Etiquette or Rules for Product made for another Product or System

[rileyKo]

I'm struggling to describe this so it's not as complicated as I'm making it sound.

So if someone makes a product in SL, and it is made as an add-on for another product or "system", that is made by someone else...

- Does the "add-on" maker have inherent permission to say their product is "made for the blah blah system"?

I'm not referring to "common courtesy" type of thing, and not referring to anything copyright related (or does that play into this as well).  I mean, technically, can the add-on maker, in their product description, say "made for the DFS Farming System".  (Oops did I say that out loud).

I ask because if the "blah blah system" in this case is a big $ maker, the add-on maker could also conceivably make $, kinda benefiting from that system.  Although it works both ways.  Anyway I can't find solid info on this, so putting the question out there.. Thanks :))

 

[Lillith Hapmouche]

I'd guess that totally depends on the system in question.

Apparently, based on what you say, it can work with third party add-ons (that alone is kinda rare), so is there no existing policy / guide for such products? 

[OptimoMaximo]

If the product in question provides APIs so that other scripts can communicate and interoperate with it, it's implied that the main product creator is encouraging the practice of making addons for it. More simply stated, the original creator made plugs so that more functionalities could be added from external sources without actually opening their product to anyone. 

On a industrial scale, it's like questioning the legitimacy of plug ins for photoshop, or any other software for that matter, for sale. If the software house didn't allow that practice, they wouldn't have exposed scripting capabilities in their software to begin with. 

Hopefully this helps clarify my view on the subject matter. 

[Paul Hexem]

In SL, there is a free Stargate system. A number of them, actually. Many creators, including myself, make a great deal of products and accessories that work with one or all of the Stargate networks. It's completely acceptable to see products on the marketplace that say "made for the such and such Stargate network".

Alternatively, look at many of the vehicle creators on the grid that allow custom textures on their vehicles. You can go on the MP and find countless textures from all sorts of creators, and they're made for said vehicles.

Anyone that includes any kind of API includes it knowing people will do this.

[Wulfie Reanimator]

On 8/21/2020 at 5:12 PM, rileyKo said:

So if someone makes a product in SL, and it is made as an add-on for another product or "system", that is made by someone else...

- Does the "add-on" maker have inherent permission to say their product is "made for the blah blah system"?

If I make a product that's intended to work with another product... I'm going to say "made for [another product]."

I don't even know what to call that besides basic English.

[Kyrah Abattoir]

I'll go on a limb but my personal experience is that people don't feel the need to inform you or seek permission to create addons for your products.

It is also probably fine in 99% of cases, feel free to get a creator's blessing, but unless you're potentially creating bugs, don't feel obligated to seek permission to do a texture addon as long as you make sure that you aren't distributing something they made without permission.

Ex: New textures are fine as long as they look nothing like the original and that it's perfectly clear that this is your work and not "their but slightly modified".

I also don't believe you need permission to say that your product is an addon for product X. Just don't use their art/logos unless they allow you to.

 

Unless your product break their, they they really have no business telling you you can't extend it.

Edited August 27, 2020 by Kyrah Abattoir

[OptimoMaximo]

On 8/22/2020 at 6:37 PM, Wulfie Reanimator said:

If I make a product that's intended to work with another product... I'm going to say "made for [another product]."

I don't even know what to call that besides basic English.

I think the OP question is about whether it is legit to make addons that extend other products functionality, with their example they're explicitly aiming to a scripted product, which in practice implies that this addon functionally interacts with the main program that the original product runs. Which is slightly different than making a "compatible with X product" item, at least in a consumer's eyes (like a mesh head that plugs well onto a specific mesh body). 

 

On 8/27/2020 at 9:37 PM, Kyrah Abattoir said:

It is also probably fine in 99% of cases, feel free to get a creator's blessing, but unless you're potentially creating bugs,.... 

That's the point of such products to expose APIs for extensions: the addon can't create bugs in the main product because it can't really change the internal structure of the main software, it just can access in the "doors" that the original coder left open with instructions about what can walk through such doors so that the software can respond to input. At most, the add on could suffer from bugs, on its own, and that's none of the main products business, it's the addon creator problem to make sure it properly works before release (all this, always assuming that the APIs were properly tested and don't have holes that can introduce bugs, but that's another issue).

An example of that is 3d softwares: I make a script that interacts with Maya, for example. I use Maya commands to do things, then I try to input the wrong stuff for a command, Maya doesn't respond to that. My script at that point suffers for a bug, that interrupts its execution, but Maya keeps standing there. It's not like that it stops working or crashes or whatever, as long as I don't introduce bad programming practices that cause crash. But the problem is in the addon, not the main software. 

[animats]

Just don't break the base product. Thank you.

[Rachel1206]

A good idea is always to contact the maker (big or small) and get their permission, most makers are glad to glad to assist, provided it is a good add-on.

For add-ons to mesh bodies, heads always check with the original creators and get their permissions. Most of them provides guide-lines and an approval is normally needed.

 

Edited September 3, 2020 by Rachel1206

[HisaDrug]

Hamburger helper

[Da5id Weatherwax]

The biggest big deal is to NEVER give the impression that your add-on is in any way approved or endorsed by the creators of the base item unless it actually has been andto always acknowledge the original.

Say so explicitly - "(add-on) was developed independently of (product) and is not endorsed by or affiliated with the makers of (product). It has been tested with (versions) of (product) but is not guaranteed to function with future updates released by the makers of (product). I am not a reseller of (product) and it should be purchased directly from (creator) in order to make use of (add-on)" or something similar....

 

If you are squeaky-clean in that regard, while you are not guaranteed to be welcomed with open arms by the base products creator(s) you at least should avoid actually pissing them off...