Re: cross-posting

[Chuck Banks <chuck -at- ASL -dot- DL -dot- NEC -dot- COM>]

Dickie,

        I agree with the copyright law that designates all written
statements as the intellectual property of the writer, for the most
part.  It is a long established custom and it is the law that you
get the author's permission before reusing that author's writings.

        With Internet E-mail, the request for reuse and response
from the author can be sent and received in minutes.  I see no
reason why we can't obtain permission before using someone else's
words.  If we can't wait, don't quote someone.  Use your own words
to make a point.  You can paraphrase and symnopsize and even
include short quotes, provided you give credit to the original
author.

        The only reason for reposting someone else's words is
to save time.  Saving time doesn't excuse us from paying someone
the courtesy of asking their permission to quote them extensively.

        The area of courtesy and copyright are becoming important
on the Internet.  We should police ourselves and show courtesy or
Uncle Big Brother could step in and end the free exchange of
information we now enjoy.

        Take a lesson from hang gliding.  Kite pilots police
themselves with the result they have very few disputes in the US
with the Federal Aviation Administration.  In this, they are
preserving their access to the airways.  We can police ourselves
and forestall government regulation and restrictions on our use
of this network.  All we have to do is send short courteous
messages to each other requesting permission to use each other's
words.

        I haven't been refused yet.

Later,

Chuck Banks
--
__        ________     ______
|\\   |  ||          //              Chuck Banks
| \\  |  ||_______  ||               Senior Technical Writer
|  \\ |  ||         ||               NEC America, Inc.
|   \\|   \\______   \\______        E-Mail:      chuck -at- asl -dot- dl -dot- nec -dot- com
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