Take a look at this!

[Mac_in_Black]

Is it just me, or did some verbiage in the EULA get changed?

http://thesims2.ea.com/getcoolstuff/contentmanager_dl.php?languageCode=1

[calalily]

I compared it to my 2004 Homecrafter EULA, and couldn't see a difference - unless you're referring to individual word changes that are slight that I may not have noticed.

[Anouk]

It's the content manager. It doesn't create anything.

[HystericalParoxysm]

The Homecrafter EULA that I just downloaded is different.

"Electronic Arts Inc, and its subsidiaries, affiliates and licensors (collectively, "EA") grants you a non- transferable non-exclusive license to download and/or install and use one copy of the software tool ("Tool") and/or materials ("Materials") (collectively the "Tools & Materials") solely for your personal noncommercial use in connection with EA’s products, in accordance with the terms below."

I think it's a poor copy-paste as the Content Manager doesn't make content - just manages it, and the first paragraph talks about using it to make content.  Different legal assistant hacked it together and handed it to the website folks, I think, as it's not even relevant to what the program does.

[Mac_in_Black]

Well this was from the EULA posted on the main page of PMBD:

EA owns all of the rights, title and interest in the Tools & Materials. You may not alter any of EA's trademarks or logos, or alter or remove any of EA's trademark or copyright notices included in or with the Tools & Materials or EA's products. Your right to use Tools & Materials is limited to the license grant above, and you may not otherwise copy, display, distribute, perform, publish, modify, create works from, or use any of the Tools & Materials. Without limiting the preceding sentence, you may not modify, reverse engineer, disassemble, license, transfer, distribute, create works from, or sell the Tool, or use the Tools & Materials to further any commercial or unlawful purpose. Without limiting the foregoing, you may not use the Tools & Materials to promote another product or business, or on any site that operates or promotes a server emulator.


And this is from the content manager page:

EA owns all of the right, title and interest in the Software. You may not alter any of EA's trademarks or logos, or alter or remove any of EA’s trademark or copyright notices included in, or with, the Software. Your right to use Software is limited to the license grant above, and you may not otherwise copy, display, distribute, perform, publish, modify, create works from, or use any of the Software. Without limitation, you may not modify, reverse engineer, disassemble, license, transfer, distribute, or sell the Software. Your License is limited to the intellectual property rights in the Software and does not include any rights to other patents, trademarks, copyrights or other intellectual property owned or licensed by EA.

All that stuff about the materials is gone, and the sentence about not using the “Tools & Materials to further any commercial or unlawful purpose” is also gone...

Also from PMBD's front page:

You may include materials created with the Tools & Materials on your personal noncommercial website for the noncommercial benefit of the fan community for EA's products, provided this is beneficial to the product(s) in EA's judgment, and provided that if you do so, you must also post the following notice on your site on the same web page(s) where those materials are located: "This site is not endorsed by or affiliated with Electronic Arts, or its licensors. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Game content and materials copyright Electronic Arts Inc. and its licensors. All Rights Reserved." You will not represent that your site is endorsed or approved by or affiliated with EA or our licensors or that any other content on your site is endorsed or approved by or affiliated with EA or our licensors.


And from the content manager page:

If you include content created with the Software on your website you must also post the following notice on your site on the same web page(s) where that content is located: "This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Electronic Arts." You will not represent that your site is approved by or affiliated with EA or that any other content on your site is approved by or affiliated with EA.


Notice that the non commercial part has totally vanished... What's up with that?

It's the content manager. It doesn't create anything.

Don't you find it odd though that the EULA has changed at all though? I thought it was supposed to be the same EULA for everything? And it HAS changed, look at the archive.org page for the tool from when it first came out!

http://web.archive.org/web/20050730001847/http://thesims2.ea.com/getcoolstuff/contentmanager_dl.php

It's the same EULA as on the front page of PMBD but it's distinctly different now!

[DreadPirateRoberts]

It also states on the title:

ELECTRONIC ARTS END USER LICENSE
for The Sims™ Custom Content Tools

So the Content Manager might not create anything, but the title clearly states that it's for all Custom Content Tools.

[Pescado]

Interesting, but doesn't signify anything, other than that it is more relevant to the content managy thingy.

[SparklePlenty]

It also states on the title:

ELECTRONIC ARTS END USER LICENSE
for The Sims™ Custom Content Tools

So the Content Manager might not create anything, but the title clearly states that it's for all Custom Content Tools.

Perhaps the Content Manager is not considered a Custom Content Tool, but only a User Tool. Whatever.

[Pescado]

There is nothing to be worried about. Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.

[toomanyguppys]

TSR seems interested in the changes, as well.  From their newsletter:

Custom Content EULA Change.
EA have posted a change to the End User Licence Agreement for Custom Content made using The Sims 2 game and its associated tools. The first change has already been posted at the Official Site. The major change is that references to only allowing the use of Custom Content to non commercial websites has been removed. Expect to see more changes and announcements regarding this soon.

[Mac_in_Black]

The Newsletter? Has it come out? I haven't gotten mine yet. Hmph. Thanks for posting that though. Most curious.

[dietofworms]

It's hard to understand the syntax of that TSR message.  But if I'm reading it correctly, it means game over.  I guess EA has caved to TSR.

ETA: And the fact that TSR knows in advance of anyone else that further changes are being made to the EULA doesn't look so good either.

[Soup Parrot]

They had a rep at Bon Voyage Preview. Did you think Steve And EA officials could of had a nice little chat about the Eula and TSR, and custom content and all?

[Feverish]

Well as soon as they officially support paysites, I'm finding another game to play. Sorry to say but it's true.

[jfade]

Interestingly enough, the fansite kit EULA has also been changed to match the one for the Custom Content Manager thingo.

http://thesims2.ea.com/community/approval_fansitekit.php