The website is german, you can’t change terms of service that have been agreed to in Germany later without the possibility to cancel the contract. What I don’t know for sure is if the intellectual property that has NOT been sold to them has to be deleted in this case. But I can’t imagine that they can simply use it on a website that turns into a financial business, even if it’s “only” about DL speed.
2 Likes
Flightsim.to rightfully points out that what they’re doing is standard fare on other mod hosting sites like NexusMods. However, we all know flight sim modders are an especially sensitive breed…
9 Likes
It was always a financial business. Noone goes to that kind of trouble without a financial motive.
Since they do not directly profit from the uploaded content but only offer an addition service with better conditions without changing the free service, I can see no legal problem there.
1 Like
It’s not just that flight simmers are special. It may be that they are totally legal with what they do but then it’s a terrible way of communication. Doing something behind the back of a huge community that is already struck massively by piracy and theft of intellectual property is obviously not the wisest choice.
4 Likes
I agree they are not handling it very well.
2 Likes
Their point about 404 pages is a bit misleading IMO. I mean they make a good few points I think, but file being deleted wouldn’t also delete the containing page so there won’t be a 404. It may affect their database but there are already many deleted mods with the red box where the download button would be that I’ve seen over the last year.
I can kind of see both sides of the story but I’m not a creator so I think I’ll stay out of this one and watch from the sidelines with my popcorn! 
But it’s not about IP / copyright / ownership from what they are saying — so I’m a bit more confused now than before.
They most certainly are following all of the online discourse, and are likely following this thread closely. I mean, why wouldn’t they?
But an immediate unannounced ban that claims “repeated violation(s)” at best seems **********. There are a hundred better ways to handle public relations. The site might not die, but the site currently is on a knife’s edge, and I’m not sure if what it ever was to me will be salvageable the way this is going.
I will happily create my own file with links to all of the individual contributors and manage it myself if this is where it ends up. It would be sad if it did end this way.
Edit: I’ll retract my “vindictive” comment now that the site and content creator resolved the unintended auto-ban action as noted further down the thread.
5 Likes
Well it looks like they did what I asked them to and deleted my complete account including my mods!
Guess that chapter is over then.
After such a totalitarian approach to free speech and authors rights, it seems that's the best outcome I could hope for.
:slight_smile: :+1:
Ignore that: problem is sorted … misunderstanding of the worst magnitude.
4 Likes
Open source projects die all the time. Github/gitlab++ don’t restrict any OS developer from deleting their project, if they so wish. That’s the key point.
6 Likes
2 Likes
Their download rates with a free account are abysmal … unfortunately.
5 Likes
…and it looks like the site was designed in 1998 and never updated. That’s a terrible UX.
2 Likes
Don’t get me started on front-end design with @Sonicviz in the room!!
2 Likes
I’m picky about UI and UX. Back 15+ years ago, that was fine as it’s what the tech of the day allowed. Nowadays, not so much.
Programmer art is THE BEST art! 
fl deletion policy
It’s ill advised, no matter what Nexus mods et al also do.
The “people need to still find it” is also weak sauce.
Bottom line (ugh, buzzword bingo, sorry): if a developer decides to stop supporting or distributing a product through a platform it’s up to them, not the platform. Why in gods name would you want to host out of date or potentially game breaking mods? Because they will break, eventually. The small amount of traffic isn’t worth the -ve brand perception generation that will build up being recognised as a necro project site.
4 Likes
I think folks thinking of starting their own operation, especially if they want to invite others, humongously underestimate the demands which is possibly why all this has come about.
Unless the legacy sites do a major revamp I’m not sure many downloaders could face becoming regulars. And perhaps some of the legacy sites are secretly relieved they didn’t attract the hordes.
6 Likes
Traffic coming from SEO. The only thing that comes to my mind.
(which they agreed is one of the reasons)
Likely the only reason, but also ill advised. That only lasts as long as the mod works, as soon the mod is broken (or even way outdated) that SEO traffic is a brand anchor…or cement overshoes might be more accurate.
Whoever is advising them on their SEO strategy needs their head read. Google ranks +ve content, not just links and traffic.
Absolutely. In essence I don’t think there’s a way around flightsim.to. And they know it. That’s why they act like that.
They have become too big - almost exclusive in MSFS - especially if you check how little stuff there actually IS on the legacy sites for MSFS. Basically they have become the amazon.com of MSFS.
Nevertheless I’m done with modding for MSFS.
And since I’m starting with my PPL next month, I will need the extra time anyway…
4 Likes
They have every right to protect their copyrighted material from being used by someone else to gain profit.
BINGO!!!
That wasn’t always the case. Flightsim.com, Avsim.com and many others were around for decades before this one came around. Just because this guy got a foot in the door with a slick interface doesn’t mean it’s a good site.
I have exactly one published addon for MSFS. It’s not much, just a flashlight effect re-colored to a dim red to preserve night vision. Currently, it’s only available at Sim-Outhouse. I’m thinking about adding a readme to meet Avsim’s requirement and upload it there to show my support.
8 Likes