Heads Up Warning To All Re Copybot

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ANY RESIDENT WHO CREATES, SELLS, OR USES THE COPYBOT IS VIOLATING FEDERAL LAW!


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It would be nice to hear something from a linden on this. If they have said something I sure has missed it, that is said anything of any real relevance on this matter.

Thanks for pointing us and hopefully a Linden too to this, Hok. I really appreciate everything that helps to stop this madness.

Let's sum it up:

- We have a person called GeForce who violates the TOS by using a registered trademark as an avatar name.
- We have a software sold by this person and others (alts?) which asks the user for SL name and password, which is also not in LL's interest.
- This application hacks into the data transfer from client to server, which is a TOS violation again.
- The hacked data is used to create full permission copies of copy-protected content and even fakes the creator name.
- All this should be more than enough reason for LL to act immediately. But to round it off, the software in question also violates US law by circumventing a technological protection measure.

How much more does it need?

*tumbleweed*

Really? Wow, I had not heard that... I take it there's a place where details like this are given that I have not seen? Has anyone who actually knows all of this stuff (seen it first-hand and not just repeating the FUD) compiled a list of such things? I am sure many people would really like to see that!!!

It doesn't really "fake the creator name".

All it does is to read all of the prim settings of the object, and then automate the process of recreating it, as if you were creating each prim and typing all of the settings into the dialog box. The creator name isn't explicitly faked - it's just that, since it works by recreating all the prims, as far as the SL server is concerned the person running it is the creator.

And if you read the linden blog apparently,.... despite all of that, they think this is a legal product and are not going to stop the guy from using or selling it nor force him to modify it in any way!!!

My suggestion is that they simply make it a rule that you can't copy stuff without also copying the original permissions. That would solve the whole thing in a fair way IMO.

It is legal to copy stuff, but that change would make CopyBot more in line with reality in that it isn't legal to "copy and re-sell," or "copy and mis-represent." Lindens think apparently that because it's legal to copy that they can't do anything about it, even though it's their data, their servers, and a violation of their TOS.

For a bunch of bright kids they sure seem stupid sometimes.

That doesn't help for things that are sold transfer-enabled.

The only thing making Copybot 'legal' is Linden Lab not wanting to deal with the problem. It's the typical 'head in the sand can't hear you lalalalalala' attitude that we always get.

Welcome to the beginning of the end of Second Life - and don't forget the Town Hall on Thursday where we can all let Linden Lab know exactly what we think of them.

Lewis

Yes, it's technically true. No, it's not likely ever to be an issue, because somebody would have to demonstrate in a court of law that game content worth a few dollars at most was stolen using the CopyBot. If you want to go to court and spend tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees to fight for your $8.74, go right ahead.

Perspective, people, perspective.

If you think you can prove somebody's costing you tens of thousands of dollars by stealing your Second Life content and reselling it, you may have a case.

Apparently many Lindens are members of LibSL group and most likely helped create this CopyBot. I think it was Robin who said last night "who's the first one who wants to try to ban (first name witheld) Linden?"

LL knew this could be done since day one, they just didn't tell you.

LL biggest thing is that if they arent profitting from it then its not copyright infringment. I however offer this up. People are saying how it has good uses for many things and its not all negative. One example they give is that it can be used to back up ones inventory, or say they decked one character out and then decided they didnt like the name and started a new character. They could use Copybot to send all the items to the new AVI without buying it again, because yanno all No Trans items are just BS and if i bought it i should be able to use it on any AVI i want.

How is this NOT profitting from it? Say I buy a 300L hairstyle and as we all know most hairs are no trans. I then get sick of this character and create a new one, but i so love this hair. I whip out the copybot make up another one and ship it off to my new me. How can this be not be seen as profitting. I'm 300L richer than i would have been had i bought the hair for my new me.

P.S. Dont bother commenting on my grammer or spelling, i dont give a @#!$ about it, focus on the points of the post.

It's particularly disturbing if you just purchased an estate. Without common protections for the transfer and sale of goods, you'll likely see a steep decline in property values, which will likely cause many to loose their hard earned dollars given the recent rush to buy an estate before the price increases. It's a real economic threat to the small investor IMO.

It's most detrimental to the small investors who are unlikely to be able to weather a commercial rental collapse over the near term. I'm not talking about purchasing estates for land speculation, but for long-term commercial lease/rentals. If merchants can't sell, or won't due to fear or pessimism, land is worthless and the tiers become untenable.

I don't see any reason why the Lindens involved with the group, who were in full knowledge of this item, fully aware it violated the ToS, and the implications and dangers of it, shouldn't be facing disciplinary action right now.

The ToS is applicable to everyone, including Lindens, when it applies to anything on the public grid.

Lewis

As of fifteen minutes ago they reversed their decision according to the blog. But this is still a big problem for me:

While hacking is indeed an interesting pastime, the DIRECT PUBLIC SUPPORT by Linden Lab of hacking of the client etc. just because it’s some of the Lindens themselves and some or their more interesting “friends” doing the subversion, is still bound to cause problems to any community.

It’s like living in a country where the law enforcement officers and politicians are in cahoots with the business elite and organised crime elements to test the very laws they are entrusted to create, defend and enforce.

Wait… does that sound like a familiar RL situation to you?

They didn't tell you because it's obvious. Data is being sent to the client, meaning, your computer. LL doesn't have control over your computer, therefore you can get at that data.

Does this copyboy copy the contents of a prim? for instance the contents of a vendor or just the prim?