On Rights and Ownership
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It has come to my attention lately that the concept of ownership might not be all that clear to certain people (not naming anybody, you know who you are).
I think it is extremely important to restate what is our stance on this matter here at The Starport. As a community site aimed specifically at developers and modders, respect of ownership is critical to us. Ownership means that whoever made something has the full right to do as he sees fit with what he has done.
You may find certain restrictions counterintuitive or downright stupid (I have seen such claims in the past), but get this: that you disagree with the owner’s decision does not give you the right to violate his ownership. If he says that nobody can use it, well tough luck. Obviously we are more supportive of people who share and we encourage sharing for the benefit of the entire community, but we will never, ever force anybody to share what he has done for any reason whatsoever. If he wants to keep it for exclusivity, because it doesn’t yet feel completed to him or any other reason, it is his right and his alone.
You have no right to come and get it, laughing at him along the way. No, this is not about law. This community is small, most people are doing this as a hobby and as such do not have the means to enter in complex and expansive lawsuits, especially international ones. This is just about respect. If you cannot respect one’s work, then you should not expect respect in return. If you do not do so, there is a strong possibility you will just bring discord and hatred among the community, which is something we definitely do not need more of. It is also very possible that by doing so, you stop the owner from doing any more things just because he feels the community is thankless and terrible, and he wouldn’t be all that wrong in that case.
You are asking somebody who’s poured hours onto a project to give it up unwillingly. Do think about what this feels like before pulling the trigger, and do not expect support from this site should you do it. You would become, for all intents and purposes, an outlaw.
If you want help, ask for it. Help is something most people will be glad to give. It is much better to teach a man how to fish than to give a man some fish. One benefits you and the entire community, whereas the other only dilutes and burns what has already been done.
I hope everyone understands the message I’m trying to get across here and that we can work together towards making a better community by respecting everybody’s work.
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Yep. Agreed.
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While I’m not familiar with who you may or may not be referring to, you make some rather good points. Almost all modding communities are tightly knit and any sort of conflict, especially concerning theft of work, will only drive a wedge deep into the heart of the community.
We’re all here because we have a love for a wonderful game, and what we can do to make it even better. I hope that whatever issues have come up between modders, developers, and players alike, will be able to be resolved soon so we can get back to work
