Dealing with an Abandoned Plugin

Ok, so I read the stickies. I use a plugin that is pretty much a must have for one of my servers. The plugin appears to be abandoned, it has not been updated since 1.2.3. The dev has not responded to a post on the thread since jun 2. The dev does not use dev.bukkit.org they just use the thread in bukkit forums.

What is a server owner supposed to do? How do I get this plugin updated/recreated so my server will work?

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

If the plugin is open source, you would have to ask another developer if he/she might want to continiue that plugin.

 

That is one of the issues, the source code is not available or listed. It is just the finished jar file that is available.

 

You could start by giving a link to the plugin.

 

http://forums.bukkit.org/threads/me...ct-items-and-power-redstone-1-2-3-r0-2.20375/

 

It's not open-source, for any developers interested.

 

What does that mean? I understand what open source means, but because this plugin is not open source, does that mean no one else can do a plugin like it or just that you can not use the existing code?

 

bastion You can not use the existing code.

 

Ok Thanks, So now how do I get a dev to create a new plugin that will do the same thing?

 

-post removed at request of bastion- (also it didnt work)

 

sternmin8or I hope you know that it's illegal to modify it. Also it's illegal to distribute the modified binary. I can't tell if decompiling itself is illegal, too, may be a grey-area.

sternmin8or Yes it is. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_the_United_States (google for copyright law of other countries if you like to, but they are all very similar).

//EDIT: Don't know what adding your name has to do with it, but it is illegal to modify work from another person without permission. If the plugin would have a open source license the other person would give you the right, but as that's not the case normal copyright law applies.

Yea, sure... How old are you? 12?

Source: The wikipedia link above. Again: Similar in other countries.

EDIT by Moderator: merged posts, please use the edit button instead of double posting.

 

OH Please, if that is the case, then you are breaking the law by using bukkit, craftbukkit and writing your plugins based on it. bukkit has no license or release from mojang to rewrite the minecraft server.jar file so therefor they break the law every time they do an update and every file they have available for download is against the law. Whats even better is they knowingly are breaking the copyright and license of mojang with bukkit and craftbukkit.

So please, I was asking about how to get a plugin either rewritten or fixed so I could use it on my server, I was not inviting a copyright law discussion about a plugin that has no license and appears to be abandoned.

 

bastion You are right: Bukkit is breaking the copyright of Mojang. That has been discused a lot of times. But Mojang doesn't care (and now that Bukkit == Mojang thing may have changed a lot).

Sorry for being OT but seeing what people think to know about copyright let me palm my face. I just hope sternmin8or will learn from what I told before he breaks the copyright of some guy who cares about it.

 

so breaking copyright laws isn't illegal?

 

look, instead of bugging me how about you go ahead and report me and we'll see if i get reprimanded. Im deleting all my posts besides this one and posting a summary here. If you want to contact me any more feel free to inbox me.

Summary (for those who are interested): I decompiled a .jar file, rewrote a little and then exported it UNDER THE PREVIOUS AUTHORS NAME for no charge or fee

 

This is NOT allowed under the license the original author has posted his/her plugin under. Isn't this simple enough for you to understand?

 

I am just curious, which license did the original author post this plugin under?

and who are you?

 

The original license: All Rights reserved. Which means that all the author's rights are reserved and not released.I.e. you don't have the right to copy it or republish it.

I'm a plugin developer and I'm very interested in open source software and licensing requirements.

 

Just to clear this up a bit,

Bukkit was breaking rules of Mojang, but Mojang have officialy said that they don't care about Bukkit, meaning they get permission to continue the project legally.

Breaking copyright is illegal, and can make you have a lot of trouble, such as empting your pockets.
All rights reserved means that even if it was open source, it is for you to learn from and not to use the same code,
therefore modification / decomplication / republishement of this plugin is illegal.

This would have to be rewritten which would take effort, and so people won't be willing to do it as much.
Get in contact with author, ask him for permission first.

 

//Edit Ninja'd by Konkz

Either get permission from the author or it will have to be rewritten entirely

//I'm bringing it back.
http://forums.bukkit.org/threads/plugin-requests-and-what-a-good-idea-actually-is.84860/

Report you to whom, the creator? As for being reprimanded, I think admitting that you ripped off someone's work shows everyone what type of person you are.

Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler

Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement.
Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or "statutory" damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For "willful" infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys' fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505.
Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense.
For more information, please see the Web site of the U.S. Copyright Office at www.copyright.gov, especially their FAQ's atwww.copyright.gov/help/faq.

Don't screw with other peoples work without permission or unless stated. (Kinda like the definition of rape.)

 

ya know what, you people are kind of crazy.

I would love to see the court case where a statement about not caring would hold up if pressed for copyright and license infringement. If Mojang wanted, they could shut this down with a single letter. You guys all think that because Mojang doesn't care there is some legal exception, the only legal exception is they don't sick their lawyers on bukkit and curse because they really don't care. That could change and by their lack of formal notification they have reserved their rights to take action if they so desired.

So you are all basing your so called work on illegal software. Then you all want to talk about the illegal use of a plugin that has been abandoned. Wow.

PS. Sorry I asked.

EDIT by Moderator: merged posts, please use the edit button instead of double posting.

 

bastion Keep in mind as far as I know there is not one lawyer on these forums, and certainly not one that offers legal advice about international copyright laws. Everything that is being said here is at best popular opinion on the subject. (That's being polite for "they have no clue what they are talking about and Wikipedia does not a legal ruling make.")

Here's how I would handle this situation: make an attempt to message the original author with your intention to use their code. If they don't reply, then use it citing your source. If they at any point tell you they don't want you using their code, then stop.

Realistically no one is going to take legal action over an abandoned Bukkit plugin unless you have some plans to sell it for millions of dollars.

 

If the dev existed i wouldnt have had to decompile it in the first place now would i?

So what do I do if the dev doesnt have a ticket system?

Theres a little button that says report after each post, if you feel that I have done something wrong then report me. Or you could contact the original dev, you'll probably have about as much luck as the op did.

That is a very harsh way of saying it, generally if someone rips someone off it means that they have claimed someone elses object as their own. I have claimed nothing as my own.

ps. I love how you are all here to cause us grief instead of providing your own solutions

pps. Since the quickfix I did didn't work I will be claiming this project and writing from scratch unless anyone REALLY wants to do it.

ppps. If one of you wants to go find the dev then feel free to do so. If he's anything like me, he will laugh at the idea of someone fighting over the plugin that he no longer had interest in.

and finally
pppps. please report me, I would like to know bukkit staff's official position on this

Have I told you that you look good today.

EDIT by Moderator: merged posts, please use the edit button instead of double posting.

 

bastion There are a lot of court cases with "not carry about == not sued". But this whole discussion wasn't about you. You don't have to be sorry for asking, I was at the step of rewriting the plugin from scratch just for you, but it seems you doesn't need it anymore.

Again: Sorry for going off topic. I just wanted to inform sternmin8or that he was doing something illegal. It's good if nothing happens for him but if you research a bit you'll notice that a lot of people got sued cause of what he did. Hell, there are lawyers that are specialised about that topic. They just wait for somebody like him.

But I see that sternmin8or doesn't care and needs to get some real live experience. So, well, sorry that I wanted to help you.

 

Abandoned or not that is not the point, the fact is that it is @CaiusTSM 's work. They have the right to define what rights people have with it and the use of it. Whether its a plugin or not. Arguing about a developers principle is not going to get you help rewriting it.

If I wrote something open source to a person/business/ whatever and they distributed for a profit. Even if the code was stolen from a plugin for any other java application. I would have full rights to that profit. If I wrote something exclusive to a person, and I authorized the use of the plugin with a terms of use and they distributed, changed or posted the source of that code, then I would be entitled to damages. Its all determined on the the license.

 

BTW (and this is my last post here... cause, well, do what you want but don't tell me I didn't warn you afterwards)

Yes they could, you know that, I know that, the Bukkit team knows that but... Mojang don't do it and they won't do it in the future.

Please read into the topic some more. First of Mojang and curse work hand in hand, second curse is hosting Bukkit cause Bukkit joined Mojang... Also this has nothing to do with the fact that the author of the plugin we're talking about could sue @sternmin8tor - You say it: Mojang don't sick their lawyers (cause they don't care) but why shouldn't the author of the plugin do (do you know him personally or why do you think that?)

Mojang told that they wouldn't sue Bukkit (again: Read into that topic) and since some time Bukkit IS Mojang. All head developers of Bukkit are Mojang employees.

 

@V10lator, I asked a simple question, got some simple answers then the train wreck came. I appreciate your offer to rewrite the plugin, I may take you up on that if needed. If sternmin8tor is able to get me a rewritten plugin that works then there is no harm and no foul and everyone gets what they wanted, I think. But if not I may contact you to help me out.

 

Well this was a fun read.

bastion you are welcome to, for your own use, update an abandoned plugin provided that you don't distribute it.