[onehost]

I think it would be nice if vb.org setup free/paid mod sections for major versions
of vb. There are a lot of good mods already leaning toward abandonment, and
I can understand why if modders are not getting paid, so they move on to
better things leaving that useful mod to rot...

Free Section - may a demo type mod to see if the client
maybe interested in buying.

Paid Section - So if a client likes the free version, then they
would buy the mod that could have more full features
compared to the free mod.

and if a coder gets paid, then they are likely to stay around much longer,
and keep their mods updated. I am seeing new mods for new VB that
already heading toward the grave-yard because the coder is no
where to be seen...

Chances are that I would pay for a highly sought after mod that
serves to enhance the forum, and if it is a good mod, then
others may also, of course the cheesy meaningless mods can
be kept in the free section....

[Xtrigit]

I don't quite agree with you.

There is a section where you can request a paid mod if needed.

I love how things work here in vb, people willing to contribute. You can always thank them by sending a donation.

I own a site that is powered by a social networking script and modders there will charge you $30,$50, $200 for each mod(even for a line of html), the community there used to be like the one here at vbulletin.org but people suggested something similar to what you are suggesting right now and that community now sucks(there are only 6 or 7 modders there now).

[betts02]

Agree with the above post, But i do think anyone should be able to take over a mod if the original author does not support it or has not updated it for over a set period

[onehost]

Originally Posted by betts02

Agree with the above post, But i do think anyone should be able to take over a mod if the original author does not support it or has not updated it for over a set period

that I agree with...vb should have rules to say if they do not update
their mods any longer, then they are subject to be taken over by
someone that will.

whats the point of an out of date or dead mod if no one is working on it?

If one coder leaves for whatever reason, then I am sure another
would be interested in picking up the slack...

[Brandon Sheley]

it's been brought up a 100 times, and it isn't going to change

[Lynne]

Originally Posted by onehost

If one coder leaves for whatever reason, then I am sure another would be interested in picking up the slack...

Not always true. I very often see people asking for an upgrade to a mod that has been abandoned, but then I sometimes talk to the developer about this and find out nobody has asked their permission to take over the mod. So, lots of users want the upgrade, but no one is willing to actually take it over. (Not true of all mods, but I do know some where that has happened.)

And moved to vb.org feedback forum.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by onehost

that I agree with...vb should have rules to say if they do not update
their mods any longer, then they are subject to be taken over by
someone that will.

whats the point of an out of date or dead mod if no one is working on it?

If one coder leaves for whatever reason, then I am sure another
would be interested in picking up the slack...

If vB.org were to ever implement something like that, I'd have all my mods removed in a heartbeat.

Besides, how would vB.org be able to get past the fact that mods are copyright to the coder.

[Paul M]

Originally Posted by SecondV

Besides, how would vB.org be able to get past the fact that mods are copyright to the coder.

We cannot, which is one reason why there will never be any such rule.

[BirdOPrey5]

Originally Posted by Paul M

We cannot, which is one reason why there will never be any such rule.

Of course you can- no one is forcing coders to post their mods here- as a condition of using vbulletin.org you agree that abandoned mods can be turned over to someone else for development... You would have to grandfather in old mods but any new mods or any existing mods that are updated would be subject to the new rules.

This isn't rocket science.

I think the Apache license has something like this built in.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by BirdOPrey5

Of course you can- no one is forcing coders to post their mods here- as a condition of using vbulletin.org you agree that abandoned mods can be turned over to someone else for development... You would have to grandfather in old mods but any new mods or any existing mods that are updated would be subject to the new rules.

This isn't rocket science.

I think the Apache license has something like this built in.

So just because we're not forced to post a mod here, we give up our copyright? Anyway, if that were implemented, I would almost guarantee vB.org would lose a lot of coders.

[BirdOPrey5]

Originally Posted by SecondV

So just because we're not forced to post a mod here, we give up our copyright? Anyway, if that were implemented, I would almost guarantee vB.org would lose a lot of coders.

vBulletin.org is a private entity. They could make it a condition of posting a mod here that if "abandoned" you, the mod author, gives consent for another coder to take over the mod. Since the mod can't be commercial to be posted here anyway no money is lost by anyone, but the community benefits.

You yourself worked on the My Smilies mod which went from coder to coder to coder and will probably go to another one for 4.x... This is all well and good that you or someone before you was able to contact the original coder to get permission- this isn't always possible and not always practical either... people move on, people even die... I wouldn't want my mods to sit unupdated if they could otherwise be so if I died unexpectedly.

[Paul M]

Originally Posted by BirdOPrey5

Of course you can- no one is forcing coders to post their mods here- as a condition of using vbulletin.org you agree that abandoned mods can be turned over to someone else for development...

We can make all the rules we want, it wont change laws.

Just so its clear as well - even if we could write our own laws, we still wouldnt, since it would drive most coders away. I, for one, would not post a single mod here under such rules - just because I do not charge for my mods does not mean I would give up my rights to them.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by BirdOPrey5

vBulletin.org is a private entity. They could make it a condition of posting a mod here that if "abandoned" you, the mod author, gives consent for another coder to take over the mod. Since the mod can't be commercial to be posted here anyway no money is lost by anyone, but the community benefits.

You yourself worked on the My Smilies mod which went from coder to coder to coder and will probably go to another one for 4.x... This is all well and good that you or someone before you was able to contact the original coder to get permission- this isn't always possible and not always practical either... people move on, people even die... I wouldn't want my mods to sit unupdated if they could otherwise be so if I died unexpectedly.

In this case contacting the original author wasn't necessary, it was marked as "Re-usable Code"

[BirdOPrey5]

Originally Posted by Paul M

We can make all the rules we want, it wont change laws.

Just so its clear as well - even if we could write our own laws, we still wouldnt, since it would drive most coders away. I, for one, would not post a single mod here under such rules - just because I do not charge for my mods does not mean I would give up my rights to them.

I'm sure many coders would have a problem with it, though personally I wouldn't, but that wasn't the argument I was making. You need not change any laws- websites have a terms of service, you agree to them at registation and by continued use of a website your consent to their terms are implied.

vBulletin.org could say that all releases on vBulletin.org fall under a vB Org License which grants x, y, z rights to the coder, and a, b, c rights to the community, including that mods not updated for 2 years or whom authors have not logged in for 2 years are automatically given "reusable code" status. If you want to post a mod here you agree to this- plain and simple and completely legal- this is not debatable.

What is debatable is if it's a good idea... I can see both sides to this though personally I'd be for it- if a coder is really upset about losing exclusive rights to a long abandoned mod then good riddance I say.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

Yes we could include something like that in our TOS, be we will not.

It would drive part of the current coders away and we would have less new submissions. That is also not in the benefit of the community.