Announcing...

[Tango_Romeo]

...the opening of The Source File Archive, a new resource for designers and the flight sim community dedicated to the preservation of FSDS and Gmax source files representing untold hours of creative work. :jump:

Every single week we lose original source files from which many of our most popular addons were created. Designers seldom post their source files for fear of piracy, and eventually they are lost through crashes or the designer moving on to other interests. :isadizzy:

This archive will provide a safe haven for designers to park source files AND have control over them.

I am dedicating two large external drives to this project...one for the archive and one for backup. The archive will contain the ZIPed source files (and original textures, if available) cross-referenced by author, program, type, etc. in a database of my own design. :kilroy:

Designers can send their files via email for archiving knowing that the files will not be made available to anyone without the author's specific permission. :applause:

I am committed to managing the project personally, and should I be unable to carry it forward, will find a successor to do so.

Bismarck13, Brunosk, Crashaz, Oldwheat, myself and several other dedicated producers have joined the effort initially. Everyone is welcome to contribute.

Files can be submitted to me directly via email (click on Tango_Romeo in this post to send email) or just PM me for directions.

Essentially, all that is needed is a ZIP containing the source file (with textures if available), a file ID naming the author, design program and sim, and instructions on how the file should be handled. :engel016:

[RyanJames170]

sounds cool and needed :ernae:
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">

[N2056]

As noble as your endeavor is, there is a reason that many source files stay with the author...;)

[hobofat]

I was thinking of doing a similar thing, only with people's money. So much money is being lost these days, but if you just send it to me I'll keep it safe for you ;)

[warchild]

:::LOL:: Hobo.. thats what banks are for, only they like to take some of it every month..
This is kind of a cool idea.. think about it. No ones done the Douglas X-3 since FS2002, and that was a not so great model, however, if that file was on backup somewhere, then i could get hold of them, find out the creators name and contact them to see if i or someone else could upgrade it.. I like it..

[Tango_Romeo]

As noble as your endeavor is, there is a reason that many source files stay with the author...;)

...you must be Bearcat241 in disguise. :wavey:

[stansdds]

As noble as your endeavor is, there is a reason that many source files stay with the author...;)
I must agree, source files are the property of the author, not something for the public unless the author releases the source file for such purposes.

[Tango_Romeo]

...did you not understand? :isadizzy:

Designers can send their files via email for archiving knowing that the files will not be made available to anyone without the author's specific permission. :applause:

There seems to be an underlying insinuation that this project is something other than stated. :kilroy:

I've been involved deeply with flight simming for the past ten years, most deeply in CFS2. This project started there and perhaps it is a mistake to take it beyond. :running:

[hobofat]

I think the hesitation comes from the fact that the source file is still being deposited with a third party individual...where anything could happen. Which is not of course to suggest that anything like that would happen or you are anything but absolutely responsible and mean exactly what you say...I just know and imagine that I would personally have trouble letting my own source files out of my hand.

I think perhaps it might just stem from the fact that it's hard to take anybody at their word anymore these days, which is unfortunate.

[N2056]

...you must be Bearcat241 in disguise. :wavey:

I have no idea who that is :isadizzy:
You do have an interesting idea, and I wish you luck with it.:wavey:

[Roger]

I have nothing to archive but I wouldn't trust someone who used a 'handle' rather than a name. I wouldn't park my money with a bank that said " Yeah I'm safe and I called my bank 'Sierra Alpha Foxtrot Echo".
If developers aren't savvy enough to secure their source files themselves then what makes anyone believe that they will remember to post them to Tango Romeo?

[jimjones]

Designers can send their files via email for archiving knowing that the files will not be made available to anyone without the author's specific permission. [/B]


For guys like myself at age 74 I begin to wonder if anyone would be interested in picking up my source files for my Louisville scenery. I'm not interested in making those source files available unless I've passed on, but then I can't give permission.:icon_lol: I'd rather be able to choose who would take them over before the reaper comes.

You bring up an interesting subject, but like others here I don't think there is going to be a stampede of people wanting to contribute.

[Tango_Romeo]

I think the hesitation comes from the fact that the source file is still being deposited with a third party individual...where anything could happen. Which is not of course to suggest that anything like that would happen or you are anything but absolutely responsible and mean exactly what you say...I just know and imagine that I would personally have trouble letting my own source files out of my hand.

I think perhaps it might just stem from the fact that it's hard to take anybody at their word anymore these days, which is unfortunate.

...how true! I am well-enough known in CFS2 circles that this is not a problem. Unfortunately, that is not necessarily the case in the other forums. Although, the archive has been well-received everywhere except here at FSX. Of course, all this flack is coming from individuals who do not appear to be designers at all. :isadizzy:

For that reason, I am ceasing to promote the archive outside of the CFS2 forum. :frown:

PS Click on any of the links below in this post. I don't need to pilfer the source files of others. :male:

[hobofat]

...how true! I am well-enough known in CFS2 circles that this is not a problem. Unfortunately, that is not necessarily the case in the other forums. Although, the archive has been well-received everywhere except here at FSX. Of course, all this flack is coming from individuals who do not appear to be designers at all. :isadizzy:

For that reason, I am ceasing to promote the archive outside of the CFS2 forum. :frown:

PS Click on any of the links below in this post. I don't need to pilfer the source files of others. :male:

I am a designer...though fairly new to the FSX scene :wiggle: But allow me to extend a personal apology, I should not have knocked your project in a public forum, that was not my intention. I'm still working on that ever so important social skill of learning when it is and when it is not appropriate to express personal opinions. I imagine that once a certain level of familiarity and trust has been developed, it's actually a great idea.

[ROB]

I have technical question. Will anybody be able to send/receive 500MB or so via email?

regards
ROB

[Tango_Romeo]

I have technical question. Will anybody be able to send/receive 500MB or so via email?

regards
ROB

...I do not know.:isadizzy:

I have a 500MB mailbox available, but I think the max size of files is dictated by the individual ISPs. I have never actually received an attachment larger than 27MB. I would think you'd have to break it up.:running:

To simplify this issue, Baldy is sending his huge collection via DVD/snailmail. :applause:

[Tango_Romeo]

The archive is going to consist of a published catalog and contact information for the authors themselves (for those seeking permission to use a specific source file).

The archive will be 'managed' by three to four well-known and respected individuals within the sim community. All are to be prominent participants in one of the forums here at SOH. :kilroy:

[michael davies]

Well, I uploaded here a whole bunch of Gmax files free for anyone to use, except make money, having said that if you spent that much time making them payware quality then best of luck, probably to start afresh TBH.

I cant see the point of hanging onto them any more, there Gmax and I dont use Gmax, they cant be converted effectively to Max and as noted above its quicker to build new in Max.

So I uploaded them all here and then deleted here to make space for new models, dont really see what the problem is handing them over, how can anyone steal freeware source, plenty of people stole when they were payware models, so you'll never stop a thief, why bother to fight them for old source files, theres a whole site full of files at FFDS.

They were posted so that people could make head or tail of animations, names, mapiing and other stuff.

Like I said, I was only going to, and did, delete them, might as well let some others have a peek and maybe learn something.

I can understand the reticence if there current sim and upto date source files, but filles for an older sim ?, really cant see an issue myself.

T_R, if you can find the files you can add them to your collection, Frank S I think dragged some over to FFDS, others might have made there way into SoH files ?, dont really know where they all ended up, I do know the RF and F-84 ended up in another sim, initially claimed as someone elses handy work but the FS scene is a small world and word soon got round. Silly thing is, they had reversed engineered the freeware mdl version, they only had to ask and they could have had the raw source and saved themselves months of work LOL. Permission was given in the end so no harm done.

Best

Michael

[Tango_Romeo]

...to announce that The Source File Archive is now officially in existence. :wavey:

The first section is exclusively FSDS files and there are now nearly 300 of them in the archive. :jump:

The Gmax section is to be added shortly. :engel016:

The catalog has almost caught up with the archive's contents.....with me working as fast as I can. :running:

[Bjoern]

Once I finish up my projects, the souce files are going to end up in that archive.

I don't see much of a problem with this system. Of course, it is understood that you shouldn't necessarily put up source files of payware models, but as long as you don't sell modified source files and give credit where credit is due it's a real enrichment for the FS add-on world.

[Tango_Romeo]

...is being strictly administered based on the wishes of the developers who make deposits and withdrawals.

The purpose is to preserve the work for posterity:

Scene 1 - John, boots his computer and watches his hard-drive gasp and die. John has no backup of his last three masterpiece source files. Oh, yeah, he can get them from the archive.

Scene 1A - John can change his mind and remove a source file from the archive, OR change his instructions on access.

Scene 2 - John gets tired of flightsims and moves on to greener pastures. No one can find John and all of his work is lost forever. Not so, he left copies and instructions in the archive.

Scene 3 - John passes away. His work is lost. No, he left copies in the archive.

Scene 4 - John gives the archive permission to give Jim one of his source files for a new update project. The archive sends the file to Jim.

Scene 5 - Tango dies suddenly while flying combat over Korea in CFS2. Backups go to predetermined successor.

:wavey:

[stansdds]

Ok, now this makes sense and I understand the reason is not to enable piracy, but to preserve and even build upon established works.

[Tango_Romeo]

The first edtion of the FlightSim Source File Catalog is now available as a 13-page PDF file using this link to view/download:

http://www.simviation.com/lair/files...ileCatalog.pdf (http://www.simviation.com/lair/files/SourceFileCatalog.pdf)

The Archive now contains roughly 400 FSDS and Gmax source files.

Baldy's and Milton Shupe's files were the last ones added.......:engel016:
<!-- / message --> <!-- attachments --> <fieldset class="fieldset"> <legend>Attached Thumbnails</legend> http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/attachment.php?attachmentid=748&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1243865014 (http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/attachment.php?attachmentid=748&d=1243865014)
</fieldset>