[opensource-dev] Blocking viewers.

Marc Adored marc at inworlddesigns.com
Wed Sep 8 15:31:44 PDT 2010


> Okay, let's just outline this properly.
>
> The lab DO NOT have any right to determine what software they will allow
> to connect to their SERVICE.  The only thing they DO have a right to do
> is to determine which TCP connections they want to accept and which UDP
> packets they want to accept.

And if they chose to determine what packets they wish to accept by the
viewer you are using it is there right. Just like that could by al
rights say only Windows users are allowed to use their service. It is
THEIR right to chose and YOUR privilage to use their service.

> It's my right to use whichever software I
> want to generate those packets. As such, I accept that they have the
> legal right to block logins from clients containing "Emerald" in their
> version string - but not a moral right. And they certainly do not have a
> right to threaten people with account bans if they "bypass" the ban.
>

They actually do have EVERY right to threaten people with account bans
if they do not follow the terms of service or try to bypass any
quality control measures they take.

> Linden Lab have blocked Emerald due to a POLITICAL DISAGREEMENT with
> their dev team.  They haven't blocked it because of any fault with the
> software itself,  they're not protecting anyone - they're taking
> pre-emptive action against a project because of some percieved danger
> that might evolve.

You may be right about its current state but a few times in the past
it it has proven to be unsafe for secondlifes user base to use it and
the dev team that was on it could not be trusted to not allow those
things to happen again. But this is going into the REASON why the
banned it which is irrelevant to the fact that they DID ban it. Like I
said regardless of the "morals" behind it they have every right to ban
whatever for whatever they want it is their service. Legally they have
obligations to their user base. Normally this wouldn't apply to third
party products but they did set a standard for third party products so
they have to uphold that standard or they me be legally obligated for
any damage a third party application they endorse may cause.


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