Discussion of leaked items

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KSoD

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Due to the influx of Leaks of items that have not been Officially released, we are enforcing that any talks of such items will fall under the Keep it Legal rule.

Items such as Games, Leaked Builds of a Windows Operating System, Service Packs, Beta Software not yet released to testers or anything else that falls under this is going to get a infraction and topic deleted on site.

If there is no way that the item could have been obtained by legal means, then it is going to come under the rules of the site. This has gone on before and we turned a blind eye when it should have been enforced the whole time.

This starts now. No excuses.
 
Just to make this a bit more clear. Talk of the items can commence. IF and only IF you are talking about a Review posted by a site that has had access to the pre-release or something of that matter.

This is set into motion over people discussing how they feel about such items from personal experience when there is no legal way that they could possibly have obtained it legally.

If it isnt available to the public and you are talking about the item from personal experience that only leaves Piracy and/or Warez as ways to have obtained the item in question. That is where it falls under this rule.

We are not trying to stop discussion of new items coming out. But we are putting a stop to this whole Torrent Talk out in the open. The rule was put in place a while ago and people have bypassed it by not mentioning the fact that they used Torrents. This will also stop.

It is still Piracy and it still falls under the rules.
 
Just to make things even more clear Win7 builds that are officially released to the public as Beta or RC's but leaked interim builds are not fine to talk about.
 
it whould be some thing that we are not so obvious about. Keep in mind that there is some people that might be involved in a Bata or a release canidate for a game or software. It should be okay for them to talk about their experience. This is provided that there is no Non Dislosure Agreement between the Devs and Beta Tester preventing from publishing their experience of game / operating system / software.


Leaked music / tv / movies should be a no no. Or it should not be stated so obviously that the media has been leaked onto the internet. problem is that it does mean that we (mod) need to be on the look out for various movies or tv series that get leaked out on to the internet. However at the same time, I do question the TV station on whether or not an premier episode of a TV show is leaked onto the internet or not just to build up hype 6 - 12 months before the show is due to air. Eg. Episode 1 of Caprica.

This whole LEAKED thing is "visit Uncle Torrences" all over again. Since we killed Uncle Torrences, I think it about time we call a plumber to fix up the leaks on tech forums too.
 
If someone is involved in a beta then they could let it be known and if they are infracted it would be removed with proper proof.
 
I can say from experience that almost all Betas have a NDA. There is a limit as to what can be said and where with restriction on screen shots as well.

Even as such it isnt hard to know if someone is in the Beta to have access to it. Since almost everyone here either signs up for the Public Beta or is known to have access to such items.

But yes this is the final straw for the whole Torrent thing.
 
I can say from experience that almost all Betas have a NDA. There is a limit as to what can be said and where with restriction on screen shots as well.

The problem that i don't what to have is that COMPANY XYZ blaming tech forums because some user could not keep his/her mouth shut about a BETA because of a NDA.


Now back to leaked items? How to we deal with it?
Do we just edit post, thread title and issue warnings?
In some ways, I do feel that some of them are more or less harmless. Eg. TF2 The Spy being leaked. Like just about every other IT Forum was talking about it too as it was on Youtube. If valve was going to take objection for it being there, it would of been taken down allready. Just removed the word leaked.

Or do we lock/delete, thread and issue infactions?
In some ways, i do think that this might be nessary for some items. Like movies, tv shows, music. The only exception is when the studio / publisher as authorised a the early distribution. This never happens online with movies.* Same with work prints.
However from time to time this will happen with music and TV shows. 2 examples exmaples that I can think are :-
Nine Inch Nails - where the band is releasing there new stuff online for every one to download
BSG:Caprica and Terminator:TSCC - where the pilot episode were released online to help build up hype for the up coming show the next season.


* However the only exception that i will except is when the movie studios has provided an advanced screening of a unfinished film. I do remember watching an unfinshed cut Serenity 6 months before the release. I do remember that happening with the first Blade movie too.
Same goes with advanced screening for films where people might be able to catch a film in the cinema a few weeks before the offical release. I have been to a few of those.
However conversations like that leaked copy of unfinished Wolverine should be a big No No.

Keep in mind, we don't want the words "Adanced Screening" getting turn into the new Uncle Torrences.
 
I have no issues with items being talked about when there is a Video or other source that has info up about it.

My problem comes in when people are going:

"Wait that isnt released till such and such a date how are you playing it already?"

Then the ensuing talks of how or where all start to be brought up. People talking how they love the gameplay or the new look or whatever.

That is my issue. If you get access keep it to yourself or share it via other means. Email or IM.

If there is a Demo or a download from the Official site or anything like that, fine. They offered it and it is completely legal then. It is those that get it via means that are not legal. Those that use Unlce Torrence to get a advanced copy to try out before the game is released to buy.

If a Demo wasnt offered up to try, then there should not be any talk of your personal experience trying it.

Windows 7 has been released to the public. But only certain Builds. Those other Builds that have leaked will not be supported and i have made it know a long time ago that infractions and removal will be done.

This will be the same thing. Infractions will be given and posts removed. There is no need for it.

So to put it bluntly as possible:

  • If there is a Demo, download or anything like this available from the Official site of a item it is fine to discuss. No action will be taken.
  • If you are in the Beta and there is no restrictions to talk about a item and you are allowed to post up screen shots and other material to get feed back from the community that is fine. Proof may be required to make sure those conditions are met.
  • If there is information from another site, a YouTube Video or a Review from another site, it is fine to post taht link and discuss that.
  • Items that do NOT have a demo or download available from the Official site are not allowed to be linked to sites that have it for download.
  • Items that have been Leaked are fine to talk about, IF you do not talk from your personal experience with the item. As it will generate to many questions.

That is about as basic and blunt as i can make it. Plainly put we know that the items have leaked. Jsut as we know that items are up for download via other means than Officially provided. but we are taking the simple stance.

Don't post links and don't give away that you got it. It is illegal in the matter that we are not allowing. therefor it violates our rules.
 
With the SC2 beta coming out for selected people, and anyone that attends blizzcon, I would be carefull as there are HUNDREDS of people that will be beta testing. and they don't care if people talk about there experience with the game.
 
I am pretty sure that item #2 in my list in the previous post covers that.

If you are in the Beta and there is no restrictions to talk about a item and you are allowed to post up screen shots and other material to get feed back from the community that is fine. Proof may be required to make sure those conditions are met.

As long as they can give proof, if requested, then there is no issue. If someone wants to not give proof then the topic will closed and/or deleted.
 
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