Copyright

[Bill Drew]

CMUNSON wrote:

> Mr. Drew wrote:
> But you are publishing it!!!!!  Your interpretation of copyright is not the same
> that appears to be held by the courts or any
> of the recent literature I have seen on copyright.  You are voicing your opinion
> not a fact of the law.  Who has access here
> or not does NOT matter and does not really enter into the discussions.
>
>      Bullshit. I am not publishing it, only passing it around a small
>      community, electonically. I haven't seen any recent decisions on fair
>      use on the Internet. What was decided? Did you have input?

No I didn't have input.  This community is not as small as you think.  Your message
appears in the archives for the list where it can be seen by all interested
parties.  I would also bet that a review command for this list would show well over
600 subscribers, hardly a small audience.  If you made 600 copies of the article on
a photocopier and passed them out you would be violating the fair use clause.  Why
would sending a copy electronically to over 600 people on the Internet be any
different?  Be safe, ask permission first.  Be courteous, ask permission first.

>
>
>      Of course I am voicing my opinion. I don't care about copyright law
>      and don't find myself personally bound by it. When an agent of the law
>      knocks on my door and holds a gun to my head and says "Obey the
>      copyright law son," then the nature of that relationship will be
>      clear. Until that time comes, I will respect the creative work of
>      others in the way (not ANY way) I see fit. I would NEVER pass off
>      anybody's work as my own, and I don't re-distribute the works of
>      WRITERS. I will however, re-distribute the works owned by corporations
>      as I see fit.

Writers and people work for corporations.  Just because you don't agree doesn't
change the law.  Here is a good analogy.  Suppose the speed limit in a village is
set to 35 by the local authoriies.  I disagree with that law because "I KNOW" I can
handle my car at high speeds.  I travel through there going at 60 mph.  Am I
breaking the law even if I disagree with it?  Damn right I am.

>
>
> > I think it is unfair to hold those who have a different interpretation of
> > fair use to the narrow, propertarian, pro-corporate interpretation of fair
> > use that other have.
>
> It maybe "unfair" in your opinion but we as librarians are required to uphold
> the copyright law even if we disagree with it.
>
>      I will uphold the copyright law when I'm being paid to. Away from work
>      I'll do whatever I want, because I didn't have a say in that copyright
>      law. That's what is commonly known as freedom.

I see you are using an organizational account for e-mail.  If you send an article to
this list or any other list via that e-mail you may be puting your employer at risk
of a law suit.  Is your employer willing to take the chance?

>
>
>      If you disagree with it, you are obligated to criticize it and work
>      against it. It's just that some of us have different ways to go about
>      this.
>
>      Chuck
>
>
>