Copyright Infringement

[Ron Torrella]

On Wed, 24 May 1995, Larry T. Brannin wrote:

> Hi All! > How 'bout that subject to get your attention.  No legal eagle
here, I just want > a little assistance on usage of the material contained
here in "the list".  As > chapter Secretaree( that's why I'm the one), I
have found it very handy to save > to disk each digest with a print out of
each topic as a reference to what's in > each one.  I got on here along
about digest 60 and have saved each one since.  I > would like to include
some of the replies in our chapter newsletter as > information to those
not as fortunate as me(sans computer).  I thought that > common courtesy
would dictate that I ask each one whose responses I use in the >
newsletter, if they would mind.  However, E-mailing to each one may some
times > be somewhat time consuming.  Is all the info used in here some how
not available > for this type of use? Copyright laws and all that stuff!
Is it necessary to > write each tech?  How about just giving credit in
each article to the ones whose > responses I have used? Or does any one
have major objections to this practice? > This is after all some what of a
party line!  Just what do you guys think.  I > will allow for differing
opinions and follow your lead. Thanks for any > assistance.  BTW, this
piano teck is great food for newsletters as witnessed by > the usage in
PTG Journal this month.  I recognized much of the story and the > names.
It is all too easy to make a simple newsletter from the digest and make >
it look very professional as well as informative.  I look forward to your
> replies.  Thanks LTB

Of course, who (except for your readers) will know whether or not you
actually took the time to get the permission in the first place?  It's
just common courtesy, at this point, to ask the author for permission to
reprint.  Depending on which side of the fence you sit, anything
transmitted to this list is considered published or copyrighted
material.  If you care to read up on it, check out the Berne Convention.
It's widely available on the Internet.

As I've said many times, I'm usually happy to agree to let anyone use the
stuff I write (if any of it is *worth* reprinting! :-) just as long as I
get some kind of note saying so.

Ron Torrella
Registered Piano Technician          Now Open: The Piano Page at Prairienet!
Piano Technicians Guild        http://www.prairienet.org/arts/ptg/homepage.html