Hello all, Well its time for dumb question corner. So please keep that in mind when you read this question. Im a newbie with a model program.. = As stated in my past messages, Im really new to Carrara, and struggling to learn the aspects of modeling. Im also eager to post what silly stuff I come up with. Even though I have a much larger vision in mind for future projects. My Question is that scince I am actualy playing with some models that were/are given out as a "Free" DXF, 3DS models. Is it Legal, or Moral, to edit the files/Meshes, and place them into say a Poser workable file, make them workable models inside poser, and redistribute them under this new format for free? Now, I know that DAZ does not want this. On their models. Im simply asking about what people post for free downloads at 3D Model sites. Im not trying to profit from any of this, Im simply adding on to a model that was created by someone with actual skills in modeling. And, the last part about being a good sole in the 3D Community, Would be to give credit where credit is due. However, what If I downloaded a file that has no readme, that states who actualy made the model? Is it ok to redisribute this model as well, if the original creator is not known? Any insite to this would be most apreciated. Thanks Blacksteel

With a very few exceptions, when an author distributes a model, even for free, they retain legal rights to the model. Essentially, they're granting you a license to use the model in your own work, but not to redistribute the model. Some authors are really specific in their accompanying files about what you can and cannot do with or to their property. Others are not so specific (pariticularly those who don't provide readme files with the model), but specificity doesn't change the basic, inherent intellectual rights issue you ask about. In both a moral and legal sense, I'd suggest that your best bet would be to seek permission from the original author before redistributing their work whether in a different format or not. If you can't locate the original author, you're probably better off to move on; find a model for which you can locate the original author and get permission there. If somebody has put a model up on the web for free, they're likely to be receptive to having that model available in as many formats as possible, so they'll probably say "sure!" when you ask. You're pretty much free to do whatever you want to the model for your own use; it's when you redistribute it (even without any profit motivation whatsoever) that you run the risk of hitting legal snags. I hope this helps. - Dex

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?ForumID=12395

One of the myths current on the Internet is that if you download something, that means it's "Public domain" and you can redistribute or sell it. The fallacy about "Public domain" led to Napster, warez and other forms of piracy. Unless you have something written by the creator that says you can distribute it, you can't. If you try to distribute it without written permission, the creator has the right to press charges against you under the DMCA and to sue you.

Thanks all for the "rules" to all of this. I have reverted to a new approach to all of this and will revamp my model based on the new info. Besides, after some serious study of my subject the model was not as realistic as I expected it to be. However I will use it for refrence and a test dummy so to speak. I seriously went around to the websites, and read the infomation on some Models that I downloaded. And I did find refrences to not using them, and others said that they were free to use. Its so crazy to get models, and not be able to expand on them without having to rebuild them within your own computer. But at least now I know the deal. Thanks for the information! Blacksteel