RE: Client misunderstanding of public domain

[Susan Brown <susan -at- cookery -dot- ca>]

         I actually ended up resigning a position 
as editor/executive editor for an educational 
publisher over exactly this issue.

         They were an interesting firm: they had 
a non-profit research and development arm, and a 
strictly for-profit arm. Because their materials 
and resources (whether requiring outright 
purchase or licensing fees or made freely 
available over the net) would be used in schools, 
they figured that any copyrighted material they 
published was covered under individual Boards of 
Education Copyright exemptions under Canadian Law 
(as educational use). I pressed this issue with 
them for nearly 7 months (it got increasingly 
acrimonious), and they deferred their decision 
again and again, which was that 'they would 
pursue copyright stuff' when then had an income 
stream. This was when I left, and required them 
to remove my name from everywhere in any of their 
publication, mails, etc. etc. (What irked me the 
most is that these people would be the first to 
raise bloody H-E-double-hockey-sticks if anybody 
used any of their materials without paying a 
moderate to substantial fee. The hypocrisy-cum-sleaze galled me.)

         It was a shame, because the work and 
material was some of the most interesting I had every worked on.


Susan

"There is a theory which states that if ever 
anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for 
and why it is here, it will instantly disappear 
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable."

"There is another theory which states that this has already happened. "

                         ? Douglas Adams
                         The Restaurant at the End of the Universe,1980  


-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.4/897 - Release Date: 11/07/2007 9:57 PM


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.