If I attempt to resurrect a dead mod- am I allowed?

[Tassyr]

The title. I used to LOVE the truss pack, but it seems the guy has abandoned it. If I say, simply downloaded it and worked at converting it for 0.21, would I be allowed? I don't even know if I CAN do this (I know textures changed somehow) but I'd like to give it a shot...

[brians200]

You will have to look at the license he has with the pack.

If it doesn't allow for it, there is nothing stopping you from creating the same exact thing from scratch

EDIT: if it is this pack http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/25281-NFJ-Inc-presents-The-NFJ-Truss-Pack

I do not see a license involved, and that means you cannot use his work.

Edited August 19, 2013 by brians200

[Tassyr]

You will have to look at the license he has with the pack.

If it doesn't allow for it, there is nothing stopping you from creating the same exact thing from scratch

EDIT: if it is this pack http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/25281-NFJ-Inc-presents-The-NFJ-Truss-Pack

I do not see a license involved, and that means you cannot use his work.

Well, I can't create it from scratch due to time/skill; I have no idea how to use the modeling stuff.

And I meant this one

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/8402-0-16-ish-The-Truss-Pack-Rugged-parts-for-any-eventuality!-*2-0-NEARING-RELEASE!*

but I don't see a license anywhere. you'd think that wouldn't apply to abandonware, somehow...

[trbinsc]

As long as you only use it for personal use and don't share it, I think you can modify it without permission, but I'm not sure. If you intend on sharing it, you should probably find a way to contact Sherbetlemons to ask for permission. The last time he was on was August 6th, so it seems that he drops by every once in a while.

[brians200]

Well, I can't create it from scratch due to time/skill; I have no idea how to use the modeling stuff.

And I meant this one

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/8402-0-16-ish-The-Truss-Pack-Rugged-parts-for-any-eventuality!-*2-0-NEARING-RELEASE!*

but I don't see a license anywhere. you'd think that wouldn't apply to abandonware, somehow...

There was a post about what to do with the increasing amount of abandonware before the great forum derp. They were starting an initiative to contact the original authors and try to get permission. The mods made it clear that if there is no license or the author says no, you cannot use their work.

[Superfluous J]

Yes, without specific permission, every created, copyable work is considered copyrighted. It's the way the law works. If you just use it yourself you're not violating that copyright (and nobody can catch you anyway as you're not distributing it) but in order to distribute a modified version of someone else's work, you need explicit permission, either in the form of a written note from the author to you specifically or the more general permission such as the Creative Commons licenses.

[PolecatEZ]

There is a way around this though also.

You can make a patch for others to download which modifies the work. The catch is that the typical user must download the original files to his computer and then he must actively run your patch on his computer, clearly stating that this modifies the original content. This, however, also breaks the warranty and the original creator is in no way responsible for the result.

Basically, re-write the config file for it from scratch (you're on your honor!), and then give a link to the original work to have people download it.

The common metaphor is that while a man can sell his book named "Fire and Stuff", there's nothing stopping another man from sitting next next to him and selling matches labled "For Burning Fire and Stuff". The original content creator can tell you from where to get/buy his stuff (licensed/authorized download pages, for example), but he can't say what the user does with it once they take it home. He can put cutesy stuff on it like "only for reading in the bedroom", but it legally means nothing.

I'm not even sure where this whole copyright thing came from, as anything uploaded to Spaceport is Squad's property as per their ToS.

Personally, I would love to have personally copyrighted every design document I made as a game designer, as I still see my very specific ideas come out even 5 years after leaving a particular studio - but it just doesn't work that way. Everything I made at work is theirs and not mine, the exact same as any derivative work made for Squad and uploaded to their Spaceport belongs to them. The community may agree to abide by some "hands off my shiznit" rules, but it has no actual force of law, just Squad's community management.

That being said, the community custom of protection of an author's original work is a cool thing, but there should be customary exceptions for abandoned mods and simple updates to make them usable.

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Found the "licensing thing" in the forum rules.

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Update 2 - You could petition Squad and see how far you get, they do legally own everything uploaded to the Spaceport and may grant an EtP (Exception to Policy).

Edited August 20, 2013 by PolecatEZ

[Majiir]

You can make a patch for others to download which modifies the work.

Depending on the nature of the patch, this can be considered a derivative work. A tool that upgrades part configs for 0.20+ by wrapping configs in a PART{} node isn't a derivative work, but other patches can be.

I'm not even sure where this whole copyright thing came from, as anything uploaded to Spaceport is Squad's property as per their ToS.

This is incorrect. The Spaceport TOS grants Squad a lot of rights, but notably the intellectual property still belongs to the uploader. Squad does NOT have any legal ownership over mods. I'm not sure where this myth keeps coming from.