Q: How to interpret non-standard licensing statements?

[Speaker]

I have collected a bunch of skyboxes from various WEB pages (to use in my maps), and in some cases I am not sure what exactly the licensing statement(s) stipulate. I would like to hear the opinion of the OA developer staff (fromhell especially) about the following cases:

1.  No licensing statement in the README, just 'Enjoy!'
Does it mean that it is in the public domain, freely usable in any way? No contact info exists for the author, his WEB page is no longer active, so it is impossible to ask.

2. 'This work is in the puclic domain, but cannot be used commercially'
IMO this is a contradiction. I believe that if a work is put in the public domain, it implies that the work has no copyright attached, no copyright holder, and can be used in any freeking way you can think of.

So, what would be the 'offical' policy on the inclusion of these two kinds of artworks into OA?

[fromhell]

Skyboxes on the internet are often made with planetside.co.uk's Terragen which has a restrict usage terms license that it can't be used commercially. That is why I rejected typical synthetic skyboxes for OA.

[andrewj]

The best policy is: IF IN DOUBT, DO NOT USE IT.

[Cacatoes]

1. Normally, in France at least, when nothing is said, usual copyright applies.
That means : not authorized to distribute, modify, and so on.

So I think this "Enjoy" would have to be taken in its restrictive use, even if this was not really the intention of the author. You would then only be able to use the ressources, but not redistribute it, etc.

2. This is indeed a contradiction, that would mean : do anything with it but do not commercialize it.

I think even public domain has to be declared, still, the way to do it is unclear, and would depend on countries.

BTW, copyright laws are stupid

[Speaker]

So I think this "Enjoy" would have to be taken in its restrictive use, even if this was not really the intention of the author. You would then only be able to use the ressources, but not redistribute it, etc.

Which means that I can make a map using the skybox but may not give it to others. I may not even legally play it with my friends on a private server. Well, what options are left? I may play it on my machine against bots. This is rather silly. I am sure that this is not what the author intended. Think about it: who will admire his/her fantastic work in this case. The bots? :-)

BTW, copyright laws are stupid

They are just inadequate and are ruthlessly abused. I have no problem with the principle of copyright per se.