Add Semantic License Flags in addition to Mod, Copy, Transfer
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Charlotte Holmeforth
I suggest adding optional semantic license flags in addition to mod, copy, transfer so that creators can indicate their license terms alongside permissions.
For example, textures are distributed full perms, but that doesnt mean you can do what you like with a texture if there are additional license terms. Often licensing information is in a notecard which can get lost or deleted.
Possible licensing flags might include:
- NONCOMMERCIAL: Free to use, but not for commercial purposes
- EDUCATIONAL_USE: Free for teaching or sandbox use
- EXPORT_OK: May be used outside Second Life
- ATTRIBUTION_REQUIRED: Must credit the creator
- SEE_PROFILE: License terms available in creator’s profile
A creator could set some or all of these license flags for their items.
Ideally these flags wouldnt need a change to the existing data structures (assuming mod,copy,transfer are stored as a single integer). They wouldnt affect existing items, they wouldnt change mod, copy, trans permissions, and they wouldnt be enforced via software. They would be for information only, added to the item by the creator so anyone can check for terms if they look at an object's profile.
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Spidey Linden
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tracked
Issue tracked. We have no estimate when it may be implemented. Please see future updates here.
Jennifer Boyle
FWIW, if the license terms are only made available to the buyer via a notecard included with the item(s), which the buyer does not have access to until after purchasing the item(s), the buyer is not bound by them. For them to be binding, they have to be made available to the buyer before the purchase.
Cuddles Supply
Rather than on the object, I'd rather see this in MP listings or recommended best practice for sellers in-world. In MP, it could also be a filter.
However, I think some thought would need to be put into the labels. For example, full perm items can be resold but often not as-is. Other listings say the derived item can be given away free or sets a minimum price. Or can only be used in builds. You get the idea.
Reviewing the common limits for existing listings and adapting the flags would be in order.
Charlotte Holmeforth
Cuddles Supply yes, good idea to have it on the MP listings. I'd like to filter inventory or mp to find items by license. This example is from a browser image search filter.
misstoriblack Resident
What would be the point when you can package it with a license notecard. Seems like a lot of work for something that is a niche usage
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Nya Jules
I am curious about this from several points of view, but my main question is, what is your main goal? What do you want to achieve?
You write: "Often licensing information is in a notecard which can get lost or deleted."
Only the owner has access to the notecard. Is that the main use case, so that the owner is aware of additional licensing terms of an object if either the creator didn't provide a notecard or if they deleted it?
What do you do in the following case:
- User purchases product with no license checkbox checked
- Store owner checks a license checkbox for the product
- User re-delivers the item
What are the license terms in the re-delivered object?
Charlotte Holmeforth
Nya Jules mainly just let the creator provide information that is embedded in the item and wont get lost.
Some items are useless if they are not full perm, e.g. textures for building, but they are not actually full perm - they are mod, copy, trans but the license says whether you can sell them as is, or use them in builds, or give them away etc.
Say I got a box of items, years later those items will be in several different folders and i wont remember which box they came out of or whether they came with extra licence info. i might ask the creator, but what if they havent logged in for months?
Why not use a few extra bits in the existing permissions data to let creators express their intent? Then we could easily find what the license terms are, we could maybe search by license like google does, to find freebies we can pass to friends.
i dont imagine this enforcing anything at all.. it's just optional information that doesnt affect existing items and doesnt make new permissions. Existing items don't change, if the creator doesnt tick the boxes carry on as we do already.
In your example i dont know how re-deliveries work. I'd assume if the creator changed the item then that's a new version, not a re-delivery of the original item. But if not, the license you had when you bought the original surely still apply, even if you or they cant remember what it said.
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Nya Jules
Charlotte Holmeforth To clarify, when something is flagged as "for non commercial use", is that supposed to mean that this item cannot be rezzed at a commercial event, or does the flag only apply when the item is transferred?
Charlotte Holmeforth
Nya Jules I would think it means not for resale. I didnt think about using it to make money without transferring it, maybe that should also be a tag