Small ethical question

[ColonelSandersLite 0]

Ok,

I made a small unit replacement pack off of a pair of addons that a guy made a little while back (I'm going to not name anything right now). I made this for personal use and would, on further reflection like to release it.

Normally, you simply drop the dude a note, and ask for permission (and he says yes or no) right?

Well, supposing you wrote the guy an e-mail and a PM and no reply whatsoever?

Further, he hasn't posted on the board in over a month, so it's likely he's split. Either for now or maybe permanently.

The unit replacement pack doesn't overwrite anything in the addon, and infact requires it to be installed.

It is run via a mod folder and is just a few lines of code to make the BIS units inherit some properties from the mod units.

At the least, I want to give him a few more days to reply, but after that? Should I post it or no?

[Jackal326 1182]

Post it, but give full credit where its due to the perosn(s) in question. If after you've posted, he replies and says you can't use it, just pull it from your FTP. The community is usually very generous, and as long as you've asked bbefore hand (even if no reply was sent), the intent was (is) there, and its not like you ahev just gone "Screw it, I don't need permission!" and released it anyway.

[ColonelSandersLite 0]

That's about what I think, but another opinion or two would be good to make sure we're not just in the minority.

Just realized that it's also the last day of spring break for many colleges across the US. If he's a student, he may show back up in a couple of days here.

[Dirt 0]

I think there should be some kind of sticky topic for such as this. A place you can post request's like this after you have tried to e-mail and PM mod/addon makers about upgrading their original addons and such.

I feel you have done the right thing by e-mailing and PMing the owner requesting permission for your upgrade. If you do not receive a reply in 48hrs of the e-mail or PM, you should make a post such as this with the addon name and maker. This way if he is unable to receive e-mail or PMs, he may see it and be able to post his ok or objections.

Just my 2cents worth.

[granQ 293]

I think there should be some kind of sticky topic for such as this. A place you can post request's like this after you have tried to e-mail and PM mod/addon makers about upgrading their original addons and such.

I feel you have done the right thing by e-mailing and PMing the owner requesting permission for your upgrade. If you do not receive a reply in 48hrs of the e-mail or PM, you should make a post such as this with the addon name and maker. This way if he is unable to receive e-mail or PMs, he may see it and be able to post his ok or objections.

Just my 2cents worth.

well, most of us addon makers dont have life for sure, but 48 hours without a reply is nothing..

[W0lle 1052]

I go with Sam here, if you asked the guy and he hasn't replied within a week or two (which is enough imo) then he either vanished or doesn't care.

So release it but make sure you give proper credit in the readme.

[ColonelSandersLite 0]

We seem to all agree.

I will give him a couple more days though. It's already been a few, and as I said, it's the last day of spring break today. So if he's just partying in florida or something, he'll be back soon.

I'm doubtfull though, like I also said, he hasn't been posted anything in a month.

[Dirt 0]

You have a life GranQ, it might just be wrapped up around ArmA, but its a life....lol

[deanosbeano 0]

what does his readme/eula say ?

if it says no change use without request ,then you requested it

if it says no change without permission ,then you gotta abide by that

if it says nothing , then you have tried to do the honourable thing

[ColonelSandersLite 0]

what does his readme/eula say ?

if it says no change use without request ,then you requested it

if it says no change without permission ,then you gotta abide by that

if it says nothing , then you have tried to do the honourable thing

Standard no responsibility clause, that's it.

[Commando84 0]

hehe gamers dont need a life we got plenty of them!

[max power 21]

I would be inclined not to use anything you don't have explicit permission to use. I've done this before, I wanted to use bits of the original dynamic range pack for another project but no dice, noone got back to me. That's just how I roll.

[BraTTy 0]

Same opinion here.

I would wait months for author to reply back.

I wouldn't bother use others I would just make my own.I wouldn't wait.

Hard to figure but as long as you post proper credits if you use.

You didn't say who's addon you were using.Maybe if you did say the name here.Alot of us know who will let you use addons freely.

I state in my addons parts can be used.Legally I think if they don't say anything than the "don't use" apply

[Nicolas Eymerich 0]

I agree.

You should also consider that the Author could not be interested in answering you.

At least in my modest point of view, you should ask and wait for the permission.

[UNN 0]

If you’re just inheriting then there is not much to worry about in IMHO. Especially if you’re not distributing the addon in question, but just linking to the official source (link the original creator used).

As long as you make it clear who is responsible for what and at least show enough courtesy to inform him, then that should be enough?

[ColonelSandersLite 0]

I'm reviving this after having waited for a couple of months.

The user is frozzzen.

Last post was Feb. 26 2007

I've tried both PM and email over the past while. No respose. Also, his webspace is gone (dunno how long):

http://frozzzen.netfast.org

The addon in question is "SLA in olive uniforms" and can be found here:

http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin....t=57842

If anybody knows a way to touch bases with this guy, please pass the info along.

I hope he's ok, and hasn't been hit by a bus or something...

The proposed unit replacement pack works in the same way as the ACU replacement pack and the EBU US SOCOM replacement packs I recently released. Yes, inheritence only.

Short of someone telling me where to find the dude, I propose to release it, and take it off should he ever come back and asks that it be done.

Comments?

[BraTTy 0]

I have a comment

I reread the post and see that you are only inheriting,i retract my earlier views

Just requiring his addon is not the same thing.You are very honorable for waiting.I don't feel it was necessary

[ColonelSandersLite 0]

I still hope someone knows how to get ahold of the dude. We'll see.

[Guest]

I have no idea where you can find him.

However I do agree with the others (most of them) saying you should release it.

You havent changed his work, all you have done is making an addition needing his work and replacing the default units.

I think thats just fine. Since you made it dependant and not included his work in yours it shouldnt be a problem to release after having asked and waited for permission this long.

[ColonelSandersLite 0]

All right then, as far as I'm concerned, that settles it. I'm going to release the pack.

Probably some time today .

[Törni 0]

I do not see any harm done, if you do not claim his work as your own and mention the original makers in a readme or credits for example.