Modding

Modding is a slang expression for the act of modifying a piece of hardware or software to perform a function not intended by someone with legal rights concerning that modification.

Computers and digital equipment

Legal issues

Some nations have laws prohibiting modding and accuse modders of attempting to overcome copy prevention schemes. In the United States, the DMCA has set up stiff penalties for modding. In the European Union, member states have agreed the EU Copyright Directive and are transposing it into national law. A man was convicted in the United Kingdom in July 2005 for selling a modded Xbox with built in software and games.

Multi user licensing

Computer systems, hardware, software is often sold or licensed to one home machine, to a business that has many computers, a government agency, or non-profit organization. When the software license says that it is for a specific person, then it is not legal for that software to be used by some other person on that same computer, even a member of the same family, or another employee of the same company. For more than one person to be using that software or hardware, they need to have a multi-user license, that usually dictates how many different people may use it.

Derivative Software

Some software is licensed with a copy of the program source code supplied along with the executable code in which the license specifically authorizes changes to the supplied software. This is a common standard in business software packages. Hundreds of thousands of computer programmers in some nations have jobs because businesses want the purchased software tailored to the specific needs of the individual businesses. Most every major city has want ads in the newspaper where there are job openings for people to modify some company's computer systems, where the ad specifies what programming languages or operating systems the applicant needs to know.

Derivative software is where licensed copyrighted software can be used in whole or in part in new programs written by programmers at the businesses using the licensed software. It is important to copy the copyright notices into the source code where the code was copied, and keep track of all such places, because if the license is permitted to expire, then the business loses all rights to use the software, including any place to which it was copied. Typically a fee must be paid each year to keep the license in effect, and over time, the software supplier can increase the fees to the point that the business chooses to convert to some other commercial software that seems to be more cost effective. It is not unusual in business software to find programs that have many different copyright notices, each referring to different sources of the derived source code.

Video game consoles

A common example is video game console mod chips, which can allow users to play games legitimately purchased in other regions or legal backup copies, but can also allow illegal unauthorized copies by allowing the player to play personally-recorded CD copies of video games. Modchips, in their current form, were first available for the Sony PlayStation (and later the Playstation 2). Various other types of copyright circumvention systems also existed for the Nintendo 64 and the older Gameboy consoles (though neither include actual modding, but instead backup devices).

Types of modding

There are two different ways of running unsigned code on a game console. One is through so-called hard modding (modifying hardware, normally using a mod chip to allow the user to change data contained on its hard drive in the case of the Xbox. Another type of modding, known as soft modding, exploits loopholes in a game to run unsigned code or, again, gain direct access to the console's hard drive. This form of 'modding' (more correctly termed as hacking) is very popular as it does not require a mod chip; however it does require a compromised game and thus hard modding is the only option when no such game is available. Another type of console modding is much like computer case modification.

Game software

On the other side, some companies actively encouraging modding of their products. In cases such as TiVo and Google, there has been an informal agreement between the modders and the company in which the modders agree not to do anything that destroys the companies business model and the company agrees to support the modding community by providing technical specifications and information. Some commercial video games thrive through a modding community. In the case of Half-Life, a mod called Counter-Strike drove sales of the original software for years. Space Empires is also a series renowned for its modding capabilities; virtually anyone can make a custom mod for the game, since almost all of the game's critical files are .txt or .bmp files, allowing any Windows user to easily adapt the game to suit their own needs.

Skilled computer users who are able to crack data formats and reverse engineer a game can modify them to their heart's content, because the creator of the software has copyright authority over who may use it, or change it. Software is sold with a license that spells out what guarantees, if any, come with the software, and what rights the purchaser has to change the software. Many people do not read these contracts, or store them in such a way to be able to prove what contract came with what purchase, so some computer users are ignorant to what their rights are with respect to backing up software, modifying software, and sharing it with other potential users.

Computer cases

Overclocking may also be termed as 'modding', and the overclocking of a graphics card using driver software to gain the performance of a more expensive model is known as 'soft-modding'.

The term may also refer to the artistic modification of hardware for purely aesthetic reasons (especially computer cases). Modding in this sense is purely a creative act and is normally quite legal (although it may void your warranty or violate electromagnetic emission regulations). An example of this kind of modding may involve re-painting a case, cutting a hole in the side panel and installing a clear window so that the components are visible from outside.

Cars and vehicles

Orthopedic

Ortho-modding is the car adaption (seats, pedals...) to help drivers to prevent, correct and diminish light orthopedic and backbone/spine problems.

Eco-modding

Eco-modding is the petroleum car adaption to use renewable energy (generally, changing or adding a new engine or motor), generally hydrogen or electricity. See hybrid car. Occasionally, it has been known to run a Diesel engine on plant and animal oils. See Biodiesel.

Performance tuning

Car and engine tuning are modification of a car for enhanced performance, in engine power output, handling, aerodynamics, or cosmetic purposes. See also Category:Vehicle modification.

Industrial Machines

Factories get rather expensive machines that are used to mass produce specialized parts. These machines can be altered to make parts other than how the manufacturers of the machines designed or intended them. The legality of doing this depends on who owns the machines, and whether the agreement, that supplied the machines to the factories, said anything about this, and what the laws are in the nation where this is being done.

For example, the machines might be leased from the manufacturer of the machines. If they are ever to be returned, they need to go back in the same kind of condition and engineering shape as when they were first delivered. There is an annual physical inventory to make sure the factory has everything that they are leasing. This audit might be done by representatives of the leasing company, who are looking to see recognizable machines, that match their models and safety rules.

Lodging

If you own your own home, you may make any alterations or mods that are permitted by local ordinances. For example, some kind of work may need to be done by a licensed electrician, a contractor registered with the government, members of certain unions, and so forth.

But if you rent an apartment, alterations may require the permission of the landlord, and include a provision for what you bought and installed being the property of the landlord after you move out.

The principle here is who is the owner of that which is to be changed. Unless the apartment is furnished, you may modify furniture that you have purchased, but not furniture that you have rented.

External links

Infinity Customs - Modding Community
Daily DIY - Daily DIY mods.
ProjectPerfectMod Yet another online modding forum, mostly for Westwood's Command and Conquer series (external site).
Mod DB A videogame modding site that lists and hosts hundreds mods from dozens of games (external site).
The Movies WorkshopHome to the first modding group for The Movies
Smdepot - Xbox modding

Modding | Modificatie

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Modding