[Bf-committers] Blender Addons Policy

[Lechu Sokolowski]

Hello Ton,

>We only had your add-on and Sketchfab's add-on listed as "addon linking to commercial services".
Each of the addons I've listed has a free and paid version that includes commercial services (either paid features or extra paid assets). My only question on that matter was how to get the Chocofur Model Manager addon into the official Blender build. Our addon is and always was free. We've offered over 300 CC0 assets for the Blender community together with our addon. We do have paid assets to be used with the addon, but the addon can be also used completely standalone with none of the Chocofur 3D models.

>Add-ons linking to commercial web services or add-ons offering a bridge to closed (non-GPL) software, are not contributing to our core mission and therefore will not be offered on blender.org.
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the BlenderKit addon literally linking to commercial web services directly from Blender? I have nothing against BlenderKit creators nor the addon itself, but I don't understand why it's included in Blender if that's the current policy?

>The bottom line for an add-on being distributed by Blender or via blender.org is that it should add to Blender's mission - to contribute to the user's freedom to have a free/open-source creation environment.
If that is the bottom line, I believe our addon perfectly matches Blender's mission. It is (and always has been) free, it includes over 300 CC0 blender-only assets that are included in Blender Cloud as well. We have a proven track record of over 30.000 people using or at least trying the addon.

>We have been lax on these practices in the past, flexibility is suitable when you work with people and communities.
Since Blender is a community-supported and financed project, shouldn't there be clear rules and guidelines on how external, commercially driven companies can be included in that process? The mentioned lax practices from the past leave too much space for interpretation that some companies may be favored over others.

There are two general matters I'm not able to find answered anywhere:

1. What will be the rules/guidelines/requirements for getting an independent addon included in the official Blender build, starting from version 3.0.
2. If the addons "linking to commercial services" won't be included anymore, does this mean that the listed addons: Archipack, Blendkit, Bsurfaces, Autodesk exporters/importers, will be discontinued?

Best wishes,

--
Lech Sokolowski
chocofur.com

On June 22, 2021 at 11:27 AM, Ton Roosendaal via Bf-committers (bf-committers at blender.org) wrote:
Hi Lechu,

1. Does this mean that Blender 3.0 and all the future versions won't include any commercial addons such as Archipack, Blendkit, Bsurfaces, etc?
We only had your add-on and Sketchfab's add-on listed as "addon linking
to commercial services".

The bottom line for an add-on being distributed by Blender or via
blender.org is that it should add to Blender's mission - to contribute
to the user's freedom to have a free/open source creation environment.
Each add-on will be reviewed equally to be of user benefit and to be GPL
compatible.

Add-ons linking to commercial webservices or add-ons offering a bridge
to closed (non GPL) software, are not contributing to our core mission
and therefore will not be offered on blender.org.

2. Will there be any new guidelines to the Community Addons linking directly to the creator's private sites and portfolios? Examples are Oscurant Tools, Amaranth, etc? Or do you need to be signed up for a Diamond Sponsor level just like with the commercial addons?
I am not aware of this. No bundled add-on was allowed to use their
add-on as advertisement or offer direct linking to websites outside of
blender.org. The only possible option is a small credit. Documentation
should be on blender.org. If in the course of the past years these
guidelines have been slipping away, I will make sure it gets reconfirmed
and applied.

3. Does this mean there won't be Community Addons linking directly to commercial applications like Nuke, Autodesk software, Unreal Engine, etc?
Not on blender.org.
For independent websites (such as BlenderMarket) I will have to find a
way to help them to more clearly communicate the Free Software
guidelines for offering addons or bundling Blender with products there.

We have been lax on these practices in the past, flexibility is suitable
when you work with people and communities. However, reality changes.
Nowadays we talk to businesses making 100s of thousands of dollars
selling Blender addons or forks. It's only fair to remind them that the
fair-play rules for Blender also apply to them.

Regards,

-Ton-

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ton Roosendaal - ton at blender.org - www.blender.org
Chairman Blender Foundation, CEO Blender Institute / Studio
Buikslotermeerplein 161, 1025 ET Amsterdam, the Netherlands


On 18/06/2021 13:14, Lechu Sokolowski via Bf-committers wrote:
Hi all,

I was informed that "When it comes to bundling add-ons with Blender, the policy is changing for the upcoming release."

I was asked to ask the following questions here:
1. Does this mean that Blender 3.0 and all the future versions won't include any commercial addons such as Archipack, Blendkit, Bsurfaces, etc?
2. Will there be any new guidelines to the Community Addons linking directly to the creator's private sites and portfolios? Examples are Oscurant Tools, Amaranth, etc? Or do you need to be signed up for a Diamond Sponsor level just like with the commercial addons?
3. Does this mean there won't be Community Addons linking directly to commercial applications like Nuke, Autodesk software, Unreal Engine, etc?

--
Lech Sokolowski
chocofur.com
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