Pescado, I guess different things make different people tick. The EULA argument doesn’t do anything for me. The morality issue does, though.
See, I just can't understand how hosting the files here is wrong. It's illegal for paysites to charge. It's not illegal for fans to share their creations. Maybe I see too much in black and white, but honestly I just can't see the shades of grey here.
1. The legality of this issue isn’t that clear-cut. Go back and read Pescado’s last post and you should see the shades of grey.
2. Because – like I said – let us at least have a minimum measure of control of what happens to our creations. I am very well aware that once you put something on the internet you can not retain 100 percent control of where it goes. But at least don’t stick it in our face so blatantly that you don’t give a damn about our wishes. And that goes for TSR too.
NeptuneSuzy, it would help if you would just come out with a number. I don’t understand your answer to that particular question either. Some FA’s don’t get paid, I understand that, but does that mean you don’t get paid either? :?
They won't stop making payfiles - they'll keep doing it, and as long as they keep doing it, PMBD won't stop.
Yes. So what I find is wrong-doing on both sides, will continue on both sides. That's sad, I think.
No, it's like signing standard rental agreements over the course of your lifetime, and then finding out that the rental agreement you just signed is a lifelong tenancy that you can't get out of ever, and they take your furniture and sell it.
Yes. And that is plain stupid. If you didn't even take the time to read the agreement before you signed it, don't come complaining to me about that.
Until refuted, what EA says goes. EULAs haven't been thrashed out in court, but that doesn't mean that just because they haven't you get to do what you like.
For the third time: The EULA is not law. It is a condition or a terms of use, I think you'd call it in English. National laws - like laws on copyright and intellectual property - may most likely overrule that. I don't believe any of us can really say how those things interact. So the EULA argument doesn't really carry that much weight, IMO. See Pescado's last post. It just isn't a strong argument, which is all I'm trying to say.
Oh, and EA/Maxis have for a long time been acceptant and even supporting of paysites, so if you want to refer to what ‘EA says’ you’ll have to take that into count too. Which is definitely what any court would do.
I wasn't accusing you - but that argument would devalue free creators, and I don't think that's helpful or nice, and certainly doesn't make sense if we want an all free community.
Again, I don’t think so. I don’t feel devalued by knowing or being told that what I create with all the free tools I’m given and all the free help I get all the time over at MTS2 it does not give me the right to charge anybody for what comes out of all that. Or maybe we’re just splitting hairs here. It is plainly morally wrong to charge for custom content and there are plenty of horrid examples of how some creators have abused their paypal button. That should be argument enough to turn people against paysites. :wink:
Why do you keep mentioning that you've come here of your own free will? Is that supposed to be something special? Is PMBD really that hidden and unknown that posting here feels so damn wondrous and exhilirating? Why do some people (differing viewpoint or not) feel like they're doing something special and different when they speak up around here? It's just a forum and we're just people with real feelings too. (Except JM. I still don't really buy the evil guy talking like a baby thing, but it seems a little less loony now.)
Uhm, I'm sorry to say this, but probably because some people here really do come off very evil and mean-spirited – (not talking about Pescado here. As much as he likes to be the evil bastard I’ve never seen one post from him that was just unfairly mean. There is always logic to his nastiness) – and that doesn't exactly work like an invitation to engage in any kind of meaningful discussion with the forum in general. I've stayed in lurkdom for a very long time, because, honestly, I didn't have the impression that you guys wanted to have a discussion at all, but preferred to stick to the slacking-off and ranting about various paysites. But NeptuneSuzy raised some good points and she got some very valid reactions to her posts, so I figured maybe you did want the discussion after all.
But, if I'm mistaken about that please do tell me as quickly as possible, because then I'll go back to lurkdom immediately.
Edited to delete typos.