I suspect that tagging content with the grid on which it was created is an attempt to address intergrid licensing. But it’s a lame one, and your suggestion of an explicit export permission is an excellent one. Linden Lab’s solution requires eyeballs and manual work on behalf of grid/simulator operators. An export permission can simply be implemented in software. It also effectively nulls the debate about export checks on full permission objects versus creator owned ones.

As for the inventory thing, I didn’t get the impression that Linden Labs intends to bar mass inventory export. If they do, they’re being damn silly. What they say on the blog post is, “most of us are not the intellectual property owners of **all** [emphasis mine] content in our inventory,” meaning that exporters simply ought to check permissions in an inventory export. Why they could not just say this is beyond me; it seems blindingly obvious.

I do *like* the idea of my content having my user name preserved as the creator. Although I routinely give stuff away, the one and only thing I ever request is an attribution as the originator of the work. Very BSD/MIT license-like.

@Ari: No, this isn’t old policy – those three standards/suggestions are very very new. Second Inventory was built using its current IP mechanism because LL wouldnt provide any clarification – ultimately, I think they did a good job.

As far as copyright infringement goes, yes – I agree I think it will continue; but I do think there are practical ways of stopping it – just many will be unconscionable to the majority of smaller content creators.

It’s not a “change” in Linden Lab’s “content management policy”. It’s a reiteration and clarification. Linden Lab has been saying these exact same things since I can remember, and I can remember back as far as Spring, 2006.

It is enough to prevent pirates plagiarizing creators’ work on any grid? No. Is it enough as much as a can be reasonably expected? I think so.

Linden Lab has control of Linden Lab assets and nothing else. All tools and methods employed by Linden Lab can and will only work on Linden lab grids. The simple fact of the matter is that plagiarism (sorry, I cannot ’swallow’ the “theft” word with regard to digital works) is going to happen no matter what because when someone wants to plagiarize, they will find a way to do it.

However, at least Linden Lab is making a good-faith effort to curb this as much as possible; which does two things: first, it help keep honest people honest and second is that it shows Linden Lab is serious about this stuff; within the confines of what they are able.

And any others the group decided were necessary to make it less a minefield for platform operators.

They’re not actually mandating any rules there at all. Just a warning that they’ll spank people if things get out of hand somehow.