Ugh.
If you could read the rant that I made back in the writer's forum a few days ago on that guy's post...
I'll just make a couple of points here:
So I know I've got the background story correct here. The player in question is licensed by the game company's EULA to operate a character. That character scammed some ISK, an action which is within the allowable rules of the game.
Author claims that the value of ISK can be converted into playtime, and thus the playtime is worth real money. Even though the game company does not convert playime into money.
Author uses a MAGIC BEAN analogy. Awesome. He claims it's like trading in magic beans for Exxon gas cards that are worth real money. I say no. It's like trading in magic beans for more time at the magic bean farm for which to pick more magic beans.
The big letter in EULA is the letter U, for USER. This player doesn't own anything. Both the character and the ISK are property of the game company. Ah, but the author keeps saying that Dentara owes the IRS money? I call bullshit.
First of all, the character isn't a real person. It has neither a birth certificate, nor a social security number. One press of the delete button, and that character ceases to exist, as does the ISK. One day, should this game company decide to fold up and go the way of Asheron's Call 2, not one single thing in that game, ISK, characters, or otherwiise shall amount to anything but a goofy memory and a whole lot of doodley-squat.
He is kind of renting the character for the priveledge to pretend to steal money in fantasyland, until such a time comes when they delete fantasyland.
If the player were to convert the ISK into actual money -- not imaginary money -- then there is something they might look at. However, the writer of that article would need to prove that, and he hasn't.
