This is a conversation that came up on the Fudge list, but is possibly a
worthwhile consideration for all Phoenyx lists. I'd really like to have a
well-worded copyright notice that lets the GM do whatever he wants with
his archives, and doesn't restrict the Phoenyx from doing whatever it is
we usually do with archives.
On Fri, 21 Apr 2000, Carl D Cravens wrote:
CDC>Making the archive available on a CDROM is just another method of
CDC>distribution. If it's illegal for me to put the archives on a CDROM for
CDC>distribution, it's illegal to maintain an online archive or maybe even
CDC>distribute mailing list messages without a explicit transfer of copyright.
This is the usual Usenet theory, though it doesn't necessarily apply to
mailing lists. It definitely doesn't permit anyone but the Phoenyx to do
the distribution, unlike Usenet.
CDC>If anybody has serious concerns on this area, I'm willing to listen to
CDC>them.
>From the Phoenyx' copyright page ("this web site" includes pretty much all
of the mailing list text, although most of the lists have info
files that say much the same thing) says this:
"The contents of this web site are copyrighted by the author(s).
Individual list messages are copyrighted by the original poster; the
compilations are copyrighted by the Phoenyx itself and may be
downloaded for personal perusal but not re-published without
permission."
We've discussed the fact that this isn't a particularly good copyright
notice; it dates from The Dawn Of Time when there weren't other services
(with real lawyers) from whom we could steal... er, take inspiration for
our own notice. It was mainly intended to deflect someone who had decided
to archive the Phoenyx lists without permission (in fact, despite being
asked not to) and publish them on an admission-only website - the notion
that someone could make a profit without returning anything to the
community that had produced the content. (At least if it's offsetting
Phoenyx bandwidth charges, it's providing a benefit back to the list.)
It was also intended to protect us against a (hypothetical) gamemaster who
dropped a game, then tried to keep us from continuing it, despite having
agreed to up-front (moving a game is okay, so if you want to drop a
game, move it to Onelist first).
-- --------------------------------------------------------------
Listowner tools are found at http://www.phoenyx.net/listowners
