Subject: Re: [FFML] [They Might Be Spam] The Fine Art of the Disclaimer
From: "Ranma Al'Thor" <ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu>
Date: 3/20/1998, 12:08 PM
To: ffml@fanfic.com

On Fri, 20 Mar 1998, The Eternal Lost Lurker wrote:

Folks...I hate to say this, but someone's got to.

I think this thread about disclaimers and fanfiction copyright
violations falls under the "beating a dead horse" clause in the FFML
FAQ. It's completely unneccessary spam, and the list has got enough

I think it's very pertinent, especially since lots of people are not very
aware of how copyright law actually works or how it applies to what we do
here.  The issue of the fundamental legality or illegality of fanfiction
is an important one.  Now, if this thread had degenerated into namecalling
or arguing about whether or not to storm the publishing companies and burn
them to the ground, it would be another question.


 > problems right now (you all know what I'm talking about) without

No, I don't.

this > particular thread taking, pardon the expression, a crap in a toilet
that's already trying to overflow. Don't you think we can maybe move
this thing to private e-mail, or get rid of it altogether?

No.  Unlike 'Who beats who' or 'Make Money Fast' or 'Who should Ranma
marry', this is fairly pertinent to the list and important.


For those interested in copyright law, I suggest checking out :


http://www.yahoo.com/Government/Law/Intellectual_Property/Copyrights/

   http://www.lib.ox.ac.uk/internet/news/faq/misc.legal.html


http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/reg.html

http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/copy1.html




John Walter Biles :  MA-History, Ph.D Wannabe at U. Kansas         
ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu       
rhea@tass.org              http://www.tass.org/~rhea/falcon.html
rhea@maison-otaku.net      http://www.maison-otaku.net/~rhea/

War is the way of the Wyrm.  And War is easy.  Peace is the way of Gaia.
But Peace is the hardest work there is.  So why not fight an all-out war
against the Wyrm?  In the shadow of the Apocalypse, why not win at all
costs?  Because that's what the Wyrm wants.  Because in winning we will
lose.  If we triumph in the Apocalypse through terror, suffering and
betrayal, we will create a world of terror, suffering and betrayal.  And
the Wyrm will win.  The only solution is Peace.  But how do we wage Peace?
We must win by healing the world.  We must win by changing ourselves.  Or
else our salvation becomes our damnation.
--Children of Gaia Tribebook (WW Storyteller system)