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ASM resources updating permissions

When you submit an update to a resource, you are greeted with a message saying that if you are not an author of a resource, don't submit it without an explicit permission. I think this system is very inflexible for code-based resources, as they often contain bugs, limitations, bad comments etc. The sprite moderation team can already modify them, so why not the normal user? What do you think about it? As an author of such a resource would you be fine with it?
Originally posted by Disk Poppy
As an author of such a resource would you be fine with it?

I haven't submitted much of what I've written but I could not care less if updates are submitted, really. Not even simply updates/SA-1 conversions, but should the site really restrict adding new features or better optimized code to old sprites/patches etc just because the original author isn't around to ok it? It seems silly, as I can already download any sprite I want and modify it however I want to, why shouldn't I be able to provide more featureful/more optimized updates to the general userbase that may not have these skills if the resource was already submitted publicly to the site in some form?

It really seems like the rules are currently worded such that the original submitter 'owns' the resources (despite being publicly available), which I rather dislike but won't go into too much, but I would rather like this to be rethought or at least expounded upon.
Originally posted by Disk Poppy
When you submit an update to a resource, you are greeted with a message saying that if you are not an author of a resource, don't submit it without an explicit permission.

I'm hopeful that the ASM sections are handled the way you think they ought to be in practice, though you are correct that that rule as written is somewhat murky.

A general "update" to a work can involve changing any number of things, but there's an important distinction to be made in the concept of a "technical update". Technical updates include things like fixing bugs and crashes, adding SA-1 compatibility, adding in clearer descriptions, moving hardcoded values to easy-to-edit defines, etc. These kinds of edits improve the usability of a work without changing its style or core function(s). We're generally open to technical updates to submissions from anyone, and moderators may make these kinds of updates during moderation of a resource (which has long since been the case, but was only recently codified into General ASM Guideline #9).

The underpinnings for this system are more or less set forth in the description of Site Rule C1, but I agree it could be better spelled out in the specific context of the ASM sections. The matter will be put before the ASM Team, and we'll look to amend the guidelines for better clarity. I suspect the resolution will be a restructuring of General ASM Guideline #1.

I will confirm that taking somebody else's resource that is not hosted on the site and submitting it on their behalf is still forbidden without their express permission.

Originally posted by meatloaf
Not even simply updates/SA-1 conversions, but should the site really restrict adding new features or better optimized code to old sprites/patches etc just because the original author isn't around to ok it?

Per Site Rule C1 we do define a point at which an author is deemed "inactive". If all of a resource's authors are inactive, we generally do permit the kinds of updates you describe. If you're contending that this restriction shouldn't exist at all, and if someone wants to "upgrade" a submission they should be free to do so at any time, that is... A significantly deeper topic of discussion, I'm afraid.



We appreciate your reaching out. A post will likely be made in the Announcements forum once the guideline update is pushed. If you have any other questions or concerns, you're welcome to ask.
Originally posted by Maarfy
A post will likely be made in the Announcements forum once the guideline update is pushed.

And it was so. It took a hundred years, but we got there.

To reiterate, this update doesn't reflect a change in how things are done, and is merely intended to clarify what has long been the practice. Hopefully it'll serve!