Permission
The permissions system is designed to foster the best possible content and sanctify the best possible experience in Second Life. We track four basic permissions - move, modify, copy and transfer. The move, modify, and copy permissions can be applied to four categories - owner, group, everyone else, and next owner. By applying different permission sets to different categories of people, you can control how items you create in Second Life are used and distributed.
Example Applications
You want to sell some clothing that someone can alter, copy into new outfits, but never sell:
| next owner modify | next owner copy | next owner transfer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| clothing | yes | yes | no |
You want to sell someone a single motorcycle that they can change the shape and color, but cannot examine or modify the script:
| next owner modify | next owner copy | next owner transfer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| bike | yes | no | yes |
| scripts | no | no | yes |
You want to sell someone a texture that they can use to wallpaper their entire house, but they can never sell the texture or anything textured with it?
| next owner modify | next owner copy | next owner transfer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| texture | yes | yes | no |
You want to give someone a whole bunch of useful stuff with some comments explaining everything. Put it all in a note card!
| next owner modify | next owner copy | next owner transfer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| stuff | yes | yes | yes |
You want to build a fortress for with your group, which will continue to evolve to meet group needs after it has been deeded.
| next owner modify | next owner copy | next owner transfer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| fortress | yes | yes | yes |
You have built a statue that will be deeded to your group, but you do not ever want it to be altered or incorporated into other group projects.
| share with group | next owner modify | next owner copy | next owner transfer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fortress | yes | no | no | yes |
Permissions Settings
Modify
If modify is enabled, you can edit properties like item name or object scale. Modify permissions also grant you the ability to delete an object - for example, if an object has been shared with group in world, then any member of the group can modify, and therefore delete the object.
When an object is next owner no-modify, that permissions setting is interpreted as 'no one can create derivative works.' For example, if you sell a motorcycle without modify permissions, the buyer cannot make a slightly longer or re-textured version of that motorcycle without building one from scratch.
If an inventory item inside of an object is no-modify, the object itself can still be modified. Conversely, if an object is not modifiable, it's contents cannot be modified.
Copy
If copy is enabled, you can make as many copies as you want of the original item. Copies maintain creator information, and can never be more permissive than the item being copied.
The copy property applies outward. If an inventory item inside of an object is no-copy, the object itself cannot be copied until that item is removed. Conversely, if an object is no-copy, that does not imply that the contents are no-copy .
Transfer
If transfer is enabled, the owner can transfer the item to another person. If an item is not transferable, the owner cannot sell, give away, release or embed in something they sell, give away, or release. The transfer permission only applies to the owner, since no one else can initiate a transfer.
During a transfer, the next owner field is copied into the owner field and dependent permissions fields are recalculated given the new owner permissions.
Move
If move is enabled, the object can be moved.
Categories
The permissions track four primary categories for each object - owner, group, everyone else, and next owner. Each category has its own set of permissions. Group and next owner permissions can never be more permissive than the owner permissions field. The everyone permissions field can never be set modifiable, and can never be more permissive than the group field.
Group owned objects conceptually collapse the owner and group categories into the same value.
Fair Use Rights
To further the goal of best possible content and best possible experience, the permissions system comes with a set of fair use rights. Fair use rights apply to the owner of the item.
- Deletion - you are always allowed to delete something you own.
- Move - you are always allowed to move anything you own.
Right of First Sale
The right of first sale applies when an item is transferred without next owner copy. Since you are allowed to specify no derivative works by specifying next owner cannot modify, this right is interpreted as next owner can always transfer that single instance of the item to anyone else.