[Opensim-users] Announcement of inventory tool (MyInventory), mostly of interest to grid operators/grid nauts

[Snowcrash Short]

IANAL! but...

On Thu, Nov 15, 2012 at 4:23 PM, Mike Chase <
mike.chase at alternatemetaverse.com> wrote:

> Actually,  as the creator of an item I own it.  Not the “user”.
>
There is no doubt that the creator owns the copyright, and the user has a
license to use said item. One of the operative words here is "User" and not
"Avatar", avatars have no legal standing, users do. One of the many issues
here is that there is no agreement made between somebody clicking "Pay" on
an object in a virtual world and the one "selling" the object, but thats a
side issue.

>   That’s clear  because I get to set the permissions under which the next
> “owner” or licensee can use it.  When someone acquires an digital asset I
> created they get a license to use it.  The value of the creation itself
> usually far exceeds what someone pays for it.
>
This is where I see content creators being in a far better position than
the Record Industry were back in the zero'es, the pricing on most content
is so low that it really isn't worth while to pirate it for the ordinary
user. But ease of access is very much an issue in opensim grids.

>    I only create in grids I trust because the grid operator must defend my
> rights via a DMCA process.  So no a “user” doesn’t have rights to copy
> items in inventory they “own”.  Because ownership of digital assets doesn’t
> transfer.  Only a license to use them for a purpose.****
>
> **
>
This very much depends on the country you live in, in my country I am
entitled to use any digital asset I have licensed in any way I see fit - as
long as this is done for personal use and I have not made a prior agreement
with the distributor to not use the asset in said manner.

> **
>
> So in short I think some of your thinking about users “rights” is somewhat
> flawed.  That doesn’t meant there aren’t protocols to do what you want to
> do.   But yeah, I think providing such a tool is asking to get sued. And it
> probably damages the reputation of OpenSim as serious software for serving
> digital assets.  That’s a shame because there are a number of closed grids
> trying to actually correct that assumption by providing a more secure
> environment for content creators to operate in.  ****
>
> **
>
I do not agree with you about damaging the opensim community, quite the
opposite. I see two major obstacles preventing widespread use, one is easy
access to content, and the second is a usable search tool.

There is a lot of free content available, either CC licensed or public
domain, but until now only grid operators have had access to it.
MyInventory is intended to give the user access to this content without
having to be technical savy enough to install and run a simulator.

**
>
> Just my 2 cents.  Do what you will with it****
>
> ** **
>
> Mike****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* opensim-users-bounces at lists.berlios.de [mailto:
> opensim-users-bounces at lists.berlios.de] *On Behalf Of *Snowcrash Short
> *Sent:* Thursday, November 15, 2012 7:51 AM
> *To:* opensim-users at lists.berlios.de
> *Subject:* Re: [Opensim-users] Announcement of inventory tool
> (MyInventory), mostly of interest to grid operators/grid nauts****
>
> ** **
>
> Hi****
>
> ** **
>
> Before this gets out of hand, let me clarify, this is not a backup
> tool, at least no per se, one of the features is the ability to backup
> content from an existing account (a backup which is governed by a policy).
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> The primary goal of the project is to move the inventory and the assets to
> their rightful users and to empower the users to use the assets as they
> want - within legal limits.****
>
> ** **
>
> In an ideal world - except for special cases, the inventory and the assets
> backing the inventory is controlled by the user, and that is the goal of
> the project, to bring the inventory under the control of the user.****
>
> ** **
>
> To this purpose it currently has two input streams supporting it (one more
> is planned), the first is client side access to .iar files, the second is
> download from the users existing inventory, to the extent allowed by law
> and agreements made between the user and grid operators.****
>
> ** **
>
> Knowing that only a few of the grid operators using Open Sim has policies
> in place, this email serves as an invitation to make these policies public,
> and to implement - to the extent possible - these policies in MyInventory.
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> The question of attribution is only relevant when the assets are being
> distributed, MyInventory has currently no functionality for distribution.
> The as yet unfinished and only hinted at third input stream deals with
> distribution. The current implementation does not distribute any data, it
> only grants a user simpler way access to the assets the user has rightfully
> access to.****
>
> ** **
>
> Best regards****
>
> Snowcrash****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
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