Re: Moss confusion, intellectual property, etc.

[zxcvbob <bob at area51online_net>]

> Subject: Moss confusion and how some people really make me mad 
> From: "LohK L" <timebomb at pacific_net.sg> 
> Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 21:38:48 +0800 
> 
> I was surfing around the internet just now looking for pictures when I
> stumbled onto this website by a fellow Singaporean.  On his website, he
> "stole" one of my pictures and copyrighted it as his own.  You know, I
> would have gladly given him permission to use my pictures and I wouldn't
> even insist that he gives me credit for them.  All he had to do was ask.
> But I guess some people don't even have that sort of common courtesy.  


I'm not sure why you have "stole" in quotation marks, implying that you are
stretching the meaning of the word.  It *was* stolen.  Also, the thief did
not not copyright your picture, he slapped a bogus copyright notice on your
copyrighted property.  (But maybe the law is different in .sg than it is in
.us)

Just last night I found one of my usenet messages (a chili recipe) quoted
in its entirety on someone's web site, with a bogus copyright notice.  As
in your case, all the guy had to do was ask and I would have gladly given
permission. (I know all about the dubiousness of copyrights on recipes,
that's not the point.  I gave a lengthy prose description, not just a list
of ingredients.)   

The copyright notice on the thiefs' web pages just prove that they know
intellectual property and original artwork are valuable, and that public
access is not the same thing as public domain.

BTW, the moss that you sent me has grown into a colony about the size of a
basketball -- might be about time I tear it apart and build a moss wall.
:-)

Best regards,
Bob