Ea makes statement March 2 making paysites ok?

[prattle]

 Why do so many of them still think that a Maxiod=EA?  Why are they so convinced that a moderator of a forum board for 12's had the ability to speak on behalf of a multi-million dollar company.  It is just absurd.  Maxiod's are nothing more than glorified mods with no real contact with EA at all.  Everytime that Drea comes in and makes a statement and the sheeple go looking for clarification there is never anyone around.  If EA had sent her to make the statement (anyone see anything wrong with that chain of events) why wouldn't EA or "the sim's team" be there to back it up?

I'm assuming MaxoidDrea is Andrea Wendland (who introduces herself on the Sims 3 site as a "Community Team Manager"); if that's the case, it is her job to (mis)manage the community with statements on behalf of her division of EA. It's still an open question in my mind whether Drea is just bad, or following orders from someone within EA, or she's trying to play both sides.

[minionsRmine]

It's the SimMasters who have little direct contact with EA. MaxoidDrea works for EA, as do the rest of the Maxoids. She's part of the WebTeam, and I'd wager that her little statement did not go without a discussion to the legal team. No doubt they've been having talks with TSR about what can be done to try to thwart the Coconut & paysite-destroying efforts. EA helps TSR. They always will. If you don't believe me STILL, just sit back and watch.

[Anouk]

If that statement could be seen as a 100% OK for paysites, I won't support PMBD or filesharing of payfiles anymore. However, it's not clear to me. EULA still stands, but respect the people that break it? Hmmm. I'll wait for a clear explanation from them (probably forever).

[uknortherner]

The situation's pretty simple as far as I'm concerned.

There has been no change to the one document that matters in all of this: The EULA.

A badly-worded statement full of "should"s and plzes do not alter the fact the original EULA still stands, TSR are breaking the terms of the EULA, and we are not doing a damned thing wrong.

We have an expression in the UK, about pissups and breweries, and EA cannot organise a pissup in a brewery. It's that simple.

[BlueSoup]

http://tinyurl.com/ba3bal

[uknortherner]

Great letter. I see there are a couple of sheep though who will buy TS3 regardless of how much EA hates its customers. Morons.

[Anouk]

"Sorry! I have a short attention span and I couldn't read it. Though I can feel your anger on something I will still buy the sims 3 and I am truly sorry for your loss or whatever you are upset about i'm sorry for that. "

Made me lol 

[Souvenirs]

I would be very surprised if Drea didn't contact some of the higher-ups about this--they probably gave her the go-ahead.  But they also made sure that it used nonbinding language for the same reason they keep the EULA anti-paysite.  Thus, it's useless, except for the fact that it gives Thomas and Co. something to rub in our faces.

This thread is going too quickly for me to keep up, but one more thing: EA sticks up for TSR because they have a lot in common: they're both money-guzzling scum.  EA probably sees TSR as somewhat similar to itself in its younger days and wants to help it "grow," so to speak.

Fake edit: That was well put, BlueSoup.  I hope the sheep actually take the time to read it.

[uknortherner]

Nah, too many big words for the sheep. They'll dismiss it as tl;dr and move on

[aeris]

We strive to provide players with tools that enable them to customize and personalize their game experience. We are proud that so many of The Sims and The Sims 2 players create their own art for the games and share it with others

Yeah right. She doesn't seem to consider SimPe a tool, when it's the most used in the community. And it wasn't made by EA.
Unless they write the new EULA in a sims 2 game, I won't consider that paysites have the right to exist. A Maxoid statement is NOT enough, espcially when it's not clear.

But even if there was a new EULA, it wouldn't and couldn't be retroactive.

Yep. They'll still own people's money. Will paysites refund all the money their subscribers spent to buy their content during all those years? I don't think so.

Edit: I'd only be satisfied if EA go public (press conference or something) and say that paysites are allowed.

[Pooki]

Ok, this may be a dumb question but if EA were really going to make a big announcement concerning whether paysites are legal or not wouldn't they put on the front page or have a specific page about it and not on the BBS?  I would take more heed of it if it was from the legal department and on its own page than on there but maybe that is just me.  

[uknortherner]

Well, there's a link on the front page of the official site if that counts...?

Scrub that. It's gone. There was one this evening.

ETA: I meant that there was a small paragraph and link to the BBS on the front page but it's gone now.

[keirra]

http://tinyurl.com/ba3bal

That is an awesome letter. Hopefully EA will learn something.

[Lirael]

Well, there's a link on the front page of the official site if that counts...?

Scrub that. It's gone. There was one this evening.

ETA: I meant that there was a small paragraph and link to the BBS on the front page but it's gone now.

There is a link just now that takes you to a news page, this is all it says

News
 
 
2009-03-01 12:03 am

Clarification - End User License Agreement



We've received questions regarding the use of custom content and our End User License Agreement (EULA). Please read the latest from The Sims team.
 

And then there is a link to the BBS post.

[uknortherner]

Ah, it must be on rotation. That's why it didn't show for me before.