The thing is, those assets are most likely the result of Software Piracy. Or, is it?
Time to clean up, then . . .
(Yes, my software is *all* legal.)
I think part of TS's resistance to getting rid of lower end assets may have to do with marketing plans centered on that 100,000 goal. If you wipe out all the bad and unnecessarily redundant product, how much will be left? Nowhere near 100,000, I'd bet. Plus, there's the off-chance that some of it may sell (although in some cases thats *really* hard to believe), which would mean discarding potential revenue on items with almost no overhead. It seems like the real objective should be finding a way to showcase the quality assets without undercutting the size of the database, since raw number of assets appears to be part of how they're positioning themselves in the industry. No?
I mentioned that they are MOST LIKELY the result of Software Piracy, I did not say THAT THEY ARE.
What's Turbo Squid stopping from asking vendors for their certificate that they have purchased the Software the assets were created with?
I don't know why are you feeling that this is an offence?If all your Software is legal, why reply to my Thread?
Best to know what you're talking about before making accusations.
Johnwww.johnmacneill.com
Edit:
Also, this will protect your investment. Meaning the dirty competition will vanish.
Blue Sky and Sunshine to you.
I have no problem with the idea of providing TS with documentation that my software is legal; I actually think that's a good idea, and maybe one that the software companies should insist on. I'm absolutely in favor of getting rid of the "dirty" players.
I just think you could offer the suggestion without adding that it "will hurt most of you," unless you can support that assumption with fact. Because, yeah, you're tarring a lot of people with the same brush.
The Thread is addressed to the "dirty players", as you mentioned.
Study the forums very closely, and you will see, that I am right, when saying "MOST LIKELY".
Again, this Thread is not addressed to the fair players.
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Rather than routing out the non license guys here, would it be possible if owners of the various packages could somehow have a seal of approval with each mesh showpage on Turbosquid. That way clients can decide if they want to buy meshes created with legit software or meshes of questionable origin.
I also once saw someone use somebody elses 3D animation work on their showreel which is not only sad, its unfair to themsevles and their clients. But thats a different subject.
James.
A clue? Autodesk is well aware of the extent of software piracy has had against them. Some of you folks are aware. The rest of you have your heads in the sand.
This is it: Students, Ex-students and warez. All illegal in some form or another ... Mostly Noobs ... thus the poor work.
The problem is that they get better with time and are willing to undercut legitamate profits because they have little or no overhead and may come from a country where one American dollar goes a long way.
They might also be some youngster working quietly in his bedroom on cracked software and stolen models as we had so horribly played out last year in these forums.
I like the ID check too.
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Gamfusion said: "The thing is, those assets are most likely the result of Software Piracy. Or, is it?" He wasn't accusing, but asking. It either is or it is not so that we have a large number poor modelers using borrowed, student, or stolen software. This fact does exist. I would love that we did not, but my gut tells me otherwise.
My brain tells me the only way to get "a clue" is to ask the vendors to provide proof. The only entity in the position to do that is TS. If TS is not willing or contractually unable by a weak EULA then this entire discussion is moot and pointless other than a good vent.
So let's be clear so to you wonderful software buying vendors do not misunderstand because you are already golden.
3D software piracy by modelers needs to be discouraged by all means necessary because if we do have these criminals doing business with their assets side by side to ours it reduces the integrity of the the entire enterprise. All it takes is one getting caught in a really ugly and public way and the buyers will flee.
TS is a company with 1 major aim, MAKING MONEY. Most of the Noob work is junk and only clogs up the server. However, if the work is good and it sells, then TS makes money and their happy with that, why cut off a vendor because his morality and obiendience to COPYRIGHT laws is flawed, hes not costing them anything, he's making them and himself MONEY.
I am not Pro Piracy, but lets face it, its NOT going away, just like bad cheques, fake cash and a whole lot of other crap in this world. If we allow the pirate to prosper here on TS then the LEGAL guys should be Gold Tagged and get the BEST exposure as in 100% backing from TS, the pitarer can just post it and hope fo the best, no ROYAL TREATMENT. Also i DO believe they should remove these JUNK products, really a guy makes a spoon (half finished) and then he expects to get $50 bucks for it?
The only way to beat BAD competition is to make your work STAND OUT! Because of the Cheapness of some the market is flooded, this should spark in us the desire to create TOP NOTCH work to completely BLOW AWAY the Bad competition. Were fighting for scraps mate, dont expect everyone to simply drop focus on some scrap if you are staring at it.
Lets be legal but ALSO lets be real, meney is made and thats all that matters, and i dont say this to mock TS, but i do understand somewhat the position they are in, cut the crap and lose thousands a year.
Lastly, do you think the guy that buys a model or product off TS worries that it was made by some Warez software??? Nope i dont thinks so, he's just too glad he got a model to finish his work on time.
Goodbye
I model in Lightwave and it requires a valid USB socket "hardware-key" to make it work. Is that the case with Max, etc? Isn't it the developer's job to protect their own software?
Discreet scrapped the software dongle ages ago and replaced it with online registration which can be broken.
However, the dongle could also be cracked.
At the end of the day hackers will hack most things to create warez etc.
I would like to use the liquor licence analogy instead. You as a legal bar owner pay your taxes(50%TS) and your $100K/year to the liquor licence fee to the state (autodesk, etc). Business is is great until the city (TS) says ... sure come here and sell beer wine and liquor without a licence ... it's good for the economy. It may be for the city but you as the legal bar owner feel like a fool. You watch your profits tumble as teenagers are selling moonshine off their back porches. They pay the same city taxes or they get thrown out of town but they don't have to pay that hefty fee to the state.
Anyway that's the way I see it. I really like the voluntary badge idea where the artist can apply for the credential with a proper serial number, letter or other proof from their software vendor of at least one 3D modeling package.
Still being a realist I think the liability should be put squarely on the heads of the vendors when they upload with perhaps an ultimate sanction of the possibility of loosing the rights to their work by a new EULA. That's not my call but if it were that's how I'd call it. You want to be a criminal ... well crime has it's risks.
If a reasonable investigation shows a person using cracked warez at minimum they should loose their veil of privacy to interest parties. Remember TS is an autodesk partner. In my mind that leaves anyone foolish enough to use cracked 3dsmax wide open to litigation at minimum.
Basically what Autodesk does if they find out a vendor is using cracked software is to offer them a deal to buy the full version or they prosecute. Most will buy.
Be well all
"Lets be legal but ALSO lets be real, meney is made and thats all that matters"
You sound like an Enron executive. There are boundaries that should't be crossed. There is such a thing as corporate citizenship where corporations have civic duties that mirror our civic duties.
I guess I was raised differently than you. I won't be an apologist for these criminals. I still think they suck and should feel pain in the wallet first. There should be fines and jail for the really bad ones.
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So unfortunately, if TS isn't going to get in trouble why give up the potential revenue?
It does piss me off a bit when i see someone getting a sale and actaully making %100 profit because they aren't going to be setting money aside for their upgrades (overhead). But then again, I am also of the belief that most of the illegal stuff is of such poor quality that i can't imagine it sells that much.
I'm much more interested in the wasted space on the forums to stupid questions that could easily be answered if the "noobie" had used the help files. which most warez apps don't come with the tut or help files.
I can see it now everyone throwing around pirate accusations, next thing you know long time creators like DeEspenoza and Giiman will be accusssed!
actually it probably be pretty funny.......
Again, I am not accusing here.
And what's right is - "what you can pay your Solicitor".So, how did Microsoft and Apple got away with it?How do warez-people get away with it?
As for the shady past's i think everyone has a skeleton or two in their closets. we've been getting into serious 3d interactivity in the last year and i'll admit in the begininig we did the old free trial, reformat, free trial, reformat, free trial, etc... dance for quite a few months until we were absolutely sure we could do what we needed to with the software. and @10k a seat and up a small firm can't afford a 50k mistake.
i don't mind the noobs learning on educational or even warez either, i just mind them coming in where they don't belong.
Still, I'm not sure if TS will decide if it's worth their time and effort into enforcing this. A lot of the stuff sells, no doubt. They might lose some in the process. And they may decide it's none of their business to be enforcing this.I can certainly see their reasons if they decide not to. If I were running a business such as this, my concern would be my finances.
Tackling the problem is tricky, but I think we should stop the problem before they even publish it. Like 3d02.
P.S., out of curiousity, have there been any vendors kicked out for warez?
Not that I'm trying to stir up trouble (really!), but the bulk of what I've seen on here seems to be .max stuff. So, good or bad, legal or illegal, those files went through 3ds Max software at some point.
I really like the gold standard idea. Maybe TS will consider it. (?)
Don't know about warez, but I (indirectly) got a vendor kicked out for repackaging 3D Total textures.
