SMCars and models theft : official statement
- Thread starter tom120934
- Start date
This notion of derivative work is not a ComputerGraphics-specific issue. Please let me take an example in the field of IT.
Let's say you have a laptop, with a WiFi capability. Imagine it comes with Microsoft Windows and a driver supplied by the WiFi card maker. It just works.
Now let's say you want to use the very same laptop with Linux but there is no driver for your WiFi card. So it just doesn't work.
A skilled programmer can do some reverse engineering, to get source code from the driver, and from that create a Linux driver. It would be a derivate work from the original Windows driver. The WiFi card maker can forbid that, be saying they don't allow derivative work in the license coming with the Windows driver. So the Linux driver can't be distributed. We're screwed.
The solution for such a case is quite simple : ask the skilled developer not to create a Linux driver from decompiled code, but to write a specification guide. This guide isn't a derivative work, it's an original one. And this guide can be used later, by another skilled developer, to create a brand new Linux driver. Why another one ? Just to make sure he never accessed the Windows driver, so the Linux driver isn't a derivate work from the Windows one.
End of story. Of course it's not a fictive story, and several open-source drivers for common hardware have been written this way.
How can we apply the same way of thinking for CG? Quite simple. Don't distribute a derivate work, distribute an original work. Eg, a skilled modeler can build a brand new mesh, not using the in-game one as a basis but as reference : he didn't import it in his 3D package to edit it, he just looked at it. The new mesh isn't a derivate work.
Let's say you have a laptop, with a WiFi capability. Imagine it comes with Microsoft Windows and a driver supplied by the WiFi card maker. It just works.
Now let's say you want to use the very same laptop with Linux but there is no driver for your WiFi card. So it just doesn't work.
A skilled programmer can do some reverse engineering, to get source code from the driver, and from that create a Linux driver. It would be a derivate work from the original Windows driver. The WiFi card maker can forbid that, be saying they don't allow derivative work in the license coming with the Windows driver. So the Linux driver can't be distributed. We're screwed.
The solution for such a case is quite simple : ask the skilled developer not to create a Linux driver from decompiled code, but to write a specification guide. This guide isn't a derivative work, it's an original one. And this guide can be used later, by another skilled developer, to create a brand new Linux driver. Why another one ? Just to make sure he never accessed the Windows driver, so the Linux driver isn't a derivate work from the Windows one.
End of story. Of course it's not a fictive story, and several open-source drivers for common hardware have been written this way.
How can we apply the same way of thinking for CG? Quite simple. Don't distribute a derivate work, distribute an original work. Eg, a skilled modeler can build a brand new mesh, not using the in-game one as a basis but as reference : he didn't import it in his 3D package to edit it, he just looked at it. The new mesh isn't a derivate work.
If I may say something, I thinks that those thiefs have a problem up top, in thei mind, because such webpages, like SMcars, are not to show off with work, specially when is stolen, but to try to improve your work and working skills, with the help from the comunity, critics and appreciation of the work is welcome from everyone for everyone, thats why this should stay like that. Steeling to show how great you are, does not improve working skills. So thiefs can continue steeling, but they will never learn and will never improve skills, and that is like steeling from themselfs. So for those who like to show others work as own, continue thefting, and will make you dummer, something like Flinstones. see ya
Hi, im very new to this forum, and i have downloaded a mesh that was free from a website, i have used it to learn about modelling and modded it, but i have never passed it of as my own, i just dont have the skills to make such a detailed model yet! Just wanted to add that judging by the amount of time it takes to make these models, to have your own stolen and for somebody else to claim they did it would be horrible...
protecting your work
I think the main issue here is copyright and in the US compared to here in the UK the issue of suing someone for ripping off your work is much easier to do than anywhere else on the planet as the culture is different and the logistics are easier for the person doing the suing to screw the person who has ripped them off.
There are serious laws governing image copyright around the world but the net has made it extremely difficult to catch the culprates who rip off other peoples work. One solution to not getting people to do this is.... to ask them politely to remove the images from wherever it is they are displaying it as that image is yours and its taken you ages to create and you are showing it off as your own blah blah blah or if that does not work contact the admin team of that website where the image is displayed and ask them to remove it cause that is your work and this person on your website is ripping you off. I did this when I found a person using a avatar of a subaru 22B car that I produced in photoshop and he did in fairness remove it straight away. If that fails then threaten them will a lawyers letter but this is a no no cause there is no way of tracking these people down who are ripping off your work. But if you find them and know where they are, then that is down to you to persue it and once you prove that the artwork you created is yours then that is them hung drawn and quartered!!
I am in the same position with flat plan side view posters that I produce of cars that take me on average 2-3 months to produce and I was told by a copyright lawyer a while ago, once you complete a piece of artwork, print it out in high res, make sure the printer prints a time and date on that day somewhere on the print, put it in a envelope and put it in the post to your own address and once it arrives put the envelope UNOPENED on the shelf for safe keeping until a situation arises where you need to use it in a court of law to sue a person who has ripped your work off and is using it without your consent. 10 times out of 10, the person ripping you off will not and cannot prove that they have the original files from which they have produced their work because YOU have them in your possession and more importantly will never be able to match the time and date that those files he supposedly produced would have been produced BEFORE the time that you as the originating artist produced the original artwork!!! That is the key and you will win every time its a shame you cannot catch the buggers who rip your work off to bring them to book!!!
short term solution.....only upload a very low res image of your work and run a light watermark through the whole image as a diagonal. If people who see your work want your to do things for them they will contact you, but for the mingers who want to rip your work off......1. the image quality will be **** to use in any situation and 2. photoshopping out a watermark on a low res image is not worth considering.
hope this helps
tony
autotecart automotive illustration
I think the main issue here is copyright and in the US compared to here in the UK the issue of suing someone for ripping off your work is much easier to do than anywhere else on the planet as the culture is different and the logistics are easier for the person doing the suing to screw the person who has ripped them off.
There are serious laws governing image copyright around the world but the net has made it extremely difficult to catch the culprates who rip off other peoples work. One solution to not getting people to do this is.... to ask them politely to remove the images from wherever it is they are displaying it as that image is yours and its taken you ages to create and you are showing it off as your own blah blah blah or if that does not work contact the admin team of that website where the image is displayed and ask them to remove it cause that is your work and this person on your website is ripping you off. I did this when I found a person using a avatar of a subaru 22B car that I produced in photoshop and he did in fairness remove it straight away. If that fails then threaten them will a lawyers letter but this is a no no cause there is no way of tracking these people down who are ripping off your work. But if you find them and know where they are, then that is down to you to persue it and once you prove that the artwork you created is yours then that is them hung drawn and quartered!!
I am in the same position with flat plan side view posters that I produce of cars that take me on average 2-3 months to produce and I was told by a copyright lawyer a while ago, once you complete a piece of artwork, print it out in high res, make sure the printer prints a time and date on that day somewhere on the print, put it in a envelope and put it in the post to your own address and once it arrives put the envelope UNOPENED on the shelf for safe keeping until a situation arises where you need to use it in a court of law to sue a person who has ripped your work off and is using it without your consent. 10 times out of 10, the person ripping you off will not and cannot prove that they have the original files from which they have produced their work because YOU have them in your possession and more importantly will never be able to match the time and date that those files he supposedly produced would have been produced BEFORE the time that you as the originating artist produced the original artwork!!! That is the key and you will win every time its a shame you cannot catch the buggers who rip your work off to bring them to book!!!
short term solution.....only upload a very low res image of your work and run a light watermark through the whole image as a diagonal. If people who see your work want your to do things for them they will contact you, but for the mingers who want to rip your work off......1. the image quality will be **** to use in any situation and 2. photoshopping out a watermark on a low res image is not worth considering.
hope this helps
tony
autotecart automotive illustration
Found a load of stolen models
Scratch Made Cars - Car Blueprints Forum - 2003towncar's Albums
This thread reminds me of this one time
I made a video for youtube a while back of my unimog. later I came across the thumbnail on google pics I was like "OOO cool im around the interwebs" xD
clicked it and got a virus
Scratch Made Cars - Car Blueprints Forum - 2003towncar's Albums
This thread reminds me of this one time
I made a video for youtube a while back of my unimog. later I came across the thumbnail on google pics I was like "OOO cool im around the interwebs" xD
clicked it and got a virus
Jesus guys, I know him. Hes just using another name here.
EDIT: Ah alright, I see the thing was cleared before my post. Thanks for trying to help though, there are just too many stealers out there. If you find any more models that might be released or edited without mentioning the original author please post here.
EDIT: Ah alright, I see the thing was cleared before my post. Thanks for trying to help though, there are just too many stealers out there. If you find any more models that might be released or edited without mentioning the original author please post here.
Jesus guys, I know him. Hes just using another name here.
EDIT: Ah alright, I see the thing was cleared before my post. Thanks for trying to help though, there are just too many stealers out there. If you find any more models that might be released or edited without mentioning the original author please post here.
EDIT: Ah alright, I see the thing was cleared before my post. Thanks for trying to help though, there are just too many stealers out there. If you find any more models that might be released or edited without mentioning the original author please post here.
Anyways he is pro at the age of 13 O.O he's got a future
