Flightsim.com Crooks?

[scubakobe]

I recently got an email from a guy named Steve who downloaded my Twin Rivers scenery from Flightsim.com. I never uploaded it to Flightsim.
So I went there and sure enough there it was!
www.flightsim.com/cgi/file?rk=1xejv00h&fm=main&cm=LISTFILES&rp=/cgi/kds%3F1xejv00h=main/search.htm

Does someone go around and transfer stuff to Flightsim or what? Unless Avsim is associated with Flightsim in such a way for this to be reasonable, I have no clue why this is.

Can someone explain? Or is this just a misunderstanding.

-Kobbe

[scubakobe]

After futher examination I did not find anything changed that could possibly cause any problems.
They only changed the description and file name. When I downloaded the ZIP file I noticed everything was still together as it should be.
This wasn't a false alarm at all, but it is a bit of an eye opener when you hear from someone who downloaded your prodcut from a place you didn't give permission to access the file.

Or, maybe someone intended no harm and they thought they would help me out and put it in Flightsim for further publicity? If so, it would have been nice to know about that before getting an email like I did.

[windrunner]

This is very irregular. No other than you has the right to upload your own files to the sites of your choice. I only upload to Flightsim; and sometimes Avsim and Soh. Nevertheless, There are a lot of my files here and there, and I never uploaded to any other sites. I only received an email from a site (Fsimcafe) asking for my permission to upload my files, a nice exception, I was gladly surprised. I've seen they pick them from time to time from Flightsim.

On the other hand, we do free stuff and everyone has the right to do with them what they want (with the exception of including them in pay sites or payware packages or to modify them and not giving you the right credit); but, by no means, to upload to some sites we don't like (because they make people pay for downloads and so on). In this case, you have to make it clear with capital letters in the Readme file wich sites to avoid.

Once you throw a file in the netspace, it's gone for ever...it does not belongs to you anymore but to the whole simmers! and some guys out there takes it very seriously. I think the one who uploaded your scenery to the most serious site in the net was convinced it was well deserved. But, yes, he should have asked for your permission first.

Prepare to amaze yourself. I've found many of my textures slightly modified and no credits at all; or included in scenery packages as AI and with the wrong author's name. I was so furious one day, that I wrote to that guy, and he politely recognized his mistake and corrected in the next version.

Take it easy!

[scubakobe]

Now that is rather odd.
Being that Twin Rivers was only my 2nd public release, and my first product uploaded to avsim, I didn't know of the things that may come up. I guess I will probably find out about a lot more of these strange things happening, and so far if they never change anything of mine I am happy. Hearing your story about textures being changed is a scary thought for a designer!
I never really thought about a problem like this arising. Usually, all of my texture files go in to the Addon Scenery/Texture folder and there are so many textures in there that the person would take awhile to find the right one, if he was that determined.
That's sort of a safeguard there.
But in the Twin Rivers incident I do believe they intended good and no harm because they changed a few things in the description that I left out, such as the state.

Good luck with your scenery Windrunner,
Kobbe

[Commander Cody]

I stopped uploading to one site when FS2000 was the version becuase they altered the readme files on 3 uploads. BUT for some strange reason, all but the very last FS2004 upload I did to Avsim is now available on that site. And they all have altered readme files. That is why I quit publishing my work. And don't look for Commander Cody LOL I never published under that name.

[henry]

if you wish you can email flightsim
they are good at deleting files not uploaded by the author.
there are certain folks out there who may add a different 2d
panel and change the sound and tweak here and there
and say it is there version
just to get name recignition
it should say who uploaded it
from time to time i have uploaded other peoples files
to the OH but that was with there permission
H

[henry]

actually looking at it no one else got any credit
its in your name
H

[scubakobe]

henry said:

actually looking at it no one else got any credit
its in your name
H

Yes, that's why I sort of went easy on it. It would have been a whole different ball game if they edited the credits or files.

[scubakobe]

Ok I got an email from the webmaster at Flightsim.com.

"Hi Kobbe...

Well, it's possible one of your fans uploaded it. Or it might have been me that did it, as I sometimes check other web sites for interesting files that I think FlightSim.Com members might like. Of course when I do this I always check to make sure that putting the file here is allowed by the author. Given the hundreds of downloads it got there's obviously a demand for your work, so if you do any more scenery I hope you will upload it here yourself. Keep up the good work!

--Nels Anderson
[e-mail] "

So, he did have good intentions after all. With commander cody's experiences I think it may be the actions of a user, not the webmaster himself. The webmaster has more respect for the products usually, of course.

Anyways, thought it might be of interest to you who responded here.

-Kobbe

[windrunner]

Very good. Once again Nels shows his first person interest on his site, and that makes of him and Flightsim the Top site.

Now, Kobbe, you may consider to upload yourself your work there, if you want, of course.

[ScruffyDuck]

If you load to AVSIM and place the release type as Freeware with no restrictions then Flightsim guys will often upload to their site as well. If you want to stop them doing it then change the release level to Freeware Limited Distribution and they won't do it. I know because they wanted to put LOM up but couldn't because I had it as limited distribution - they asked me if it could go on Flightsim.

This does not stop the hackers and cowboys of course!

[railrunner130]

I used to get torqued when fsfreeware was around. They'd download my files and upload them to their site. For a little bit, I changed the pictures when I uploaded it to different sites, just to find out where they were getting the files from. It didn't really bother me, but it makes revisions a pain.

[Keith]

If you specify in the copyright and legal statement that you will not allow the file to be placed anywhere except where you upload it you would have a leg to stand on. You can then demand that they remove your work from their servers.

At avsim you can place a flag that says "Freeware, limited distribution" and that can help as well.

[kbr]

For example, I always put in my legal statement, that my work can be uploaded to any site that doesn't charge a fee to download freeware files. Because my personal feelings are that sites that charge a fee for membership before allowing access to their freeware library is a form of piracy.

But I think that most people consider it okay for freeware files to be uploaded anywhere unless the author states otherwise. If you're unfamiliar with writing a legal statement, I recommend checking out the statements made by other freeware authors for ideas.

[scubakobe]

Well,
I have started to use the "Freeware, Limited Distribution" option at Avsim. I also added the same bit of information in to my readme. As far as writing a legal statement, I don't think I will have to do anything fancy but just add a few lines explaining the distribution limitations of my product. Simviation.com is a freeware site that does charge for membership, but you can go on the "free" side if you want. Not sure if that's the sort of thing you were talking about when you mentioned paid membership websites.
Anyways,
Now I know what to do and not to do, I think I am ready to go!

Thanks for all of the info,
Kobbe