Hmmm.. history? Sorry us new people wheren't around when vb.org was a community. Your one sentence there makes me feel that I do not want a part of this..

@zsdave: well, i'm sure law is different on each country, but i know for example in germany (where i live) code is copyrighted when you write it. There is no need to register your code somewhere.
Of course if it comes to court, it would be better if you have had it registred somewhere, but that's not needed in the first place. The copyright exist.
And from what i know, the international copyright law is quite the same.
So, vb.org cannot allow everyone to copy other's codes, as that would be an illegal action.

But as Wayne already said, we're currently discussing a way of allowing other hackers more, without getting in touch with illegal activities. Please bear with us :)

@Velocd: a very good idea, and already planned by myself.
With public usergroups this would be easy to achive, so if someone wants to found a "Hacking Team" with it's own subforum, they just have to contact me, and i'll create a usergroup and a subforum for them :)

**Heartily applauds Boofo's comments in this thread**

I appreciate the Admin team looking into this. It is one thing to hold the original idea on something, but if someone wants to create an addon, isn't that what the addons forum is for?

On another note, I too was frustrated that a major hack that I had on vB2 isn't going to be released any time soon for vB3 (the author told me that he won't be upgrading until next year). Yes, I recoded it from scratch as the vB2 code wasn't even close in comparison to what is needed. I brought the queries down from 176 to 45 when I ported it, but I can't release it for others since I didn't write the original. The author has not responded to my PM offering to email him the hack .txt file so that he has a head start for his upgrade, so that is that. *shrugs*

I have what I need to go live this week on Gold (and I could care less about the testosterone influenced competition that permeates here), but there should be a way that folks aren't left in the cold on stuff like this.

Sorry Hellsatan, but it DOES seem like a competition more than a cooperative effort anymore.

I too wish we could get back to the old days of people releasing to contribute to the community and not to make a name for their username.

Microsoft vs Sourceforge, indeed.

</rant>

:)

Well, if you have recoded it completely, without using the other hack's code, then there would be no problem for you to release it.

As stated: Ideas cannot be copyrighted, just code can.

But as said before, we're currently talking about those issues, and will post what we get, once we finished :)

Don't mind me, Stefan -- I just needed to carp about something (anything) after manually redoing 150 FAQ items from one server to another today.

:eek:

You guys do whatever you think is best for the community.

:)

You cannot force someone to release a hack, or port it (by someone else) to a new version without author's explicit consent.
Is a copyright issue.

Actually, while you obviously cannot force someone to release a hack, porting hacks to a new version does not require the original author's consent, considering that the hack itself is considered a derivative work from the original work, which is copyrighted by Jelsoft. So, this notion that you need the permission of the hack author, while noble, nevertheless has no legal standing, since the hack is derivative - that is, based off of the original work, and thus, owned in its entirety by Jelsoft.

Ultimately, the very fact that Jelsoft allows code hackers to make money by offering paid hacks is extremely generous, considering that all code that is derived from vBulletin is ultimately the legal province of Jelsoft.

For more information, you can confer with 17 USC 107 (United States Code), and the Berne Convention, which is the foundation for the International Copyright convention.

Stepping in here because I absolutely MUST reply to these points:

- agree totally. But, they ARE the focus of this site. This is a site for people who modify their vbulletin code. It is not a download site for free goodies. Everybody who posts at this site and everybody who downloads and installs a hack SHOULD be a coder - no matter how low the skill level. Otherwise, this community becomes nothing but a minority of contributing members and a majority of whining leaches and why in hell would the minority want to stick around and deal with whining? If you have absolutely no intention of ever learning how to write a line of PHP code or run a query, why should you expect somebody to take their time and do your work for you for free?. I don't know how to fix my car, and I'm not about to show up at your house and demand that you fix my brakes because you know how. You'd laugh your head off. Furthermore, if you were kind enough to explain to me the general principles behind fixing my brakes and point me towards manuals that would give me detailed instructions and I pitched a hissy fit because you didn't do it for me, you'd tell me to pound sand.

Coding is a skill. It is a skill that takes time and effort to learn. It doesn't make people any more special than somebody who takes the time to learn to sew, cook, repair cars, or paint pictures but it does mean that if you want me to use my skill to help you, you better have some manners.

(Please note I am using the word "you" in a general sense and am not addressing the original poster. I have no idea if he can code or not or if he ever pulls some of the stuff that drives the coders on this site absolutely batty)

Microsoft lets developers make programs for their OS...would that be generous?

Hacks are merely powered by vB when written correctly, and don't contain any vB code. In the case of vB3, even the instructions need not contain a mere snippet of vB code if the hack is authored correctly.

i think you missed his point, amy.. a lot of the folks here do tend to put themselves above others because of their "1337 coding skilz!!!111@1".. two people in particular that i can think of and they have even posted in this very thread..

i am by no means a php guru, don't profess to be, and not sure if i want to be..

it's the over all attitude that is more than prevelant here.. the new folks see it, and it does nothing to help build any sort of user confidence or foster any type of user/member contributions when you are told not no but hell no every time you turn around..

very few people support new folks.. very few people here encourage new folks.. very few people support what it is they have.. now filburt says it's not his job.. well that may be all fine and dandy if stated, but some people say they will provide support and yet can't respond to their own threads when someone does need help..

tired of rambling.. sleep is a pillow away.. think i will wander in that general direction now.. but i will say, everyday that passes, you see the distance growing between this site and the so-called community it is supposed to support..