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David and all,<br>
<br>
The technicalities of copyright law are not the issue here. The
issue here is commonly accepted business practice. It is not in the
best interest of business people who want to make a profit on the
sale of a product to publicize wholesale prices. It puts them at a
disadvantage when involved in price negotiations with a prospective
client. Someone who presents himself as an "expert" on business
practice and publishes a book on the subject ought to know that. You
simply don't send out wholesale prices in a public medium - period.
And anyone who doesn't understand that ought to hang his head in
shame. And the more this person keeps arguing about it, the less
believable all his claims to alleged expertise in anything become. <br>
<br>
Israel Stein <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 11:59 AM, David Boyce wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:%3C4D8DF445.1000405@piano.plus.com%3E"
type="cite">
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charset=ISO-8859-1">
<font face="Arial">Indeed. Copyright is not something that you
have to DO. It is something that automatically IS. It is a
right that exists as soon as you produce an original work. <br>
<br>
What would be copyright about a price list, however, is the
TYPOGRAPHICAL ARRANGEMENT of the prices into a list. The
information or fact that a particular part costs a particular
price, is not copyright. There is no copyright in facts or
ideas; only in original WORKS produced using skill and
judgement.<br>
<br>
It is the same with the piano numbers books like Pierce, as we
discussed on here a couple of years ago. It would break
copyright law to scan and reproduce a page of Pierce. But it
would not breach copyright to use the piano numbers listed in
it, in some other context (however much the publishers might
care to suggest otherwise!).<br>
<br>
The information that a given flange costs a given price, does
not constitute a WORK. The typographical arrangement of prices
for all parts into a list, does constitute a WORK. Therefore,
copying and reproducing the list, or work, is a breach of
copyright. Distributing the information IN the list, in some
other form, is not.<br>
<br>
More pertinent here, though, is the aspect of business
confidentiality and business relationships.<br>
<br>
End of pedantic rant.<br>
<br>
Best regards,<br>
<br>
David Boyce.<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote type="cite">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; color: navy;">It
does not have to show specific copyright information. It
is copyrighted material by virtue of its having been
written. (See pg. 3 of the attached “Copyright Basics.”)
Like it or not, Steinway’s price list is copyrighted and
the copyright is owned by its creator or by the entity
paying for its creation; in this case Steinway & Sons.
To reproduce it or to distribute it without their
permission is a violation of copyright law. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; color: navy;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; color: navy;">Now,
Steinway may or may not care if you distribute their
document without checking with them first—I have no idea
what their position might be—but that is their decision to
make; not ours.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;
font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; color: navy;"> </span></p>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">ddf</span></blockquote>
<br>
</font> </blockquote>
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