07-20-2016, 07:23 PM
Folks - don't bite my head off... Really... I am not talking about selling anything "you do not own". If I am granted the right to access a resource - I own that right, if not the resource itself. And I can do with that right as I please. Unless, of course, the ToS prevents me from doing so. None of this is illegal - it is simply against this particular ToS - that is not the same thing.
No, it is not like sub-leasing a rented apartment without owner knowledge - I never said that something like this should be done without notifying the "owner". In fact - I suggested the exact opposite - doing it with full knowledge and approval of the admins, if you read my post above. And such sub-letting is done all over the place in real life, quite legally. And, in fact - it is an added revenue stream to the owner, if done properly. Besides the fact that the apartment owner incurs liability of damaged property, while the game owner does not. In fact - the game owner incurs zero additional liability, because no matter how a particular user gains access to the game - the liability is exactly the same.
Again, allow me to reiterate - I simply disagree with labeling this action as "illegal", "immoral" or other such moniker - it is *against the ToS*, and as such - the rule for *this particular resource*. Other than that - it is in no way illegal according to any law.
Furthermore - if the administration allows for barter between users, as well as real money injection into the game (and possibly - out of the game) according to some internal exchange rate with a certain percentage of every transaction going to the company - the game becomes an absolute gold mine to the owner, as they in fact will become a virtual bank and a tax authority. Granted - there is no chance of this game doing this until and unless they build out this world many levels above what it is now. But the idea is sound, and very lucrative.
No, it is not like sub-leasing a rented apartment without owner knowledge - I never said that something like this should be done without notifying the "owner". In fact - I suggested the exact opposite - doing it with full knowledge and approval of the admins, if you read my post above. And such sub-letting is done all over the place in real life, quite legally. And, in fact - it is an added revenue stream to the owner, if done properly. Besides the fact that the apartment owner incurs liability of damaged property, while the game owner does not. In fact - the game owner incurs zero additional liability, because no matter how a particular user gains access to the game - the liability is exactly the same.
Again, allow me to reiterate - I simply disagree with labeling this action as "illegal", "immoral" or other such moniker - it is *against the ToS*, and as such - the rule for *this particular resource*. Other than that - it is in no way illegal according to any law.
Furthermore - if the administration allows for barter between users, as well as real money injection into the game (and possibly - out of the game) according to some internal exchange rate with a certain percentage of every transaction going to the company - the game becomes an absolute gold mine to the owner, as they in fact will become a virtual bank and a tax authority. Granted - there is no chance of this game doing this until and unless they build out this world many levels above what it is now. But the idea is sound, and very lucrative.