License of material on "AM Extras DVD"

[derwok]

Hi Spline-Wrestlers,

 

As I just got my 2007 subscription I was very happy about also finding the "AM Extras DVD ROM" in my package!

Thanks to all the people who donated all that stuff and to the people who compiled it into this nice DVD.

 

Maybe a typical "newbe" question...

But now I wonder what I am allowed to do with all that fantastic material - especially the models & materials.

I could not find any licence file or something like that. I think users would need some clarification here...?

 

- What exactly means "donated" (as stated on the label)? Public domain?

- Or is it all for my personal study and learning, only? If so: this should be stated somewhere.

- Using it in animation and publish that stuff on my private - non commercial - website - that OK?

- Publishing animations/stills with the items somewhere else (e.g. other 3D forums)?

- What about commercial work? Can I sell an animation with an arbitrary character/prop/material from the CD?

- Am I allowed to change the models/props/materials and then use them in commercial work?

- Does the original author need some credits?

- Are the models "public domain"? Can I do with them, what I want?

- Can I put a changed/improved model back on my homepage for download by others?

- Or re-donate it to the next "Extra DVD"

- If I do so: Could I even sell a changed model/prop/material somewhere to someone?

- etc...

 

Don't get me wrong! I don't intend to do all that stuff (especially the last topics). But I made these extreme suggestions to show the bandwidth of unclearness, as right now there is no license or something like that.

 

May I suggest that maybe one of the license texts of the "Creative Commons" collection fits to the material on the DVD?

Could someone (who knows!) tell me, which CC-license comes closest?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons

http://creativecommons.org/license/

http://creativecommons.org/license/publicdomain-2?lang=en

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Wolfram. "Der WOK"

[Rodney]

Hi Spline-Wrestlers,

 

As I just got my 2007 subscription I was very happy about also finding the "AM Extras DVD ROM" in my package!

Thanks to all the people who donated all that stuff and to the people who compiled it into this nice DVD.

 

Maybe a typical "newbe" question...

But now I wonder what I am allowed to do with all that fantastic material - especially the models & materials.

I could not find any licence file or something like that. I think users would need some clarification here...?

 

- What exactly means "donated" (as stated on the label)? Public domain?

- Or is it all for my personal study and learning, only? If so: this should be stated somewhere.

- Using it in animation and publish that stuff on my private - non commercial - website - that OK?

- Publishing animations/stills with the items somewhere else (e.g. other 3D forums)?

- What about commercial work? Can I sell an animation with an arbitrary character/prop/material from the CD?

- Am I allowed to change the models/props/materials and then use them in commercial work?

- Does the original author need some credits?

- Are the models "public domain"? Can I do with them, what I want?

- Can I put a changed/improved model back on my homepage for download by others?

- Or re-donate it to the next "Extra DVD"

- If I do so: Could I even sell a changed model/prop/material somewhere to someone?

- etc...

 

Don't get me wrong! I don't intend to do all that stuff (especially the last topics). But I made these extreme suggestions to show the bandwidth of unclearness, as right now there is no license or something like that.

 

May I suggest that maybe one of the license texts of the "Creative Commons" collection fits to the material on the DVD?

Could someone (who knows!) tell me, which CC-license comes closest?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_Commons

http://creativecommons.org/license/

http://creativecommons.org/license/publicdomain-2?lang=en

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Wolfram. "Der WOK"

 

Martin is the lawyer so he can point you in the right direction.

Meanwhile... here is my take.

 

Think of this by way of sets of resources.

 

ALL resources on the DVD are provided for your personal use and for learning.

Some resources can be used commercially.

A few resources have restricted use applied.

 

How do you know the difference?

 

The first set of resources is easy. All of them can be freely used for personal use in learning A:M.

 

The second set of resources can be determined by text files within the folder or notes added to the resources themselves.

A statement such as "For personal use only. Please credit the author if used" is an example of this.

 

The third set of resources should be clearly labeled (and I believe few will be found on the DVD) and usage should be rather self explanatory.

"Personal Use Only. Do Not Use Commerically." would be an example of that.

 

Here are some additional things to consider:

- Resources should only be considered in the Public Domain if expressly put there by the author

- Only the author/creator can grant and release rights.

- Distribution rights have been granted to Hash Inc but may or may not be granted to you.

- None of the resources may be used to generate profit or sold without permission

- Resources that are modified and significantly different so as not to infringe on the original are fine

- Fair use applies

 

Creative Commons Licensing is something I had hoped to pursue with this DVD but time did not allow.

Having said that, you should see a few resources with CC applied.

The links or files should be with the resource.

 

When in doubt contact the creator who is quite likely to grant you permission.

Those who have donated would be glad to hear of your interest.

 

Oh... and if you makes million$ somewhere in this process don't forget who these creators are.

 

 

Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer nor does my Mom play one on TV.

 

Rodney

 

 

Edit: I forgot one.

Some resources may have a copyright or trademark which prohibits commercial use.

These resources will be easily identified. Fair use (and common sense) still applies.

[derwok]

Hi Rodney,

 

thanks for your comprehensive answer.

 

Maybe it would be a good idea to put a text like your answer in the root directory of the next "Extras DVD" as "LICENSE.TXT" or something like that.

 

Creative commons is quite flexible - you have lots of options. From public domain to "do not use commercially"...

Maybe it would also be a good idea to genearate three or four "flavours" of licenses and ask every contributor what kind of CC he/she would prefer.

 

Right now I feel a bit "intimmidated" by all those legal / unclear constraints on the "Extras stuff".

You know: sometimes something starts of as a small "learning" project, you put a few props in and a few "helper characters from the DVD" and suddenly you find out: well this rocks and it gets bigger. And at some point maybe you go "public" (or even commercial?) with stuff you are not allowed to.

 

This makes me think of "better not use any of the Extras" stuff?

I scanned for "*.txt" files on the Extras DVD and only found 6-8 files.

For thousands of files this seems too few to clear things up.

I simply dont want to step on someones foot!

 

Thanks anyway for your reply -and the loads of work you do in the newbie section!

I really appreciate it. And though I write little, I read a lot!

;-)

 

Maybe Martin can add some more "thoughts" to this topic?

 

Bye: Wolfram.

 

 

Creative Commons Licensing is something I had hoped to pursue with this DVD but time did not allow.

Having said that, you should see a few resources with CC applied.

The links or files should be with the resource.

 

When in doubt contact the creator who is quite likely to grant you permission.

Those who have donated would be glad to hear of your interest.

 

Oh... and if you makes million$ somewhere in this process don't forget who these creators are.

 

 

Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer nor does my Mom play one on TV.

 

Rodney

 

 

Edit: I forgot one.

Some resources may have a copyright or trademark which prohibits commercial use.

These resources will be easily identified. Fair use (and common sense) still applies.

[Rodney]

Maybe it would be a good idea to put a text like your answer in the root directory of the next "Extras DVD" as "LICENSE.TXT" or something like that.

 

Creative commons is quite flexible - you have lots of options. From public domain to "do not use commercially"...

Maybe it would also be a good idea to genearate three or four "flavours" of licenses and ask every contributor what kind of CC he/she would prefer.

 

Thats a wonderful idea. Please feel free to do that.

 

The legal decision process is really a lot easier than you are making it.

Read again about the sets above and you'll realize there is only the one that most people have to deal with.

Those with a need for commericial use should get to know the creators of resources they use anyway.

 

Seriously, just keep the process as simple as possible.

 

For my part Creative Commons will definitely be considered for projects on this scale in the future.

[jon]

mr wok,

 

i suspect that when the time comes to produce your first commercial work, it will be uniquely your own, inspired in part by -- but not taken from -- community contributions.

 

so, no worries.

 

-jon

[derwok]

Hi!

 

Yes, maybe "too much thinking" on my side.

 

@Jon: Unfortunately (luckily?) as a full time software developer, I'm already in the situation that for two development projects I had to do the "3D" stuff - and yes: it was commercial. One result is viewable here: http://fries.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/dvd-edition/

An animated medieval 3D book, where you can flip the 300+ pages of the old handwriting in my virtual book on a commercial CD-ROM, all renders done with A:M, simply changing the decals of the 4 visible pages during one page flip.

You can view a sample mouse interaction with the 3D virtual book here: http://fries.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/d...ml/features.htm

 

So being not a high-end 3D guy (though using A:M as hobbyist since 2000), but already doing some commercial 3D - maybe you can now understand my license questions more easy ;-) - so it would be interesting to have a list of "commercial usable stuff" on the Extras DVD... - just some "customers" thoughts.

 

Anyway: thanks to you both at clearing things up.

 

Greetings from Germany: Wolfram.

[jon]

wolfram: fair enough... it would be helpful to make the distinctions easier to see.

 

... and don't be offended. i'm mean to everyone. ' ' )

 

-jon

[Rodney]

I haven't had a chance yet to explore your links Wolfram.

I've made it a point to do just that as I find time.

 

Your projects sound intriguing.

 

I appreciate question like yours.

It may seem like we're being a bit short in the answer.

The perfect answer would probably be that creators should always tag their creations with a visible note outlining proper usage.

This is simply not practical in all situations and is complicated even further when some have no interest in doing it.

 

In general copyright protects the creator from the moment of creation. As such the presense of the copyright notice is mostly moot.

On the other hand, affixing a copyright or notice does help inform the viewer.

 

An interesting point here is raised in that I would imagine that just about anybody that contributed (I use that word as opposed to donated on purpose) would be glad to allow use of their resource, modify it for a fee or create something new for anyone interested.

 

First and foremost I think people contributed resources to the DVD because they wanted them to be shared and used by others.

As such you can rest easy. So get to it!

[derwok]

Hi Rodney, Hi Jon.

 

I haven't had a chance yet to explore your links Wolfram.

I've made it a point to do just that as I find time.

 

Your projects sound intriguing.

 

Yes, I always wanted to some kind of "introducing" myself to the forum, and also show my work. (Maybe this would have avoided a little misunderstanding in the bigining). But (you named it: days in Germany also only have 24 hrs - and a third of them I'm asleep).

 

But if you find time to watch my medieval stuff, don't miss my last (commercial ;-) ) work:

 

A music teacher's magazine (where I do some occasionally coding, CDROM quizzes and stuff like that), always features a special instrument in their monthly issue. This time it was the "electrical guitar" and they drove to Warwick (a German e-bass and e-guitar manufacture) and made a 10 minute movie on "how is an e-guitar built?". They asked me, if I could do some animation on how a "e guitar pickup works".

 

So, this was my storyboard (don't laugh at my quick drawings!):

http://www.derwok.de/2d-3d/3d/guitar/guita..._storyboard.mpg

 

And this is the final 3d animation, embedded into the real world footage:

http://www.derwok.de/2d-3d/3d/guitar/guita...p_www_final.mpg

 

Well, sure not 100% professional high class 3D stuff.

But enough to tell 5th grade pupils how this thing work.

 

OK. But I promise: I will do some "introduction" on the "New Users" board and show my last projects there (for a wider audience).

 

Till then.

 

Greetings: Wolfram (Hashing since A:M 2000).

[MMZ_TimeLord]

The storyboards and animation are quite good. I would not worry about the storyboards... they are QUITE good enough for the visualization purpose for which they are intended.

[Muff]

My opinion... Since these items were created by A:M'rs on these forums, I would probably approach (e-mail) whoever to find out if what you intend to do is acceptable (out of respect for the donater) for whatever use you intend to pursue? That is, if its commercial or anything like that? I imagine HASH retains any rights (if there is any implied) to whats contributed. As far as modifying for $$, thats almost a gray area of what modify means? There may not be any stipulation, but it sure would P.O someone to see their work trying to be sold by someone else. But also, Im sure it would be an honor to see someones work, being put to use for cool purposes in a production. But ultimately I think these items donated are, at the core, for learning how someone else did something.

[jon]

I imagine HASH retains any rights (if there is any implied) to whats contributed. As far as modifying for $$, thats almost a gray area of what modify means?

the contributors retain full rights to their works, but have granted unrestricted use of their works, except where they've limited the use of their works in the file's notes section.

 

so, you could pay anyone to do anything you want to those unrestricted contributions, but you'd have to negotiate with the creator for additional rights for those limited-rights creations.

 

is that lawyer enough for ya? ' ' )

 

-jon