Subject: Re: is it ok if I quote? From: Erik Naggum <erik@naggum.no> Date: 21 Sep 2002 17:41:20 +0000 Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp Message-ID: <3241618880847005@naggum.no> * Pascal Costanza <costanza@web.de> | No, of course not. Probably I have missed your coverage of fair use, or | haven't been around here when you posted it. <3241536169325478@naggum.no> is in this very thread. Free clues available. | But probably you are right - it's better to be safe than sorry. The /point/ is that it is better to respect people than to take them for granted. Recognizing the value that lies in somebody else's work (which is why you want quote from it) /should/ cause you to recognize the value of treating them with respect, too. If you value their work, but not them, you show a kind of disrespect that effectively reduces people's desire to publish their works. The purpose of copyright /and/ of the Fair Use Doctrine, is to encourage people to publish their works, so as to benefit all people. Most of the squabbles over copyright law is over striking a balance between the payment of works (such as the First Sale Doctrine) and its availability to those who seek its value (such as libraries, researchers, journalists). It may take an unusual amount of empathy from some people to realize that just because other people have published something you want to use in your own production, does not mean they lose their rights, but many people seem to acquire this empathy only when they need to seek redress against those who have taken /their/ works. Less short-sighted egoism would therefore be nice. -- Erik Naggum, Oslo, Norway Act from reason, and failure makes you rethink and study harder. Act from faith, and failure makes you blame someone and push harder.