>> If it's of the grammar, i.e. the metadata for the standard, you're >> probably infringing on copyright since it would be a derivative work. >> However, if I remember correctly you obtain certain rights by buying the >> X12 table data (not cheap). Other types of rights come with buying hard >> or soft copies of the published standards. Still other rights come from >> being an ASC X12 member. I advise checking with DISA for specifics. DISA >> has in the past few years gone after some of the more flagrant copyright >> violators.
A longtime subject of interest to me... copyright restrictions on a "public" standard. Copyright applies to ideas or concepts *as fixed in tangible media.* Once the idea has been fixed in tangible media, the work is eligible for copyright, and may be licensed. What uses are permitted are at the discretion of the licensor. As Mr. Rawlins points out, permitted uses may vary by the type of license granted. While I agree I should not be able to purchase a license for the "table data" and simply re-sell or re-license that data with at most minimal reformatting, I don't see a problem copying from a printed work into my own format and generating my own format "table data." Let's look at thecopyright notice in the X221 835 Remittance "pdf" file (about five hundred bucks to download but that's another story)... "WPC © 2006 Copyright for the members of ASC X12N by Washington Publishing Company. Permission is hereby granted to any organization to copy and distribute this material internally as long as this copyright. statement is included, the contents are not changed, and the copies are not sold." That suggests you cannot re-distribute the material "as is" outside your own orgazination. But what if I use the material to create data tables.. that is, a new form of being "fixed in tangible media?" And claim my own copyright (with suitable credit) and either sell or license my work? Suppose I want to create my own 'private' standard based on this and share it with my trading partners as an 'agreed subset' we will use to trade? The lack of clarity and the "mushiness" of the permitted uses is what keeps lawyers employed... and also why they bill by the hour and not by the task. Yes, "someone" SHOULD be compensated for their work developing a standard, and for putting it into a usable format. But I can hardly see where anyone gets the chutzpah to call something a "public standard" if you have to "join the club" to use it. (No, I don't. If I had "the solution" I would no longer need to work for a living) Michael C. Mattias Tal Systems Inc. Racine WI [email protected] ------------------------------------ ... Please use the following Message Identifiers as your subject prefix: <SALES>, <JOBS>, <LIST>, <TECH>, <MISC>, <EVENT>, <OFF-TOPIC> Job postings are welcome, but for job postings or requests for work: <JOBS> IS REQUIRED in the subject line as a prefix.Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
