My rights as an FDE author?

[John_Cillis 2,406]

I was surprised today to find that "Dreamwings" has uploaded an FDE "fix" for the EMB 170. When I posted in the Dreamwings forum regarding this (and in neither instance attacking anyone, including the author of the update) in both instances the Dreamwings moderator used his "rights" as moderator to pull the plug on my posts. So I am using my "rights" as moderator here to share my concern and to seek feedback.When I contributed the original FDE to the 170 project, I never agreed to waive my rights to my intellectual property although I was more than happy to allow Dreamwings to use it and to release it under protection of their EULA. Dreamwings is essentially stating that under the EULA in the 170 package, the FDE is theirs. I thought I was the copyright holder unless I gave written permission to the contrary. I wasn't paid by Dreamwings, didn't enter into a contract with Dreamwings, and didn't have any issues with the personnel there--until today. What peeves me about the update is the file description states "This FDE updates a few jagged edges which allows the plane to fly more accuratley." Fine--nothing is perfect. But say it in another way, such as "this improves time to climb, fuel burn, etc...."Is it out of line for me to ask that I at least be given a heads up when an update is posted to a project I contributed to? Instead I am being told that "Dreamwings" can do whatever they dang well please to work I created. Isn't this another sign of some of the trouble in freeware, when those of us who contribute to these projects are forgotten or brushed off without even a courtesy email?I would have given Dreamwings my full blessing to release this--in fact, the author of the update has flown on a 170--something I couldn't do. But I am troubled by Dreamwings "claim" on my work. What are my rights, and what are theirs?And so Dreamwings isn't singled out, what are the broader issues we should consider when we contribute to such projects?Regards,John

[Propilot23k 0]

John I explained alot to you earlier ok. I apologized and explained to i didnt have anything. I never relesed anythings as a "fix". Simply an update. Like I told you even after the update im sure it isnt perfect ok. Speaking of courtesy email and etc.... I dont know you like I explained previously so how and why would I have emailed you???? Again for the 3rd time Im apologizng for the mixup because it isnt meant to make your work look bad in anyway.

[John_Cillis 2,406]

"John I explained alot to you earlier ok. I apologized and explained to i didnt have anything. I never relesed anythings as a "fix". Simply an update. Like I told you even after the update im sure it isnt perfect ok. Speaking of courtesy email and etc.... I dont know you like I explained previously so how and why would I have emailed you???? Again for the 3rd time Im apologizng for the mixup because it isnt meant to make your work look bad in anyway."Thanks for the reply. However, that doesn't explain your response about your claim that your EULA trumps my rights as author of the FDE. And it doesn't explain why my post was deleted in your forum. I am certain the first post concerned you and perhaps you wanted to discuss the issue privately with me, so I concede your wish to delete it. But my second post simply asked what your changes were and what data you chose to use.As for your comments about not knowing me, I have previous communication from you in the Dreamwings PM system that shows otherwise. On July 21, 2005 you sent me this PM:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/146218.jpgPerhaps it was the 170 FDE or another, I don't know, but you certainly knew enough about me to seek my help at that time. Perhaps you don't know me personally, but you certainly knew who I was.-John

[Propilot23k 0]

1. I never said the EULA trumps your rights, but however it was released as a Dreamwings release and the EULA says that also. 2. I deleted your 1st post because it wasnt positive at all. I deleted your second post because I realized what your problem was and it was something to take up with me, Not with the public. So I informed you to PM me about the matter. You eventually refused......????3. That post was directed to you because at that time I had FDE questions, and I did a search on FDE through the forum and one of your posts arguing with someone came up. I felt you must know something about fde structure thats why I PMed you, and many other from many other groups. SO I didnt know you. Sorry.I dont know why whover treated you the way they did or why but I had no part of it. I also see you keep going on about this exactly what do you want? I mean instead of just coming to the point your complaining about all these other things. I apologized so many times now, and you said you dont mind the update-So...... what do you want?

[John_Cillis 2,406]

"I dont know why whover treated you the way they did or why but I had no part of it."Please read your PM here. For public consumption, this isn't about a past issue at Dreamwings. And in Maurino's defense, in May he sent a PM to me regarding a bashing I took for a mistake I made with the Q400 FDE. He was very supportive in that PM--as a forum moderator should be :)In general, I think teams like Dreamwings that see members like myself come and go should:~Keep the original authors in the loop when updates are made to projects, especially when our work is touched. I was still a Dreamwings forum member, although not an active poster, so I was easy to contact. My name was also listed in the 170's credits, so there's no reason I shouldn't have been contacted.~Post change logs when you post updates. That's not only a professional courtesy, but it helps users understand what they are getting. Some may prefer the original FDE for instance if control sensitivity is changed, since our own game controller calibration could change the way an aircraft feels from one sim to another.-John