[Opensim-dev] Accessing textures via HTTP [bayes]

[Dahlia Trimble]

My professional opinion is that a protocol that serves the user needs does
just that. Asset security is a user need and new, experimental protocols
such as MXP which are trying to establish a user base have an opportunity to
make an advancement it the management of assets and such a technological
advancement may encourage it's eventual adoption. Simply brushing off user
needs such as asset security and respect for content developers and
copyright holders is not an advancement, but rather "sticking one's head in
the sand".

On Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 12:00 PM, Tommi Laukkanen <
tommi.s.e.laukkanen at gmail.com> wrote:

> My professional opinion is that it is a wild goose chase to try to
> protect assets. The unfortunate reality is that when opensimulator
> becomes widely adopted there will be open clients and anyone can go
> and use them to get someone elses assets. There is just no way to
> protect yourself against it. World wide web recognizes this and works
> well.
>
> We can put our heads in the bush but it does not change the reality.
> Sorry to be so blunt about it but someone has to say it.
>
> We should not put all things in the same security category either.
> Some security things can be handled both in theory and reality and
> some can not be. This is a situation where you have given the user
> assets inside a container which he has all the keys for. I would not
> say that we should lock the container because the user is too lazy to
> unlock it.
>
> Security through obscurity is not a good solution either (using j2k).
>
> Any asset protection measures can be countered simple action:
>
> A) Download a hacked client and use it.
>
> ** This applies to water marked and signed content as well. Once
> client can view it, it can also store it and manipulate it.
>
> As it is so easy there will be clients which do this. Why would anyone
> choose restricted client if you can have one which works in open
> fashion and provides you access to every asset? This just is a thing
> we can not control. It is outside our sphere of influence.
>
> Asset protection measures will just make our lives harder and not of
> those who want to steal assets. These measures will make development
> harder, adoption slower, cause bugs and above all waste our design
> focus.
>
> Only solution I can think of is to have some kind of network of
> content registeries which will keep track of authorized content and
> who has right to use it like Kyle suggested. Then majority of clients
> should respect the registeries. There are two problems though. Can we
> make such system work in global scale? Wont someone just branch and
> make open OpenSim and clients?
>
> Go for simple solution if complex ones do not give you real benefit.
>
> - Tommi
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