[opensource-dev] Requesting Linden Response: Please move TPVPTopics to a different mailing list

[VR Hacks]

Michael wrote in part (full off-list comment is included below sig):

> That means that you can write and distribute anything you please, but if 
> you connect to the grid with something like NeilLife and you get caught 
> doing it then you will loose your account.

Yup, something to that effect.

> I mean you can't legally be held liable for users who refuse to follow a 
> contract they made with you, can you?

Sure you can. After all, if you write malicious code, you know you're doing 
it. So, if you choose to distribute that code that allows connection to the 
grid, and even if you included a "connect to the grid at your own risk" 
clause in your EULA, it could easily be shown in a court of law that you 
were attempting to circumvent the lab's TPV policy. In fact, if anything, 
such a clause in the EULA would clearly indicate that you know you're 
distributing a non-compliant viewer for connecting to the SL grid. Again, 
this would only apply if you provided a means for your viewer to connect to 
the SL grid.

Angela Talamasca (in-world)
MA Forensic Psychology

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VR Hacks Blog: http://bit.ly/VRHacksBlog
VR Hacks Twitter: http://bit.ly/VRHacksTwitter
VR Hacks YouTube: http://bit.ly/VRHacksYouTube
Digital DNA in SL: http://bit.ly/VRHacksSLmap
Digital DNA in Blue Mars: http://bit.ly/BMclient
--
"Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are 
infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you." - Oscar Wilde


Angela Talamasca (in-world)
MA Forensic Psychology

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VR Hacks Blog: http://bit.ly/VRHacksBlog
VR Hacks Twitter: http://bit.ly/VRHacksTwitter
VR Hacks YouTube: http://bit.ly/VRHacksYouTube
Digital DNA in SL: http://bit.ly/VRHacksSLmap
Digital DNA in Blue Mars: http://bit.ly/BMclient
--
"Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are 
infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you." - Oscar Wilde

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Daniel" <m.a.daniel at iup.edu>
To: "VR Hacks" <vrhacks at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 1:38 PM
Subject: Re: [opensource-dev] Requesting Linden Response: Please move 
TPVPTopics to a different mailing list


>I know many others have looked at this, but to me the important part of the 
>policy is this:
>
> "This Policy does not place any restriction on modification or use of our 
> viewer source code <https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Source_downloads> 
> that we make available under the GPL 
> <http://secondlifegrid.net/technology-programs/license-virtual-world/viewerlicensing/gplv2>. 
> Rather, the Policy sets out requirements for connecting to our Second Life 
> service using a Third-Party Viewer, regardless of the viewer source code 
> used, and for participating in our Viewer Directory 
> <http://viewerdirectory.secondlife.com>."
>
> That means that you can write and distribute anything you please, but if 
> you connect to the grid with something like NeilLife and you get caught 
> doing it then you will loose your account.
>
> If you don't want the liability just toss something in the EULA for your 
> users that makes them agree to not use your TPV to connect to SL and 
> you're covered, I think.  I'm pretty sure that counts as due dilligance. 
> I mean you can't legally be held liable for users who refuse to follow a 
> contract they made with you, can you?
>
> Again, I'm not a lawyer.
>
> ~Bubblesort
>
>
> VR Hacks wrote:
>> Tigro Spottystripes
>>
>>
>>> Why developers for other grids would need to do any changes on their
>>> code? And why can't a SL resident develop clients for other grids while
>>> keeping their SL accounts safe without being forced to jump thru hoops?
>>>
>>
>> For argument's sake, let's say I, as an SL user, choose to extend the 
>> linden lab viewer code base to access, say, reaction grid. Let's also say 
>> that I do wish to agree to the TPV policy for my code. In other words, 
>> say, I want to include functionality that is allowable on that grid but 
>> not allowable on the SL grid. It is then my "responsibility" to create my 
>> viewer such that the option for connecting to the SL grid is not 
>> available without some sort of code change. At which point I can deploy 
>> my code.
>>
>> Of course, I still plan to access the second life grid. In order to do 
>> so, I cannot use my viewer. Rather, I must use a viewer that was 
>> developed by someone who agreed to the TPV policy (as put forth in the 
>> new ToS). In other words, as long as I am using a viewer that adheres to 
>> the TPV policy, all is well. And I can cavort in SL to my heart's 
>> content.
>>
>> This, of course, raises an interesting scenario. If I have coded a client 
>> that, say, ignores the lab's import/export requirements, and I have 
>> chosen to exclude SL grid access, yet, Joe Developer comes along and 
>> chooses to use my code base, and add in SL grid access, then the onus is 
>> upon Joe Developer to change the import/export feature to meet the TPV 
>> policy guidelines if he wants his viewer to connect to the grid. Or, he 
>> can take his chances. Nonetheless, since Joe Developer is the one who 
>> changed the code to connect to the grid, the policy applies to him., not 
>> to you. And therefore it is his responsibility to ensure his code adheres 
>> to the TPV policy.
>>
>> Angela Talamasca (in-world)
>> MA Forensic Psychology
>>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> VR Hacks Blog: http://bit.ly/VRHacksBlog
>> VR Hacks Twitter: http://bit.ly/VRHacksTwitter
>> VR Hacks YouTube: http://bit.ly/VRHacksYouTube
>> Digital DNA in SL: http://bit.ly/VRHacksSLmap
>> Digital DNA in Blue Mars: http://bit.ly/BMclient
>> --
>> "Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are 
>> infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you." - Oscar Wilde
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Policies and (un)subscribe information available here:
>> http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/OpenSource-Dev
>> Please read the policies before posting to keep unmoderated posting 
>> privileges
>>
>
>
>