[Opensim-dev] Copyright, IPR and stuff on assets

[Michael Wright]

Nearly everyone working on opensim has there own ideas of what they want from the project. But I'm certainly in the camp of thinking that the goal of it isn't to create a SL clone as such. I want to create a 3d world server, it just happens that we are compatible with the SL viewer/client.

With opensim being a open source project, and with the current architecture of how things work (in the SL protocol) it is very hard to make assets secure. Even on a closed system like SL, there are so many problems with trying to stop people copying other people's work. So I think most of us think of it like webpages. Anyone can copy the source of a website or a picture from a website. But it doesn't stop people from making a living, by creating websites.

Of course a goal for most people is to be able to connect opensim regions to the SL grid network at some point in the future. And maybe as LL work towards opening up their grid network, there might be changes that could possible help to make assets more secure (but I wouldn't count on it).

So basically, I don't really think trying to come up with some way of stopping people copying assets is even worth much time; at least at the moment.

On to money. I think with the current architecture/protocol, the problems of trying to do some sort of money system is even worse. With the current system, you would have to trust the opensim server that you were connected to. So if someone was going to use the current system, I think it would be up to the grid owner to add a system to handle it( and to get people to trust that grid). I really don't see that as part of the opensim project (although there are others who do).

Another thing related to money is that I believe as part of LL's plans for opening up their grid, that they are going to be changing to a Client based system (ie the client connects to a separate secure payment transaction server) so that the region server doesn't get involved with the handling of the transaction (it is just informed that the transaction has been completed). Or something like that.

But anyway, I think if anyone is going to work on these things based on the current architecture, then really they should be as some kind of module and really be outside of the core of opensim. 

I guess this comes down to my view as not really seeing opensim as a SL clone. So if someone wants to make a SL clone from it, with money transactions and "secure" assets, then they should be addons. As I don't think every system running opensim servers are going to have the same needs. 

I see opensim more as the core being a 3d world server, and people use it to create whatever system they want. Just don't expect it to always fit all your needs out of the box.


Tleiades <tleiades at hotmail.com> wrote: Hi

I know that maybe I am getting ahead of my self, but I think we need to 
start debating on how to handle money, copyrights, IPR and stuff like that. 
In a few months we will be ready for people to start providing content to 
grids.

Then the question on who has rights to the stuff starts to emerge, for 
osgrid, matters are pretty simple, but what about all the other grids? will 
they have the same policy as osgrid, or will they lean more towards LL?, if 
they lean towards LL, how will ownership be transferred, how can money 
exchange hands?

We could leave this issue hidden in the closet, so another question is: 
"Should we try to address this issue?"

Personally I think that we would be better of content wise, if content 
creators could have monetary gain from creating content, just like LL. On 
the otherhand, I strongly believe that the business model where a content 
creator makes an original, and then makes a living, from selling a copy of 
the original, is dead in this digital age. (Yes, this is the same problem, 
the record industry, the software industry, and a lot of others are facing)

Some people are going to object to an open source grid, based on fear of 
having their creation. To my knowledge the only type of content which will 
have an increased risk of being exposed are scripts, other than that, I 
think everything else can be ripped today; my guess is that people will be 
more worried, and that we need to have our arguments in place.

Let me try to outline some of the arguments I can see:
1) Yes, there is an increased risk of content being ripped, but that 
increase is "only" related to scripts
2) A service/subcription model, where you customers buys a service, rather 
than content will have no problems with content being ripped

Then the next question comes up, what kind of money to support? and how to 
make that money trustworthy? LL currently has an - apparently - well running 
system for handling micropayments called L$. I doubt we can tap into that, 
but paypal has a similar system, albeit with some limitations:

https://www.paypal.com/helpcenter/main.jsp;jsessionid=HLGVD6HyJnyTkQ1KzC2Tt3hph0pwtpG4PJyDyR27fHxW8s4PJfmT!-1650576528?t=solutionTab&ft=homeTab&ps=&solutionId=13088&locale=en_US&_dyncharset=UTF-8&cmd=_help-ext&serverInstance=9005

So what do you think, should we let this bear sleep?

/Tleiades 

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