I was wondering if there are any restrictions using Google Earth images to make a freeware scenery of Australia?Also I looked at www.spaceimage.com and they have awesome satellite photos and at excellent prices too.One idea I had was to form a 'scenery club' where we could share access and download what we liked and make our scenery (freeware only of course!).Does anyone have any idea if we could recruit at least 1000 members?Just some ideas I am throwing around, coz it would be nice to have some great scenery to fly in. Especially Grand Canyon, Rushmore, Yosemite etc etc as well as airports and cities around the globe.Danielwww.danielmcaloon.tk

Hello Daniel,Purchasing a license to a product or service, and then sharing with friends is illegal. It is what kids do with games, music, and movies, and the reason why vendors and publishers are so upset. This is easy to understand as this is nothing more than revenue loss. Please do not propose this type of scheme in this forum.Best regards.Luis

>Hello Daniel,>>Purchasing a license to a product or service, and then sharing>with friends is illegal. It is what kids do with games, music,>and movies, and the reason why vendors and publishers are so>upset. This is easy to understand as this is nothing more than>revenue loss. Please do not propose this type of scheme in>this forum.>>Best regards.>>Luis>Luis,Please note my quote which you have not understood or read as above"I was wondering if there are any restrictions using Google Earth images to make a freeware scenery of Australia?"You obviously don't know the answer to my question, so watch your typing as it is highly offensive to me that you allege I am going to propose this in the forum. And then you say scheme. For a start, any scheme that gets going, if illegal, and it is in this forum, wouldn't last long.Use your brains friend..... ever heard of common sense?Danielwww.danielmcaloon.tk

Why didn't you check what the sites themselves say about copyright before asking here?In any event, the images will be copyright - whether or not it says so on them - and it would be illegal to copy and distribute them without the copyright owner's permission in most jurisdictions unless it specifically states otherwise. So what you seem to be proposing would be illegal whether it's freeware or not.

Hi Daniel.I'm sure Luis meant no disrespect. You were the one that asked the forum openly about restrictions to Google Earth and Spaceimage.Google Earth:"We're flattered to hear that you're further incorporating Google Earth into your online world. We do allow the posting of Google Earth images as long as it's for personal use only and the copyright is kept in tact.""Copyrights must be kept intact when displaying Google Earth imagery. The Google copyrighted logo is listed as a brand of our product. The data provider information is displayed because the imagery is streamed from these data providers. "So, if the data is for personal use, and includes the logo and data provider on the pic, you can use it. This does not mention the distribution to a club or group. :(Could you make freeware photoreal scenery and distribute it?Probably, yes, but again, the logo and data provider would need to be on the image.Could you use it as a background image to create LWM, VTP or object-placement scenery? Yes. The use of the pic is for your personal use. The created scenery, in that case, doesn't distribute the image itself, so the enduser of the scenery is isolated from the image, without any alteration of the image.Could you just place images on a website for people to use as they like? Yes, as long as the logo, etc. are on the image.You could always email google for clarification/permission.The images would need to be in the proper projection and datum for use with our scenery tools. I'm not sure Google provides the info with the images to allow reprojection.=====================As far as spaceimage.com... I get a goose-egg when trying that website...it doesn't seem to exist.Dick

The Google reply you quote seems to be in response to a very specific question about "posting images into your online world" and I don't think you can really draw the conclusions that you do.I doubt very much whether personal use would cover using the images to create a scenery package and then distributing it even as freeware. Apart from general copyright laws, it would prevent Google making commercial arrangements with other firms to use the images - I'm sure Google would not give away that sort of opportunity. I too can't find the spaceimage site.

Thanks, Dick, for clarifying the matter as to Google.My own comments were rather directed to Daniel's wish to "share access" to a commercial web site (that, according to him, has very good prices). This, of course, is patently illegal.But, perhaps this is not what Daniel really meant. While I doubt that he is from Tokelau, it is possible that English is not his native language and that his intention was totally different. If so, then I most certainly regret having misunderstood him.To clarify for anyone else, copyrights to images are governed by existing laws and international treaties and agreements. A vendor may very well allow the use of his product in a freeware offering, but it is useless to ask here in the forum - instead, please direct inquiries to the vendor.But, purchasing access to a commercial web site and then sharing the password with friends is illegal. This should not be proposed on this forum.Best regards,Luis

>Thanks, Dick, for clarifying the matter as to Google.>>My own comments were rather directed to Daniel's wish to>"share access" to a commercial web site (that, according to>him, has very good prices). This, of course, is patently>illegal.>>But, perhaps this is not what Daniel really meant. While I>doubt that he is from Tokelau, it is possible that English is>not his native language and that his intention was totally>different. If so, then I most certainly regret having>misunderstood him.>>To clarify for anyone else, copyrights to images are governed>by existing laws and international treaties and agreements. A>vendor may very well allow the use of his product in a>freeware offering, but it is useless to ask here in the forum>- instead, please direct inquiries to the vendor.>>But, purchasing access to a commercial web site and then>sharing the password with friends is illegal. This should not>be proposed on this forum.>>Best regards,>>Luis>You must be 5 or 6 years old then?Daniel

Okay, that warrants shutting down this thread. That is totally uncalled for and will get your posting privelages removed if done again.