Hi everyone This is indeed 'ein weites Feld' and a topic that rears its head at least once a year on arachne, or so it seems ;)
Robin wrote: "Bev brings up something I've wondered about. If I buy the magazine with her design in it, would it violate copyright if I let my friend(s) copy her pattern?" No, it doesn't violate copyright as far as I'm concerned, and I would consider it 'fair use'. . The pattern is copyright the designer, but not - at least not in the case of Canadian Lacemaker Gazette - not the property of the magazine itself. The pattern can be copied many times over for personal use - including giving to your friends - but not published somewhere else without the permission of the designer, and certainly not as someone else as the designer, and more importantly shall not be *sold* as such. How can this be policed? We rely on the likeminded principles of others. Admittedly, on one hand it would be nice for the magazine if everyone bought their own copy, but on the other hand - if several people are sharing the magazine, the purpose of the publication (as a vehicle to communicate information about lacemaking) is furthered - - it isn't as though it is a huge profit-making venture. Lace groups subscribe to the magazine, and other magazines like it, and one would assume group members borrow the magazines. They could photocopy what interests them in general, and will photocopy patterns for their own use in particular. I design little patterns for the fun of it, and am pleased if others enjoy them. I think this is the same for all who contribute their designs to our non-profit lace magazines. As an aside, I consider the photocopy machine a bonafide lace tool :) I have been asked by authors of articles that I've published in the Gazette to release permission for the article to be published somewhere else - this is no matter of the Gazette's. The author may publish their article anywhere they like. However, given the smallness of the lace community, and if I'm so asked, I suggest they change the article somewhat, in fairness to readers who have seen it already in the first publication. Some magazines have a policy of publishing only first-time articles; they do not like to publish something that has already appeared somewhere else (I don't know if that is a copyright issue, or just the organizations's policy). I've been nosing around checking out 'Mars' information sites - the National Research Council of Canada encourages use of the information at its site, with a few provisions - I think the wording is excellent for describing fair use. If anyone is interested, the info is here: http://www.hia-iha.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/notices_e.html -- bye for now Bev in Sooke, BC (west coast of Canada) and editor of Canadian Lacemaker Gazette http://www.lacegazette.com - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
