Model Info: Contributors

Under “Model Info” in the 3DWH, a category, “Contributors,” had been added, but now seems to have disappeared.

Considering the character limit now on descriptions, I would think the “Contributors” list served two purposes:
1) Credit Warehousers for their models when a person who borrowed a model doesn’t note credit where it’s due (if the creator claimed credit, of course)
2) Afford a Warehouser more space for model description, and for giving credit to borrowed models where the original creator did not claim credit

I have always tried my best to list the models I’ve borrowed and their respective creators, and have even gone back and edited info when I discovered that I over-looked crediting someone, or that the wrong Warehouser was credited for something. Sure, I could just say, “thanks to all those whose models I borrowed,” but just as I like for people to know what I created, it’s only fair that viewers know what I didn’t create and who DID.

Why was the “Contributors” category removed? Were there just not enough people interested in who created what? Surely I am not the only one in the 3DWH who tries to do right by other Warehousers?

In short: very very few people clicked on it.

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The credits are still available in the ‘Model Info’ :
Window]->Model Info->Credits
Very few people seem to claim credit during modeling, usually they are not logged in and don’t claim it.
The credits are automatically given to the User-Account when uploading to the 3D-Warehouse.

I had claimed credit for my template (not that it was an extraordinary template, but it saved me a few clicks).

When a majority of pupils in school does not care about sources of their homework assignment (Wikipedia :wink:), that does not show proper citing is irrelevant.

I think even a little used feature can merit its existence if it is wanted, e.g. to promote an idea/initiative/behavior. For example some graphics softwares (like Inkscape) implement RDF CC license metadata standard, so that artworks can explicitely state that they are allowed to be reused/derivated, and without that license information getting lost. Moreover, their idea is that attribution transfers through derivates automatically.

Maybe it also failed for other reasons. 3D Warehouse is for sharing, and the idea of authorship/ownership is in the way. It makes users think there is wrong or unfair use of models, but Trimble cannot and does not want to play content police for millions of models.

Maybe also technical issues, like models showing wrong credits that could not be removed anymore.

This makes sense…but I downloaded one of my own models in which I used 22 models (not counting models created by Google/Sketchup) by other Warehousers to see what would show up in Window>Model Info>Credits. Because (and before the implementation of description character limits) I had listed the names of the models I had used, I was able to compare what was in my list in the description and what was in Window>Model Info>Credits – none of those models I listed appeared in Credits.

So I’m assuming that in order for credits for models I used to be visible in Model Info of a model that I upload to the Warehouse, I would have had to import the borrowed models directly from the Warehouse into my model. Yes? I usually download what I want, then open it in SU to see if I want to edit it, or if I really want it at all. I then will just copy it and then paste it into whatever I am working on.

I realize that everything in the 3DWH is up for grabs, and perhaps explains why so few care about giving credit where it’s due (though there are some who feel strongly about their models being used without being credited). And I understand that very few people apparently care about the credits and is according to @Barry why the “Contributions” category was removed… so now, my questions are basically just curiosity. And learning.

Thanks :smiley:

Understandable that perhaps Trimble doesn’t want to play content police for millions of models, but there’s really no reason for them to do so - the ability to claim credit, which apparently follows a model around, is built into the program.

I have no problem in anyone using anything I upload to the 3DWH. But I believe it’s just a matter of decency and respect for another person’s creativity that credit should be given, and explains why I felt frustrated that the “Contributions” category was removed, AND character limits wouldn’t allow me a decent description, listing due credit and dropping a few tags.

From the very first model I uploaded to to the Warehouse, I felt I needed to credit anyone’s work I used so that no one would think that certain elements were mine - this before I discovered some of the comments and Collections that crucify those who claim credit for models that were not their own, or for using items in their own creations but not crediting the true owners of those items.

But as I indicated in my reply to @MikeWayzovski, now it’s just a matter of curiosity and further learning.

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Yes, the 3D Warehouse ToS don’t want that usage is restricted. This is not in conflict with the idea of giving credits. So credits somewhat correspond to “Creative Commons attribution” (which in contrast requires them not to be left away or removed).

Credits even work better (are more widely applied without manually writing them in the description), if they are automated. They were stored in the component definition (=model), but there are ways how they can be removed or get lost. At least, they would exist in a majority of models.

But “giving credits” could imply to users that they can claim a restriction of use and start complaining about other people using their models (identifiable by credits). It would be sad if this possible confusion is the reason for making it harder to give attribution and thanks to those who deserve it.

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