[opensource-dev] Stuff from my Lunch Bag

Nicholaz Beresford nicholaz at blueflash.cc
Fri Apr 9 12:17:53 PDT 2010


I won't attend the meeting, but here are a few pennies worth of 
suggestions (they would be too detailed and complex to convey in a 
meeting anyway).

First of all, I believe the current TPV is broken beyond repair.  The 
main reason is that responsibilities for users, developers and viewer 
dictionary are mixed into a mess and that many burdens/agreements which 
IMO belong in the category of preferred partners (viewer directory) are 
mushed into other sections.   I'm sure it's confusing to the users and 
it's obvious (by previous discussion here) that it's confusing for 
developers. 

Below is a way to structure the TPV which I would have found acceptable 
(fleshed out details nonwithstanding):

1) Explain what an acceptable TPV is and keep it to the core concerns:
- protection of copyright (blatant violations of permissions)
- protection of user accounts (passwords, etc.)
- protection of the service in general (viewer crashing, server load, etc.)

2) Make a section which applies to users (anyone who uses a TPV to 
connect to SL) and leverage your main goals through that:
- prohibit use of viewers which violate the concerns under 1)
- reserve the right to block access by such viewers
- reserve the right to request stopping use of those and eventually to 
ban accounts using such viewers
- instruct that there is no end user support for problems arising when 
using a TPV
- instruct users that is their responsibility to do their DD when 
choosing a TPV and that they have to deal with the outcome
- instruct users how to look for acceptable viewers (points listed below 
under 3) and recommend usage of viewers from 4)

3) Make a section for other viewer developers in general and keep 
requests/agreements to a bare minimum and easy to comply with
- explain that if developer uses his/her viewer to connect to SL, he/she 
is also  a user under 2)
- in addition request the following
 - visible disclaimer about non affiliation with LL
 - visible notice to end users that usage being governed by the TPV policy
 - visible notice about account and privacy protection
 - visible notice about support (i.e. non-support  by LL)
- make it plain and simple and refrain from requesting a card blanche 
for broad and/or future demands (the whole TOS is transferable, and even 
if a developer would trust LL's good intentions, a potential buyer of LL 
may not be seen to have those).  (See the middle part of the blog post 
from the Imprudence folks, these were mainly my concerns too: 
http://imprudenceviewer.org/2010/03/26/an-important-announcement-regarding-the-third-party-viewer-policy/)

4) Make a section for the viewer directory.  Put the more far reaching 
requests into that for those who want to be listed there in order to 
gain exposure
- naming conventions beyond the existing trademark policies
- promise of adjustment/removal of features and other nice  (for LL) to 
have cooperation
- whatever else beyond 3) may be on LL's wishlist


These are just from the top of my head and obviously I'm merely speaking 
for myself only and from the armchair in the off even.


Nicholaz.






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