Abuse of power, can it really be stopped?

Published on November 8, 2005 By WC Ambassador In WinCustomize Talk

Abuse of power, can it really be stopped?

A screenshot is a screenshot. Nothing is more innocent than that. I have made a windowblinds skin based on Nvidia Reactor Windows Media Player by TSF. The skin turned out as if the great Pixtudio group made it. People loved the screenshot and have shown love toward it. I have updated many skins that are available to the publics, yet I never shared them because I know the authors still have full right over them. I'm good at respecting people's work. The Skins Factory hated the fact that the skin has a premium feels and started to threat me. Now the screenshot is disappeared. What TSF wants, TSF gets. How can a screenshot become so controversial?

Mike Bryant was one of the main reasons I have subscribed to WC ‘cause I’ve learn so much through his works, but...

Comments (Page 3)

Jafo

on Nov 08, 2005

Comment# 51 By Admin Jafo - 10/31/2005 7:44:30 PM

Distribution of another's works, or works derived from and/or using parts of another's works, without prior consent is a violation of inherent copyright.

It is also against Wincustomize.com policy, established by and for the skinners of this [and other] online communities. All abide by these same tenets.

If a person chooses to defy accepted policy, here or anywhere else he runs the very real risk of being removed from this community [and others].

This is particularly an issue when the chosen 'nick' is taken into account,...as any 'issue' has the potential to reflect upon this site, whether warranted or, as in this case, not.

Please heed the requests of The Skins Factory, and/or Pixtudio. Neither is a good choice of opponent....

SIXX21

on Nov 08, 2005

SIXX: BTW, I do like your political statement link...

Thanx scorpio....

Jafo

on Nov 08, 2005

All the posted email adresses were deleted to remove temptation, following a silly thread posting a few days ago, likewise removed....

Phoon

on Nov 08, 2005

if I modify CopperDeck2, and then upload a SCREENSHOT of my modifications...you gonna tell me I'm doing something wrong?

Hus,
Without having read more past your post..
If you MODIFY Copperdeck2 then yes, you are using someone elses work in your modification. This directly subjects the original author to perceptions which he/she/they did not intend to project. In TSF's case, they earn a living doing this and would thus be entitled to damages incurred by said mis-perceptions.

If you create your own graphics which were inspired by Copperdeck2 then no harm, no foul.

kona0197

on Nov 08, 2005

I support the 1st Amendment completely. Also I believe that a business has the right to set guidelines or limits regarding what is shown on its website.

WC is a private website. 1st Admendment dosen't apply here.

I'm glad this SS stuff got dealt with as it should but why is it when I think of TSF I see the words "arrogant" and "self rightous jerk" appear in my head?

Jafo

on Nov 08, 2005

Kona0197 ....let's refrain from name-calling, thankyou.

Corky_O

on Nov 08, 2005

Power has nothing to do with it. WinCustomize protects your copyrights and it protects my copyrights. If my work was being distributed without permission via screenshot comments, I would want to put a stop to it, as would anyone else. This isn't some meaningless formality that you should try to circumvent by posting a screenshot and taking email addresses. Copyrights are serious and important to all of us who have put countless hours of careful thought and labor into creating skins.

I can get behind that.....

Well put, Mike.

Bichur

on Nov 08, 2005

if I modify CopperDeck2, and then upload a SCREENSHOT of my modifications...you gonna tell me I'm doing something wrong?

If you MODIFY Copperdeck2 then yes, you are using someone elses work in your modification. This directly subjects the original author to perceptions which he/she/they did not intend to project.

Now I'm getting confused. I thought the focus of screenshots was to portray what you have on your desktop. No more, no less. Whether what you used was changed or not. Depending on the definition, tweaking the color would be a modification. Does this mean that all those screenshots with color tweaking need permission first? Does this mean we can't show any blinds in a screenshot if we changed the toolbars because the artist didn't create any? If I post a screen shot, do I have to hide my throbber because one wasn't skinned?

I do agree with not giving out modded skins, by email or any other means, without permission. It's just now I getting confused about the actual screenie itself.

Jafo

on Nov 08, 2005

Anything goes in screenshots....except...

Porn

Racial Vilification/personal attack

distributable content...eg unobscured walls created by another person.

An intention to unlawfully distribute another's property via posted email links.

The determination of what does or does not 'fit' within those limitations is the responsibility of the Site's moderators....

Threi

on Nov 08, 2005

What TSF wants, TSF gets.

yeah i guess thats how it is here...

aimzzz

on Nov 08, 2005

WC is a private website. 1st Admendment dosen't apply here.

There is no basis for thinking that 'anything goes' at WC-- that people can post anything they want. There are limits. People are going to hit them. So, someone ran up against one of the limits established by the site ownership. WC dealt with it. BFD-- What is the problem here?

Bichur

on Nov 08, 2005

Anything goes in screenshots....except...

So - the exceptions aside (no argument with them by the way) - the answer to this:

if I modify CopperDeck2, and then upload a SCREENSHOT of my modifications...you gonna tell me I'm doing something wrong?

would be: No.

correct?

Jafo

on Nov 08, 2005

Correct. It's considered to be 'fair use'.

Creating a port is fine.....showing it as a WIP screenie, whatever is fine.

The line is definitely overstepped when you take orders to distribute the ported skin.

Wincustomize.com should not be used to facilitate unlawful property distribution. This site is intended FOR the skinners, with their interests at heart. Anyone abusing the rights of another will find themselves in an untenable situation...

Bichur

on Nov 08, 2005

Got it - that's what I originally thought.
Thanks Jafo.

Fuzzy Logic

on Nov 08, 2005

So, what is this screenshot we are talking about...

...answers on a postcard to...

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