Terms of Service

These terms govern your use of operator.codes (the "Site"), operated by Tyler Malin ("we," "us," or "Operator"). By visiting the Site, subscribing to the newsletter, applying for a Build Session, or purchasing anything offered here, you agree to these terms. If you don't agree, don't use the Site.

What the Site is

Operator publishes essays on AI systems, climate infrastructure, legal engineering, and protocol design. Some content is free to everyone; some is reserved for paid subscribers. The Site also offers Build Sessions (a paid consulting engagement you can apply for), and may offer downloadable digital products and API access for paid subscribers.

Accounts

Some features require an account. You're responsible for keeping your login credentials secure and for anything that happens under your account. You must be able to form a binding contract to create one, which generally means you're 18 or older, or the age of majority where you live.

Subscriptions and payments

Paid tiers, when offered, are billed on a recurring basis through our payment processor (Stripe) until you cancel. We don't store your card details ourselves. Cancel anytime; cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. Fees already paid are non-refundable except where required by law.

Digital downloads

Purchasing a digital product gives you a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use it. You can't redistribute, resell, or publicly share purchased files without our written permission.

API access

If your tier includes API access, keys are issued to you personally and are subject to the rate limits shown in your dashboard. Don't share your key, attempt to circumvent rate limits, or use API access to scrape, republish, or bulk-extract Site content beyond ordinary use. We can revoke a key at any time for misuse.

Build Sessions

Applying for a Build Session is a request, not a commitment on either side. We review applications and follow up if there's a fit. Any actual engagement is governed by a separate agreement negotiated at that time, not by these terms.

Content and intellectual property

Essays, illustrations, and other content on the Site are owned by Tyler Malin or licensed to Operator, and are protected by copyright. You may read, link to, and share individual essays for personal, non-commercial purposes. You may not republish, mirror, or use Site content, in whole or substantial part, to train or fine-tune a machine learning model, without our prior written permission.

Acceptable use

Don't use the Site to violate any law, infringe anyone's rights, transmit malware, attempt unauthorized access to our systems, or interfere with the Site's normal operation.

No warranty

The Site and its content are provided "as is," without warranties of any kind. Essays reflect analysis and opinion, not legal, financial, or investment advice, and nothing here creates an attorney-client relationship. We don't guarantee the Site will be error-free, uninterrupted, or secure.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent the law allows, we aren't liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Site. Our total liability for any claim is limited to the amount you paid us in the twelve months before the claim arose, or $100 if you haven't paid us anything.

Termination

We can suspend or terminate your access for violating these terms. You can stop using the Site, or unsubscribe from the newsletter, at any time.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms as the Site changes. We'll update the date above when we do. Continuing to use the Site after a change means you accept the new terms.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

Contact

Questions about these terms: hello@operator.codes.