Copyright concerns discouraging me from purchasing, and suggestions

Hello everyone. This looks like a fantastic tool and a great way to extend photoshop, and I was very excited to see it on sale just as I'd read about it, but I have some rather serious concerns about actually using the program. Primarily copyright concerns.

I would like to purchase the program and use the filter library it for unrestricted commercial use (which is to say using filters, variations, or combinations to texture my 2D and 3D art), but I have serious issue with the monetization model. Which is to say, reading other topics on copyright issues, it's apparent at least some filter artists resent people using their work for commercial purposes.

This presents problems for me as an artist because it seems like not everyone is being respected.

What I would like to see would be a revised model where people can choose to upload their filters with several modifier options they can check as they're uploading:
(1) Non-commercial use (2) Commercial use (3) Attribution required (4) Paid

To be perfectly clear, I'm not a bitter filter creator who's jaded about other people using their work. Quite the contrary, I want to use filters freely and without restriction or worry about copyright issues. I don't currently see any way to currently do this in good conscience as its currently set up. Some authors, maybe even most authors are fine with their filters being used freely, but it seems like there are also a bunch who are not, and that's a problem for me.

I'd like to see them upd ate how they run the database so that content authors have options for how their work will be used, so that they feel respected, and so that customers using the database don't have to worry about whether or not they're violating someone else's intellectual rights.

My idea is that if filter authors could stipulate how their filters would be used, it would change the nature of the marketplace somewhat (and generally for the better). Authors uploading to earn free copies of the program might have some they upload for that purpose and other paid ones. Other community oriented authors might upload all theirs with no restrictions, regardless of the reason. Still others might only upload paid ones. Or really any combination of the above.

It's reasonable that some authors might want their filters to be paid for if used for commercial purposes.

It's also reasonable that filter users might want some way to filter out and filters that don't fit their use case (e.g. commercial use and / or no attribution required).

Not having the options to look for those things at all makes me uneasy to the point where even though it's on sale for 80% off, I'm unwilling to buy the program, download it to try, or even browse the filters because I feel like it's operating on somewhat shaky legal grounds, doesn't completely respect the wishes of all content creators (stipulating that you automatically lose all rights to how your filters are used on upload is NOT a solution in my book), and that it's just one too many headaches for me to deal with.

I considered buying the program and just using the core functionality to generate my own filters (I've done similar things in photoshop before, creating complicated action chains to modify my work to make it look fantastic, but not quite in as structured and reusable a way as a proper filter), but it still causes me unease given the way the library is se t up. It seems to me that the only way for me to really be secure against the possibility of content creators claiming infringement is to not use the program at all and not browse filters on the website.

It's highly disappointing to me that the situation is what it is because I could think of a number of uses for the program, and it really is a great discount right now, but at present, I will be sticking to alternatives (in particular procedural paint programs that make use of only their own assets and don't raise uncomfortable legal questions about use of the effects they generate).

Sorry for the longwinded post, but my hope is that they might at least update how they run things here so that it's blatantly spelled out for filter creators at the time that they're uploading what they can expect in terms of how their filters will be used, and so that it's clear to filter users how they may use filters (plus easily sort out any filters that don't fit their intended use case).

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Creative Dreamer wrote: it seems like there are also a bunch who are not, and that's a problem for me.

Some people seem to be displeased with every aspect of their life. I don't think such behavior should be reckoned with.

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Creative Dreamer wrote: blatantly spelled out for filter creators at the time that they're uploading

It is spelled out as explicitly as we could. When a filter author uploads a filter, the upload wizard shows a separate upload license which must be agreed with in order to proceed with uploading.

Yes, you are correct as far as I can tell on all of your points. For example if I release a filter by "Submitting" it, I am granting FF the right to use this filter on their website etc etc in perpetuity, however it is technically still my filter, however part of the agreement also allows anyone to use the "filter" who has FF without any copyright issues. Essentially a public filter.

On the aspect of altering existing filters, of course you can alter any filter for your own use, and you do not have to submit it if you don't want to, thereby making it a private filter. And absolutely, giving credit where it is due is the most important point. If I use a concept or a chain of certain components that are taken from another filter, I credit them. Blah, blah, blah... Hope that was helpful.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I really appreciate it! Looks like I missed out on the sale pricing though (partly kept getting shopping cart timeout errors) so I'll have to wait till the next big sale if I end up wanting to buy it.

Probably for the best, as my artistic ego is still a little uncomfortable relying too heavily on filters, but that's more a psychological hiccup I'd say.

I probably will pick up a copy at some point in the future if it's on sale again for a similar discount, even if I just use it to create my own filters or very sparingly as a finisher for photos etc..

For 3D work, I'll probably stick to Substance Indie or Quixel Indie for the time being, although FF would've been fun to play around with.