CopyBot Store Closes; So Does Linden Thread

Photo by Wrestling Hulka

By Prokofy Neva, Community Affairs Desk

A subdued GeForce Go, a would-be bot vendor, closed her CopyBot sale operation in Manitoba this evening, surrounded by a seething mob shouting that she was ruining their Second Life, and concerned that if she did not close she would face consequences from the Lindens over what they had now declared as a TOS violation involving copyright theft.

"I figured I'd take it down just to be safe," GeForce told the Herald, saying she had not actually received a Linden warning. Robin Linden appeared on the scene just as she was whisking away her commissioned vendor. "Please make sure that it's gone so we can move on," Robin warned GeForce. UPDATE: An hour later she was banned, but Prim Revolution, maker of the CopyBot, remained at large.

In a tumultous meeting with dozens of angry and fearful residents all talking at once, Robin sought to allay fears of any further concern about mass copyright violations. She urged residents to read Cory Linden's post on the details of the TOS violations involved in copying other residents' avatars and other items without their permission.

Noting a thread that had already reached 678 responses, many concerned and even outraged, Robin announced she was reading the thread but closing it now, advising residents to see Cory Linden's post.

Goaded by the crowd, GeForce put her 512 m2 mature flat land up to sale and it was promptly purchased by land dealer Earnest Candor, who said he was doing a public service, for $3582.

Comments

[Atom Lahtoh]

That's too bad that she was forced off of her land by people who didn't agree with her.

[Prokofy Neva]

Yes, I'm a big believer in due process, and the crimes involved should be properly abuse reported, and the punishments should be short-term bans or even warnings on the first offense, not being mobbed into a forced sale of property, or seizure of property.

However, from the looks of it, GeForce purchased this cheap 512 to run the CopyBot resale business and it looked pretty expendable, with no real build, just a lot of plywood and vendors.

[Atom Lahtoh]

Unlike what it seems like most people think, I don't agree that the CopyBot is detrimental to SL. Forcing people out because they don't agree therefore is without cause.

But, unlike real life there is no due process, nor is there a system of checks and balances. Perhaps when we all get called for jury duty will things be equal.

[tp]

people get banned from mmo's all the time for exploit abuse, and this is pretty obvious abuse. It's too bad they gave warning to the seller so they could liquidate and sell the land before they banned it.

I hope they delete the bot from everyone who did business with this avatar.

Having an open source SL is one thing, but people should have the option not to participate in what boils down to reverse engineers hacks on the code.

And what is the deal with LL supporting a group hacking the client anyway. From what I've read they basically acted like they were doing LL a favor then released information on how anyone can create a copy bot of there own.

[Effulgent Brown]

Im not sure about this but it looks to me like the only users of this thing are people who create a fresh avie for this pourpose, it was bound to happen with the registration being wide open.

if something like this got out of hand, sellers of high end goods might just set up shop on islands where only "payment info used" avies can visit.

it would cut down on sales and create a two tier world where only verified avies can access lots of content

[Gino McAllister]

Wich is complete ignorent bullshit. I am a content creator and I learned it the hard way, my knowledge of 3ds max and paintshop pro helped out alot. I have NO payment info on file...... Does this make me a criminal now? I simply do not have a creditcard and LL wont accept Paypal alone.Thou I still pay my rent for my shops and my tier for my sim, thru landlords ok but these landlords are paying tier again to LL AND If they want me to I am willing to scan my driverslicence to verify who I am. But I am NOT agreeing to copybot. It is bullshit first class. Like handing the codes of a vault to a thief and saying: "its to teach him how to handle money". Asif any thief of My own made textures woud ever learn how to use paintshop pro or other designer programs by stealing my stuff. Then it is BS LL states "like internet you can copy your pics and stuff for free there" Because on internet aswell I have the right and choice to protect my pics with tools provided by my providers. It is simply not right for any to be able to use a 3rd party program to read out his cache and this way steal our hard work. I worked hard to learn all I am able to create now in SL and to create textures and to build certain stuff is hard long frustrating work! THIS MUST BE PROTECTED!! And for stuff I own but didnt create... I PAYED CASH FOR IT! Copybot must be stopped. SL will never be the fun it was if there is nothing "unique" in there anymore.

[Effulgent Brown]

Um, I didn't write that above, I just got copybotted, the person who jacked my name could have at least used spell check.

[Effulgent Brown]

I'm such a noob :P lmao,
noob
noob
noooooooooooooob