On Tue, 6 May 1997, Nabiki Tendo wrote:

Also, technically, if you look at it we aren't commiting copyright
infringment-  We don't sell fanfiction, it's not created to promote any
products or anything (Baka Cola does -not- count) and it's not in the same
medium, say, television or professional manga formats (unless you count the
KOR novels).  Not to mention the disclaimers so many people put in their
fics, I think so long as the creators and rights are mentioned, they really
couldnt get anyone on anything..  

Although not selling it can in certain limited circumstances help a court to
determine that it is "fair use", the fact that you aren't selling it certainly
doesn't mean you're automatically in the clear.  It's still copyright
infringement.

The disclaimers don't matter.  People seem to put them on out of habit because
they've seen a lot of published material with disclaimers.  But that doesn't
mean they do any _good_.