Copyright issue

[Fernando Lino]

Hi everyone.

 

I saw few days ago…a webpage where they are selling sketchup’s components

And they are taking existing models from different companies ( 3ds)…making some modifications such as reduce the amount of faces and change the format.

Is it legal? …it doesn’t make sense for me……if one change the format is different product?

[Susan]

Which is the site? Are you certain that they have taken existing 3ds models and just converted the format? I know of 2 new sites selling sketchup components but they are both selling originals.

[Fernando Lino]

Hi Susan

 

I'm pretty sure about that...even the owner of this site said that in one forum...I'd like to learn more about this legal issues before to post the info about this webpage....maybe it is legal or maybe not.

 

I replaced the name for *****

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by flino

I saw some sketchup components, which were taking from 3ds format(free) and some people wants to sell them in SU format.....it's not right for me!!!!

 

the answer:

 

the ones **** sells at [the webpage] were NOT free to start with, he purchased a lot of them and reduced it polygon by polygon for low-poly sketchup use.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by flino

The vase model looks exactly the same that Ultra 3D's vase

the cushions, the standard light too (these are free)

the Ducati looks the same that De Espona's model

 

 

Is it legal ? and/or Is it Ethic?....using an existing model and sell it in different format.

 

 

The answer:

 

 

Flino, yes there are some models which I have acquired from free sources, but they have all been substantially reworked to make them lower polygon counts than the existing files, which is the ethic of the store.

 

To get good looking entourage is generally very difficult (this site aside of course). I am providing a site where people can spend little time to get the right components for little money, essential to get projects completed on time and to budget.

[Susan]

Fernando,

 

 

I guess it would depend on the terms posted on the websites where these were acquired. Generally, anything that you have paid for requires a license agreement and usually they specifically state that one can not resell anything that has been in anyway modified from their original product.

 

I know that Alan Fraser ran into this problem when he first started creating his 3D people for sale. He was using Poser to "manufacture" them and the folks from Poser let informed him that their license forbids him from selling any people made in Poser, no matter how much they differ from the starting model. It was no problem in his case becuase he had abandoned using Poser anyway.

 

While there is definitely value in the time savings that one purchases on a polygon crunched and reformatted model, I would expect that the right to do this is reserved for the originator of the model. A purchaser may not take it upon himsself to "improve" the product and re-sell as his own.

 

It may be different with "free" public domain products, although I have seen shareware licenses that inidicat that the product is free as long as it is not put to a commercial use. It sounds as though someone out there may be skating on thin ice.