Terms of Service

BetterGaia License Agreement

Welcome to BetterGaia! When you use BetterGaia, this License Agreement is in effect. No worries, it’s just the usual.

Please carefully review the following rules, policies, agreements, and disclaimers before accessing or using BetterGaia (the “Software”), a service provided by bowafishtech (the “Creators”). By accessing or using any part of BetterGaia, you agree to become bound by the terms and conditions of this agreement. If you do not agree to all the terms and conditions of this agreement, then you may not use BetterGaia.

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of BetterGaia and associated files, to use BetterGaia without restriction, but with limitation the rights to modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of BetterGaia, by the persons to whom BetterGaia is furnished for use, without prior written authorization from bowafishtech.

Bowafishtech reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify or replace any part of this agreement. It is your responsibility to check this agreement for any changes. Your continued use of and/or access of BetterGaia and associated files, following the posting of any changes to this agreement constitutes acceptance of any changes. Bowafishtech may also, in the future, offer new services and/or features in BetterGaia. Such new features and/or services shall be subject to this Agreement.

BETTERGAIA IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL BOWAFISHTECH OR ASSOCIATED COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH BETTERGAIA OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS WITH BETTERGAIA. BOWAFISHTECH DOES NOT WARRANT TO YOU THAT YOUR USE OF BETTERGAIA WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS, BE UNINTERRUPTED, FREE FROM ERROR, AND DEFECTS IN THE OPERATION OR FUNCTIONALITY OF BETTERGAIA WILL BE CORRECTED.
Legal

Thank you for using BetterGaia, an add-on for use with Firefox™. We, bowafishtech, believe in protecting the interests of Gaia Interactive, Inc. and their held copyrights. As to be held harmless and comply with the Terms of Service of Gaia Online and BetterGaia, we have provided this document to refine the imprecise knowledge of legality of any individuals about BetterGaia and its use.
Gaia Online’s Terms of Service

This section is to identify possible disagreements in the Terms of Service of Gaia Online.
As Quoted from Section 4:

i. Use site features for anything other than their intended purpose, including exploiting site glitches for personal gain;

BetterGaia appends additional features not found on Gaia Online and provides associated functionality to Firefox™, which, then allow individuals to use Gaia Online in a personal, enhanced manner when such functionality is activated. What the individual performs with the functionality is of their wellbeing; e.g. Accelerators in Internet Explorer™ 8.
As Quoted from Section 4:

o. decipher, decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer or otherwise attempt to derive any source code or underlying ideas or algorithms of any part of Gaia Online, except to the limited extent applicable laws specifically prohibit such restriction;

BetterGaia enables users to access the content found on Gaia Online as it currently is and also in additional methods provided by BetterGaia into Firefox™. Any code used for reference when developing BetterGaia was, and always will be, from sources loaded onto a person’s computer or other device able to access the Internet when Gaia Online is viewed on a web browser, e.g. Firefox™, onto one’s computer and other mediums. Such code is human readable from the time accessed and has not been reversed engineered, decompiled, deciphered, and equivalents, which is capable of any individual’s intent.

As Quoted from Section 7:

7. The visual interfaces, graphics, design, compilation, information, computer code, products, software, services, and all other elements of Gaia Online provided by Gaia, including without limitation any artwork, Gaia virtual items, Gaia Gold, Member Submissions, Gaia Member Online Accounts or User IDs, or visual art and any combination thereof (all of the foregoing, collectively, the “Materials”) are protected by copyright, trade dress, patent, and trademark laws, international conventions, and all other relevant intellectual property and proprietary rights, and applicable laws.

BetterGaia does not contain images that are displayed on websites other than Gaia Online, and images related to Gaia Online have been resized to constitute fair usage. Images found in BetterGaia are from sources with appropriate licenses to be distributed, and are cited in the Settings window of BetterGaia.
As Quoted from Section 10:

2. …You may not obtain or attempt to obtain any materials or information through any means not intentionally made available through Gaia Online. You agree neither to modify Gaia Online in any manner or form, nor to use modified versions of Gaia Online, including (without limitation) for the purpose of obtaining unauthorized access to Gaia Online.

BetterGaia modifies the technique Firefox™ renders certain web pages by URL keywords. BetterGaia is not available to other web browsers, such as Internet Explorer™, Safari™, Chrome™, and the comparable, thus limiting widespread adoption. Also, BetterGaia does not alter Gaia Online’s online content, as the above as quoted is contradictory to the use of Gaia Online; e.g. individuals equipping virtual items to avatars, resulting in updating the images hosted on Gaia Online to represent the avatar.

In context, BetterGaia does not modify Gaia Online, but the Firefox™ application. As a result, Gaia Online is accessed by default methods. When the website is viewed, certain keywords activate functions that modify how Firefox™ renders that such page. Gaia Interactive, Inc. does not have jurisdiction over what is installed onto Firefox™ or any computer.

Additionally, BetterGaia does not contain Gaia Online in its entirety, and when used by default, does not provide any individuals a modified version of Gaia Online for use.
Gaia Online’s Rules & Guidelines

This section is to identify possible disagreements in the Rules & Guidelines of Gaia Online.

• Botting. Using an automated script, macro, or refreshing feature to post or surf web pages in order to generate Gold is forbidden. The use of any software or codes to generate Gold without the need for you being in front of your computer is generally considered to be botting. Anyone suspected of botting will have their account banned.

BetterGaia does not contain scripts that automatically visit web pages of Gaia Online, and any scripts contained in BetterGaia that are integrated into Firefox™ require user interaction to function, e.g. clicking or any other input device.

• Hacking. Hacking is defined as “unauthorized access to another user’s account”. This includes accessing an account that does not belong to you, or profiting from items taken from a hacked account. Attempts to hack, such as trying to obtain another user’s password, will also lead to your account being banned.

BetterGaia does not store personal information, including information that can identify any individual or credentials interrelated with Gaia Online. BetterGaia only stores information to let users choose preferences, options, and settings to their liking.

Additionally, the functions located in Firefox™ by BetterGaia operate only on certain URL keywords. This allows the user further confidence the website currently being viewed is a genuine version of Gaia Online.
Last updated November 1st, 2009. Reviewed May 28th, 2011.