Re: First tangile results of Open File Format initiative

[Scott Hamlin]

I'm with Jim. I think the fact that you can open Flash files now is a real

problem. Yes, people who steal site graphics are loosers, but it cheapens

our work. It may not be that big of a concern for site's like Gabo's where

the copying would be obvious (although with a site like Gabo's copying is a

given), but what about with games. At our site, www.toylab.com, we've been

working on Flash-based games. Now I'm not at all crazy about making these

public because I know that there are people out there that will take the

games, open them, figure out how they were done, adapt some art and then

post their own games. It took serious time to figure these games out. Now

anyone can just waltz right in there and nab the ideas? Nope. Not gonna

happen. As far as I'm concerned, we certainly aren't going to post the

Flash versios of our games until we can protect them.


On the design stealing, it is a serious drawback! An example: I wrote books

on Interface Design and Web design both with Photoshop. Designs from those

books are posted at my site (www.eyeland.com). Believe me, they aren't to

die for. However, it's remarkable how often they are stolen and used at

other sites, depite the fact that the designs were featured in books which

would make it even more obvious--or publicly known--that they were stolen.

Now these loosers may not be getting notoriety, but they are cheapening the

work--they make the uniqueness of the design less unique. That is such a

huge drawback IMO that I decided not to design very many

javascript-based/JPEG/GIF interfaces anymore. Now that same hesitation will

be with Flash development. When I talk to a client, I gotta tell them that

the Flash we do for them will be stealable.


Has anyone looked into ThingMaker (www.thingworld.com)? ThingMaker has the

ability to embed credit and copyright information. Also, it can lock items.

So, you can decide how accessible you want your designs to be. You can make

everything open to anyone, you make it open, but build in non-removeable

credit, or you can totally lock the design/animation. Flash needs something

like this in a big way.


exit soapbox...


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