WoAI Shutting Down 30 April 2013!

[JSkorna 137]

Ah, so more piracy is the answer again. When will people learn?

[simmerhead 885]

When I stared making freeware for FS98 I had a wikipedia attitude towards it. Create and share to please others. I don't feel any need to stamp a copyright on my freeware, just as I don't stamp my text, illustrations and photographs that are uploaded to wikipedia. As the payware addon market grew the only changes I did was include a term that my creations could not be charged for in any way.

 

As a small community we have everything to lose by all the restrictions following most of the freeware files. Just imagine the value of an AVSIM 3D Objects library that could be used for free by any scenery creator. A library that was constantly updated and added to, making things easier for both users and developers, not to mention all the time saved that could be better spent creating.

[BimmerCop 332]

Maybe I'm missing something but since when has the distribution of freeware software for non-commercial purposes considered piracy just because the authors decided it was time for them to move on to better things or whatever the reason may be? When they were providing these freeware packages, was there a clause that stated if sometime in the future they decides to stop hosting the files, it was illegal to do so? If not, are they saying this now? And if not, then what is the big deal? I would like to know what is their current stance on having others host and make these files available for all as it's always been.

 

- Sent from my rooted, Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE smartphone via Tapatalk because haters gonna hate.

 

 

[ailchim 216]

I'm sad to hear this and very disappointed in the people behind it. As has been noted above, this stuff was offered free. I could understand it if they disavowed any further support for it including taking down their own site and perhaps issued a statement reserving their legal rights, but to wilfully remove it from the free public libraries when thousands already have the same files on their hard drives quite legally seems bizarre and petty.

 

To be clear, I'm not advocating organised piracy [and neither am I an IP lawyer], I'm just puzzled and disappointed.

 

To be fair to them, they are giving 4 months' notice, which is more or less inviting anyone who hasn't a full set for their own use to get it now so there really doesn't need to be any subsequent systematic misuse.

 

Rather hard luck on any newcomers who come to FS9/FSX after the withdrawal but I guess nobody has any moral obligation to future users even if we'd like to think they'd feel one to existing ones.

[Swofford 155]

 

 

That sir is exactly my point in a nutshell. I think this is a textbook example of what I'm trying to get across and it is highly relevant in this instance.

 

 

 

Refer to the post I quoted above. Swofford if you seek to change my stance on this you will fail miserably, understand? I am someone who believes passionately in progression and the evolution of our hobby through creation. I am opposed, on principle, to needless, self-serving limitations that obstruct those objectives. You can construct all the legalistic arguments you like and in the eyes of the law you would probably be seen as correct. But if you think that is sensible and rational then I'm wasting my time arguing.

 

You can slander me as a pirate all you like. I've personally spent thousands in the last year supporting this hobby.

 

I didn't call you a pirate. I said you're advocating piracy. You can read whatever you want into that. The fact is nobody gets to decide what to do with other people's creations. The authors of that software, wether freeware or payware, get to. It doesn't matter if we like their descision or not. If you want universal control then create your own original package and distribute how you want. Theft is theft wether it be monetary or intellectual. I don't have the knowledge to create what some of these people do so I'm glad there are those that share their talents with the rest of us. If they decide for whatever reason not to then that's their prerogative and I'm not going to circumvent their wishes based on some selfish rationalization.

[OmniAtlas 93]

 

 

You can read whatever you want into that. The fact is nobody gets to decide what to do with other people's creations.

 

So if I buy software I can't decide what I want to do with it? That doesn't make much sense to me.

 

Reminds me of the whole argument with music and ripping CDs into mp3s. I believe I have a right to do what I want personally with any software as long as it is not piracy. That included hacking the software, jailbreaking, ripping, modding, etc.

[Swofford 155]

The law would disagree with you. How you view laws and legality is up to you I'm not your priest. I personally am not find of ignoring them. But then I've gotten a speeding ticket so far from perfect. However you don't own the media be it music or movies or software. You purchased a license to use it and agreed to the creators terms. They decide how you use it, you decide if you agree or not with the terms.

[Gazzareth 835]

So if I buy software I can't decide what I want to do with it? That doesn't make much sense to me.

 

Well you certainly can't distribute it, most of the time you can only install it on one PC and there is often a clause to say you can't modify it. Pretty standard stuff ..... .....

 

G

[mgh 89]

I hope at least someone here understands the point I'm trying to get across.

 

The point you are getting across is that you believe you have the right to do whatever you want with other's property regardless of their rights.

[BimmerCop 332]

http://www.world-of-ai.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10334

 

All they are saying is they will be removing all files from AVSIM, FLIGHTSIM and their support forums will go black. Nowhere does it says it's prohibited to make them available via other sites. If everyone wants to play Lawyers R Us, then they should publicly and EXPLICITLY PROHIBIT anyone from making the packages available after April 30, 2013, and not leave it open for interpretation.

 

Do the packages say the files can't be used unless they were downloaded from AVSIM or FLIGHTSIM?

 

If their intentions is for no one to use their packages after April 30, 2013, are they going to request that everyone who has them to delete them from their computers?

 

I think since their official means of distribution was via AVSIM and FLIGHTSIM, they have to remove them to completely remove themselves from any ties to the packages and any support people would request. In other words, they do not support the product anymore and will not provide support. If you download them via other means, then you must understand it does not have any support.

 

This is all speculation of course, so they need to clear these things up.

 

- Sent from my rooted, Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE smartphone via Tapatalk because haters gonna hate.

[Swofford 155]

Yes as a matter of fact they do. Right on a screen on the installer is specifically stated that the files can only be uploaded to avsim or flightsim.com by the authors only. That's pretty clear cut to me and I'm not a lawyer.

[BimmerCop 332]

Yes as a matter of fact they do. Right on a screen on the installer is specifically stated that the files can only be uploaded to avsim or flightsim.com by the authors only. That's pretty clear cut to me and I'm not a lawyer.

 

If that's the case, then yes, it's pretty clear. Is it childish? Most certainly. It's like the kid who doesn't want to play anymore and takes the bat and ball with him even though the other kids want to continue playing. But it is what it is, unfortunately. Any distribution would be against their permission.

 

- Sent from my rooted, Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE smartphone via Tapatalk because haters gonna hate.

[pilotguy03 1]

How is UT2?

[Swofford 155]

I'm not debating the wisdom of it just that it's up to the people that create the software to decide what happens to it, not Joe Public.

 

How is UT2?

 

I have UT2 and love it personally.

[BimmerCop 332]

I'm not debating the wisdom of it just that it's up to the people that create the software to decide what happens to it, not Joe Public.

 

You mean, Joe Public, Attorney at Law? LMAO

 

- Sent from my rooted, Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE smartphone via Tapatalk because haters gonna hate.