legalese/licensing: moar clarification and explanation
Sunday, January 20, 2008

As much as I'd like to avoid getting into the licensing legalities of my skins, I feel I need to clarify and further explain in greater detail the rights and limitations of licensing terms.

My skins are licensed under a BSD License. While the usage rights imparted by the BSD license are equivalent to public domain rights, the skins are not public domain--I have not abandoned my skins and I still maintain my copyrights on them. There isn't any contradiction between copyright and giving the rights to modify and/or redistribute. The copyright just serves as a legal tool that provides me with the ability--via the BSD License--to give out those rights to modify and redistribute my skins [1].

However, these modification and redistribution rights aren't unconditionally provided--my copyrights, while allowing me to give such rights, also allow me to restrict them: you only get these rights if you follow some basic rules (as stipulated by the BSD License):
  • Leave my original copyright and license notice intact with your redistributions. This notice actually protects you by clearly stating that you have the legal rights to modify and redistribute my skins (just in case you're accused of stealing molesting something...).
  • Leave me out of any endorsements or promotions of your redistributions--unless, of course, you get my permission. This is actually just for my own good. I hate attention ^^;;

So what happens if you exercise your modification/redistribution rights without following these rules? Nothing! I really don't have the interest, resources, or malice to do anything against you. That said, be nice and you'll enjoy the karmic rewards you'll get in return! ^^

(P.S. I'm back! I has teh Internets again! /yay)


[1] While copyright and redistribution are very much intertwined with regards to monetary compensation, they become somewhat dichotomous entities in this case, where such compensation is nominal and the scope of the copyright is fairly unrestrictive.
Grumbling Game Master ( January 20, 2008 at 10:05 PM )

Thanks for clarifying this.

Tenshi ( January 21, 2008 at 1:20 PM )

Thanks Eloh. Welcome back to the 'net! <33

Tsu Dho Nimh ( January 25, 2008 at 11:35 AM )

So ... if I want to release my lovely lavendar elf skin, for free, which is just a recolorization of your skin you want me to leave your name out of the credits?

I was going to get all misty-eyed and thankful and pass on the skins as copy/mod no transfer (to foil eeevul resellerz) and say how awesome you are for letting me make htings when I have no artistic talent.

HeatherDawn ( January 26, 2008 at 10:16 AM )

Thank you!! I've been wanting to have a psd skin to reference while I'm making clothes. I appreciate this so much. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

eloheliot ( January 27, 2008 at 12:56 PM )

tsu dho nimh: you bring up a really good point--it seems kinda paradoxical that I ask to be credited and, at the same time, excluded from any promotions or endorsements.

But the two opposing conditions are there to balance each other--to make sure I don't get too little or too much credit.

I think common sense works pretty well when you're trying to decide how to credit me, but If you're still not sure, you can always just ask me, and in your case: sure, you can get all misty-eyed and thankful--that's totally ok ^^ (maybe in a notecard that contains my original license?)

GD's Gossip Girl ( May 30, 2008 at 2:09 PM )

Is it against this copyright to upload the skins to SL and sell them for however much?
[Not that I'd do it, but I'm seeing people who are, and I'm wondering if I can tell them that it's illegal so that they will stop selling the ripped skins]

GD's Gossip Girl ( May 30, 2008 at 2:11 PM )

Does it go against the copyright to resell these modified/non-modified skins on SL for however many L? [Not that I would, but I'm seeing people who are and I'm wondering if I can tell them that it's illegal so that they will stop selling the skins].

Caroline ( July 23, 2008 at 5:52 AM )

I would like to use these skins to create celebrity inspired skins, and also some ethnic variations which I have heard asked for. While I intend to do some mod work and provide free or 1L, I would like to charge something to cover the extra work I am doing on the celeb inspired skins. First of all is it OK for me to do celeb mods, and second what is your policy on pricing. I am completely new to skin making but I am good at image editing and want to expand further. Thanks for taking the time to read this!

blah ( July 29, 2008 at 4:16 AM )

eloheliot Thanks a lot for the inspiration, It were very difficult for me get the "how to make a skin" Before I make something on 1 of the Skins I'd really like to return back your credits. Note: no intention to sell the modify skins because in my opinion it's all your work and not mine even if I change the original template.

I'm just afraid of what other can do with the templates.

Cheers girl