got an IM from a player/designer that I have know and respected in SL since I began playing myself. He had asked if I knew a certian vendor of the Plush Shops group that I had founded, Although I know many of the members personaly with almost 300 I do not know them all. Well, he continued to tell me and show evidence of this members work. Pointing out to me the very close similarities (blatant copy) in there work. I have had this done to me aswell, as I am sure many have. There is a pit of your stomach feeling you get when you see this. Many wonderful and original ideas by creative people have been copied for the financial gains alone.

Now this person was refunded in full rounded up any rents he had due and was ejected from the shops group. In the future I am not sure that refunds will be included in such violations.

As the owner/operator of some of SLs more successful shopping venues, I am writing this post for two reasons. That I want to make myself perfectly clear that this will not be tolerated in are group. Then to point out that there is something as gratifying about creating an original peice that someone want, as the money you received for the sale. One thing that I love most about this game is the creative side I wish to continue to support new designers to create whats next and not steal from those that have work so hard befor them. Odd to hear coming from me I know but, Its not all about the money.

Yeah, the race for a bottom is a big problem when it comes to intellectual property.

In manufacturing it's different, because the ideas are usually in the manufacturing process itself (where it's hard to steal).

It's a fascinating problem.. Hopefully you can get Apotheus and Flipper to sign on in some fashion.

Not as odd as you'd think Blue - Back when we first started the Gnu Wave store we had this kind of thing run rampant. And although LL more or less had it's hands tied (and still does until they can nut out a new permissions system), nine times out of ten it was the mall owners that would stand up along with the creators.

It was good, and it was refreshing to see. I like to think that good things happen to folks who do the right thing - and there is nothing whatsoever wrong in taking a line on integrity over a fast buck.

In the end, the fast buck will fail - whereas having some integrity will only attract the kinds of people who will make your business stronger.

Good for you!

Siggy.

I'm just curious what this person was selling that was so much like someone's elses creations. Some things, especially clothes, are hard to be creative with when there are already 14 million different skirts in SL for example.

I constantly worry that we are unintentially making something that is a duplication of something that has already been made despite our best efforts to do market research.

The only thing that I would state, is sometimes, photosourcers use the same source images. I don't want to bring the Great Photosource Debate into this thread, because that's not what this thread is about... but, I did just want to point out that sometimes that's what happens when accusations of copying come in. SOMETIMES. Not always. Doesn't sound like this is the case, here.

If it's obviously someone's original handpainted work, then I think that mall owners do well to take a stand on the side of originality. It will mean a lot to your merchants.

First place to look is at the creator - there are ways around this -- but if you think 'oh my that looks just like player X's widget... and the creator's name is still 'player X' -- you should at the least make a query.

Of course this is not a carpet 'this creator isn't you so your stealing' -- after all, a good many people based derivative works on some of my freestuff (with my blessings) and the scripts inside a lot of this stuff still lists me as the 'creator'.

Siggy.

Hi Mr Hot Tub Siggy. All of our stuff is made from scratch so I don't need to worry?

If you make your own stuff then you shouldn't have to worry about someones accusations - no. As for clothing, I understand that a lot of folks are making similar stuff from time to time... again , your stuff having your name as creator is a good place to both defend you if your in the right - or to start investigating if you think you've been wronged.

I guess I've been losing sleep over nothing. SexGirls products may have various creators names on them but since they are employees or contractors they have turned over all rights to us. If one of them complains I'll just fire them!

I should but, wont disclose who the parties are. The original creator makes a unique item not as common as say a skirt or pair of pants. The copy was not only the object and multi functions but, even the instructions read as a plagiarized work.





I wont claim to beable to determine each item for sale in my many malls as unique. I will however I will take each claim one by one and do my best to make a fair judgement. This has happened once befor and my reaction was the same. Immediate ejection from the group, returning all vened goods and refunding rents.


I have had this happen to me too, this maybe why I take this so personal. I made a custom name plate for a someones boyfriend. She needed it mod so she may size it for him. I knew this person and wrongly trusted them. I later seen an announcement in the forums of her new line of nameplates. I have also had someone set up in a mall I didn't own right next to me selling jewelry, very simular to my designs, for 1/2 the price. I asked the mall owner to do something about this and she made comment that "I was trying to throw my weight around." Clearly I dont rent there any longer.

In conclusion I would like to say, In a game/vert world all you have is integery and your word. No contracts nothing truley binding. Because of this honesty shines bright.

Im wondering if some sort of watermark concept could be applied?

I could be wrong, but I think Blue Burke is less concerned about copyright infringement and more concerned about wholesale 'borrowing' (to put it nicely) of other people's ideas.

Kind of like a patent, I guess.

I continue to see some amazing original clothing as well as ingenious adaptations of real world styles, but a person would have to be nuts to bring in yet one more pair of jeans.

It is true. I've had numerous mall owners IM me after the fact just to let me know they've deleted my free plants set for sale in a former tenet's stall. Those seem to come in waves of half-a-dozen or so at a time.