Perhaps, but I dislike giving in to trivial insanity.
It's not trivial once an obvious the copyright violation is specification noted on web page and is readily seen by both the violators and the owners of the copyright. Effectively, you have given all of us (yes, including the owners of the copyright) notice of a possible copyright infringement. Google has already has links to another site about this so while Ed and I were ignorant before, we have effectively been given notice.
Given that most of these companies are now use web page search bots to find copyright violations, it will only be a matter of time before we receive a cease and desist notice. We have received these before when users have posted what we found to be copyrighted fonts in Bugzilla so it is a pretty safe bet that now that we all know of the potential violation, the owners web search bots will as well within a short time.
Sorry you think that's silly, but the quote is not the icon author's work and thus cannot be GPL'd. Maybe it is a small violation, but that rarely matters in the American legal system. What usually matters more is the annual legal budget of the copyright owner.
Which, for me, makes it come down to this: even if a fair use case can be made, are Ed and I in the business of litigation things like this? Litigation, even small claims court, is not a trivial or cheap undertaking in the U.S. so most people I know running small businesses try to avoid litigation if at all possible as being paying a lawyer to file endless filings or time spent dealing with your lawyer and the other side's depositions can quickly use up all your time and money.
While the risk may seem small, the cost if the risk materializes is substantial. It's kind of like health insurance. Sure, paying that insurance bill every month sucks and it would a lot more fun to use the money to buy cool stuff. After all, the odds of you getting in a car crash or getting cancer is low in any one year, but if it does happen to you (and it does happen just often enough that you can't dismiss the possibility), you are generally screwed in the U.S. if you didn't pay your insurance bill.
I completely understand your position in this. My gripe is with the US litigation culture that necessitates this. That is, IMHO, trivial insanity.
And let us not even get started on you health service :/
Anyway, I hope someone archives the icons as a curiosity of transformed artwork. Just for the fun of it. Easy to remove as well, if an anal lawyer sends a cease-and-desist note..
Best wishes,
Oscar _________________ "What do you think of Western Civilization?"
"I think it would be a good idea!"
- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Joined: Jun 11, 2006 Posts: 481 Location: Great Britain
Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 1:27 pm Post subject:
sardisson wrote:
Who will select the passage?
Not me, that's for sure. I know you guys too well now - whatever I choose there will immediately be suggestions of a better alternative! I would like to do it this weekend if possible. Failing suggestions I will just start at the beginning.
LemonAid wrote:
Philip ( "Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean someone is not out to get me!" )
/Dan the Paranoid Android
What if I translate the Blade Runner quote into Latin?
Not me, that's for sure. I know you guys too well now - whatever I choose there will immediately be suggestions of a better alternative! I would like to do it this weekend if possible. Failing suggestions I will just start at the beginning.
I would recommend the standard "Lorem ipsum" text used in the publishing industry. We know if is not copyrighted and it used because it generally lays out like real text. The full text of the "Lorem ipsum" text used since the 1500s is in the middle of this page:
If the Æneid does not work for anyone, I suggest this bit from Mythopoeia:
Quote:
I will not treat your dusty path and flat,
denoting this and that by this and that,
your world immutable wherein no part
the little maker has with maker's art.
I bow not yet before the Iron Crown,
nor cast my own small golden sceptre down.
Joined: Jun 11, 2006 Posts: 481 Location: Great Britain
Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 2:43 am Post subject:
ovvldc wrote:
Oh no, no Lorem Ipsum. That is boring!
Well, I don't think I'll be able to do it this weekend after all - probably early next week - so you've got a couple of extra days to settle the discussion by pistols at dawn, or whatever's right.
If the Æneid does not work for anyone, I suggest this bit from Mythopoeia:
Quote:
I will not treat your dusty path and flat,
denoting this and that by this and that,
your world immutable wherein no part
the little maker has with maker's art.
I bow not yet before the Iron Crown,
nor cast my own small golden sceptre down.
Best wishes,
Oscar
Either the Æneid or Mythopoeia text is fine with me.
Joined: Jun 11, 2006 Posts: 481 Location: Great Britain
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2007 6:49 am Post subject:
ovvldc wrote:
Oh no, no Lorem Ipsum. That is boring!
Quote:
I will not treat your dusty path and flat,
denoting this and that by this and that,
your world immutable wherein no part
the little maker has with maker's art.
I bow not yet before the Iron Crown,
nor cast my own small golden sceptre down.
Oscar, can I use this exact text - there is no copyright on the translation?
Quite frankly, I am not sure. It is on WikiSource, listed as being assumed to be in the public domain.
I do not know about UK copyright in detail. The author, J.R.R. Tolkien died in 1973 and I think there is a limit to X years after an authors death in the EU. X is less than the U.S. term (Mickey Mouse laws).
Also, I think that the person why typed it in may have made a mistake: in the first line, "treat" sounds a bit strange..
To summarize, I think you can use it, but I am not sure. Any lawyers around?
Best wishes,
Oscar _________________ "What do you think of Western Civilization?"
"I think it would be a good idea!"
- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
I do not know about UK copyright in detail. The author, J.R.R. Tolkien died in 1973 and I think there is a limit to X years after an authors death in the EU. X is less than the U.S. term (Mickey Mouse laws).
70 years after death and renewable in the U.S. if I remember correctly.
Seriously, could we not use other people's work? I realize that some people have witty or catchy sayings, but it is their work so don't assume that it is in the public domain unless it is literally a couple of hundred years old.
The key here is that U.S. laws are the most applicable primarily because the people that are on the legal hook for NeoOffice (me and Ed) are U.S. citizens living in the U.S.
All times are GMT - 7 Hours Goto page Previous1, 2, 3, 4Next
Page 2 of 4
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
I would like to do it this weekend if possible. Failing suggestions I will just start at the beginning.
)
.