Missing developers- how to get their content?

[swdw]

What happens when someone's site goes off line and their content is no longer available and not on the DLS? Can someone that has it post it to the DLS, or make it available on their site? I ask because I downloaded Carlsbad Steam Locomotive Works Polar Express Route. He provided a Word Doc with links to all the 3rd party dependencies. Problem is, a couple of them no longer have their sites up, and their content is not on the DLS. CLSW obviously has them, as the route is supplied by them, but the developers is really careful about not posting other peoples work on his site. (Just the download list from DLS is HUGE . . . no more like ginormous. )

Am curious how this is handled.

 

[lackoo11111]

You can find the google drive link in the description of the route .

 

[Christopher824]

What happens when someone's site goes off line and their content is no longer available and not on the DLS? Can someone that has it post it to the DLS, or make it available on their site? I ask because I downloaded Carlsbad Steam Locomotive Works Polar Express Route. He provided a Word Doc with links to all the 3rd party dependencies. Problem is, a couple of them no longer have their sites up, and their content is not on the DLS. CLSW obviously has them, as the route is supplied by them, but the developers is really careful about not posting other peoples work on his site. (Just the download list from DLS is HUGE . . . no more like ginormous. )

Am curious how this is handled.

Depends on the license. Useally found in the config.txt of the asset in question. If the license allows it, you could clone it and put it up on the DLS, then the route would need to be adjusted to the new asset. Otherwise, I believe that only the original creator can upload the original, or an update.

 

[JCitron]

If the content is no longer available and the licensee has stated no distribution, the only thing you can do is replace the assets with something else. Some things such as trees and buildings, for example, are easy to replace, but track and other infrastructure become difficult however that can be done as well.

 

[Dinorius_Redundicus]

Learn to read Russian. The cynic in me, plus some experience, suggests lots of stuff, including supposedly DLS-only content, has been cloned and made available on third-party websites.

 

[pware]

Depends on the license... If the license allows it, you could clone it and put it up on the DLS... Otherwise, I believe that only the original creator can upload the original, or an update.

One thing I would add is that if there is NO licence information at all then that does NOT mean free to copy and distribute. The same thing applies to your home. If there is no sign at your front gate saying "Do Not Trespass" it does not mean that it is ok for anyone to setup a tent and camp on your front lawn.

This thread also illustrates the reason why I don't use assets from 3rd party web sites (no matter how good they might be) in any of my routes and sessions. Those sites can close without any warning or reason and that creates nothing but problems for those who have downloaded your routes or sessions if you have included their assets. There are some 3rd party web sites that have uploaded all their unique assets to the DLS before they closed down but that is a rarity.

I would also add that if developer is no longer with us, and sadly some great "Trainzers" have passed away over the last few years, it does not extinguish the copyright on their work which legally passes to their heirs.

 

[Frank_Dean]

First of all I have to say, that all my content is in the DLS and something in two webs, but all of it in the DLS.
Regarding the issue of why many authors who make free content do not upload their content to the DLS, I will quote what an author answered me why he did not upload his content to the DLS:

The problem is that if you upload it to the DS you stop being an author. You are mentioned and little else, besides that you do business with other people's material. You only have to read the conditions of authorship in case of uploading content to the DS.
Personally, I have not spent 3 months of work renewing the catenary for a third party to charge for it if someone wants to download it quickly.
But that's just my opinion.

Summarizing some authors do not feel very fond of the DLS and how they treat their content and have their creation on their own websites, but eventually it is very easy to close the website and lose the content, and start the problems for Trainz users.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)