MOD Tracking Suggestion

[Cdr_Zeta]

Hello,

I am finding part CFG files not having the Original Author's name attached; I dont know it could be that author name can only be one name, like a text string, and the latest MODDER attaches their name to this slot, thus removing the Original Author's name.

I have seen new MODS retain the Orignal Author's name in the part.cfg; personally I think this is a better idea if someone's work is basically COPY/PASTED then reworked inside the CFG; however in the "manufacturing" SLOT there is no reason that the new MODDER can "ADD" his company name after the Original one, thereby creating MOD-Tracking in somewhat form.

Us more experienced KSP'ers doing up resource management and DLL bug fixing need to have this; I do anyways it saves ALOT of time and effort in solving MOD bugs; and believe me there are some doozies like original authors parts being hidden, entire parts dissappearing in the VAB, parts textures getting washed out and exploding in the VAB...the list goes on...prime examples are listed in TweakScale; USI, EPL, BIOMASS...all the big name MODS with tons of parts and funtionality are being used and split up and redistributed all over the place and people calling them their own MODS (in the DOWNLOAD which in my opinion is where the violation is...just giving credits in a forum is NOT LEGAL).

If I redistributed all the bug fixed MODS I fixed over the last month I would have one download for every MOD, call it a GNU-Licensed product, put my name and company on the parts, and give the list of credits on the forum; is that fair? No.

Cmdr Zeta

Edited March 6, 2015 by Cdr_Zeta

[Beale]

....What?

[hab136]

I think you're arguing for some sort of tracking system whereby a derivative mod indicates that it's a derivative.

Yes, the situation with Interstellar is confusing. No, we don't need to create a whole system to track it, and even if we did, there'd be no good way to enforce it.

The license for a mod dictates what you can do with it. In many cases, yes, it is completely legal to repackage the mod under a new name, even with new part names, as long as they give proper attribution in the download. The MIT license, GPL, the various CC licenses, and BSD license all allow this.

This is a good thing; it allows mods with missing authors to continue without their original creator. As an example, I picked up SafeChute after the original author stopped updating it.

You can license your mod such that people can't work on it. ISA Mapsat was licensed like this, and when the author stopped updating it, nobody could continue it. Eventually SCANsat was created as a replacement, but for a long time there was no working mapping mod.

[Cdr_Zeta]

Hello,

I am trying to understand the validity of your information.

All I am saying is that it would be nice to have additional information in the 'Manufacturing' section of the part to show where these MODS come from; I dont think it is fair and I dont think it is right to make MODS look like their their own big and bold, say that you have to have some other MOD to make it work, then have the gaul to put your name in as the SOLE AUTHOR.

Right now I have an unlicensed MOD I just realized in my set; I could just take the model color it up abit, add some code and license it; I have a conscience and couldnt do that; I guess some people dont care.

Collaboration on a MOD is a good thing but it really needs to have a version history attached; most MODS have them such as on Gtihub and you can even add to it but only if the work is original; sometimes that version history is not included as a seperate file; I am just saying it would be nice.

Doing so gives the respect that people deserve - in the download where it belongs, not just in the forums.

Cmdr Zeta

[sarbian]

Right now I have an unlicensed MOD I just realized in my set; I could just take the model color it up abit, add some code and license it; I have a conscience and couldnt do that; I guess some people dont care.

Nope. The lack of license does not give you that right.

As for the rest of your post it is mostly a question of point of view. There were some post about what some consider "legally right" versus what other consider "morally right". Each side has valid arguments and I doubt anyone will switch side on a whim.

The absurd case (take a mod, change the owner name and nothing else) are often resolved quickly since most modders agree that they are bad and users are not stupid either. Other case generate endless post that rarely change anythings and stops when everyone is tired of repeating the same arguments, or when the mods call for a nuclear strike truce.