But... no comments on this?

[sherrie]

Out of curiosity, is TSR US-based?  Because if so, I imagine once EA does the math (and they get serious about the problem) they'll be the first slapped with a Cease and Desist letter, while sites like Peggy and Rose could be tougher.

TSR is based in sweden
http://www.dnstools.com/?lookup=on&wwwhois=on&arin=on&checkp=on&portNum=80&ping=on&all=on&target=thesimsresource.com&submit=Get+Info

I think the very least EA can do while they are concidering any action they may take, is to put up a disclaimer on their website, basically saying what was in that email, notifying people that paysites ARE ILLEGAL and urging people not open one or  give money to illegal sites. they should also stop advertising sites like TSR on their fansites list.

Does anyone have an email address for where that mail came from, as I would like to write and request this action.

[dietofworms]

Do you really think EA will shut down TSR ?:roll:   Their relationship goes way back and is obviously profitable to both parties.  And since EA won't touch TSR, they can't touch the other paysites either or they'll publically look like hypocrites.

I'm glad for the clarification about copyright, but I can't see anything happening on EA's end.

[Broomhilda]

Why are they listed as a free site? http://thesims2.ea.com/community/fansites.php?category_id=1

[Hecubus]

Broom, WAAAAAAAAAY back in the beginning of TS1, TSR was free, and asked to be listed. Some Maxian credentialed them, and NO ONE has ever LOOKED again.

Well, no one with Maxis, anyway.

Remember that EA has now bought Maxis, and much of what we get from tech support/the BBS is Maxian. (Gotta love corporate mergers.) Howver, the EA guys - who haven't been hands-on with the fansites at all - have NO IDEA (or didn't, anyway) that this was so pervasive, or that TSR is so big.

We're providing them a wake-up call.

By the way...while EA is a US-based company, they have legal departments all over the world, in at least two dozen countries, including Sweden. I am confident that should action need to be taken, they have the necessary legal eagles around the world to deal with variations in copyright law.


And contrary to popular belief, EA does not see a PENNY from paysites. There is no conspiracy from EA's POV. (However, I wouldn't put it past some Maxians who are paysite supporters....there's something fishy abuot some of the answers about paysites we get from them.)

If paysites die...maybe we lose a little content...that which we don't already have in the booty...but when is the last time a paysite creator REALLY put out something we couldnt' live without? Maybe Caravan's Arcan set...or the Charmed men's set from confide at TSR....but there isn't much. (And if Buntah has to close, well wah-fucking-wah!)

[Jojoba]

Ahh...well the AA has collected all the info and sent it off...its only a matter of time *gets rum out ready and calmly sits down*

[bebasmerdeka]

If paysites die...maybe we lose a little content...that which we don't already have in the booty...

In the short time yes, but what will happen in the long run? Let's assume that all of the paysites are closed and all of the CCs are available freely, isn't that means that the Booty is no longer needed? And if there are no booties, will peoples still come to PMBD and/or join in?

[alia]

Well, if paysites are destroyed I'd think that there is no reason for this forum/site to exist anymore, so I don't see why people should come and join here after all.

I'd assume SFV will stick around because it is much more a social forum, whereas this is more a place for venting, bitching and drama. :wink:

[littlemisspirate]

By the way...while EA is a US-based company, they have legal departments all over the world, in at least two dozen countries, including Sweden. I am confident that should action need to be taken, they have the necessary legal eagles around the world to deal with variations in copyright law.

Oh, of course.  It's just that areas with stronger enforcement of intellectual property laws are going to go down more easily, and anything within the US will go down fastest.  (Although now that I think about it, are there ANY major US-based paysites?)  There's a reason Pescado chose a Malaysian host, after all.

I wondered if a bigger wake-up call to EA might be if paysites *were* hurting their bottom line.  What about organizing a boycott of the H&M Stuff Pack?  The Stuff Packs are closest content-wise to paysite materials, and they're obviously profitable, or the Maxians wouldn't keep churning them out.

[Lorelei]

Well, if paysites are destroyed I'd think that there is no reason for this forum/site to exist anymore, so I don't see why people should come and join here after all.

There's always the very satisfying ritual neener-neener, "I told you so," "We were wrong, you were right," "Kiss my butt, you and your lame "ZOMFG Copyright Abuse!!" lawyer letters complaining about the copyrighted content you stole from EA that got bought from you and then shared," and the gloating and smugness.

Not that we would ever be so petty.

It might be nice to feel a TEENSY bit smug for being on the side of the angels, though, in compensation for some of the crappy attitudes and fucked-up attitudes paysite owners have had while trying to justify their theft (of intellectual property for personal commercial gain) all these years.

We can be a little smug for a while.

And make a big Graveyard full of pixel tombstones and dance on each grave, giving them all the attention they deserve, in proportion to how sucky they were. TSR would have a 67892 page thread; 11dots might luck out and get a few posts.

There's pirate movies to ARR! over, though that wouldn't last too long.

Maybe we can shift focus and go after Intellectual Property Thieves. You know, the REAL kind, the ones who steal original objects from people who made their stuff from scratch, not someone stealing from Poser or EA or another Sims 2 content creator and then whinging when someone steals their stolen items from them in return.

There'll be more Nouk's Hair Dun Got STOLED!!!eleventy-1EINZ10rz!!! posts, and the hate for TSR may never fully die out, but we probably won't be interested in poking at unimportant, crappy content providing small fry like [name goes here].

It won't be as busy, but that can be seen as a good thing.

Maybe Pes will turn it into a Dominions2 forum, or a forum specifically to host Peasantry content and MATYVILLE pix.

Who knows?

Maybe EAxis will do what it has always done, which is act outraged, do nothing, and then shuffle the papers into a circular file somewhere, and then act outraged again a few months later when the matter is brought to their attention again.

Bless 'em if they finally grew some legal beagle cojones and decided to protect their customers from scam artists, and themselves from copyright infringement.

[rickets]

Does it amuse anyone else that one of the reasons EA might be so hyper aware of the paysite issue is because of paysite owners and their lackeys bombarding them for the last few months about protecting their paysite content from us?

[redisenchanted]

Does it amuse anyone else that one of the reasons EA might be so hyper aware of the paysite issue is because of paysite owners and their lackeys bombarding them for the last few months about protecting their paysite content from us?

Yes indeed. I also think that for us to bombard them, other than providing them with up-to-date lists of paysites, won't be in our best interests. Pressuring other big fansites like MTS2 though, to allow links will help.

[Marhis]

Personally, I don't care too much if EA will sue anybody, or whatever else will do or not; to me the important fact is that my (and most likely ours) opinion on the issue is officially supported.
I'll repeat: officially. Period.

Whatever will happen to TSR, Peggy, Rose or any other paysite will be an additional satisfactional bit, but not the core issue.
Same is for their products: give them for free, destroy them, stuck them up the ass, cry and moan and take toys home...

in short: they can go suck a rock. Enjoy.

[ghengisjohn]

I feel the warm fuzzy glow of righteousness.

[Yaardarm Monkey]

I feel the warm fuzzy glow of righteousness.

I felt the warm fuzzy glow of....rock sucking

 :lol:


(in the voice of Homer Simpson)
mmmmmmmmm.....rock....sucking....
 

[PutanginaMo]

Im also worried what will happen next if all paysites are destroyed.

BECAUSE THATS OUR GOAL!

i think that will be a big blast! and  Im not worried about lacking of simmers that will join us here at PMBD. Because i will assure you guys that we pirates here are one of the most important people behind the burning of paysites.

So even if paysites are destroyed. I know that this site will be supported by millions of simmers.

How i wish i could post

"Oh that bald-headed rat Thomas was destroyed"
"Peggy's old fairy flash was changed to a burning fairy flash!"
"RoseSims died because of the lack of water!"
"Paysites URL was in a "Cannot find server mode"


Oh! time will tell...