Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!ateng!chip From: chip@ateng.com (Chip Salzenberg) Newsgroups: news.misc Subject: Re: IN MODERATION NETWORK Message-ID: <1989Jun14.172942.23300@ateng.com> Date: 14 Jun 89 17:29:42 GMT References: <1097@fernwood.MPK.CA.US> <1989Jun6.111130.20332@ateng.ateng.com> <2451@asylum.SF.CA.US> <1989Jun12.100804.24166@ateng.ateng.com> Organization: A T Engineering, Tampa, FL Lines: 38 According to msb@ho5cad.att.com (Mike Balenger): >According to chip@ateng.ateng.com (Chip Salzenberg): >>I understand the concept of selling an editing service. I simply don't >>believe that the In Moderation people can charge for forwarding articles >>that the recipient doesn't already have and call that an "editing service". > >It's not what they PASS that's the issue. It's what they remove or >summarize that's important. For the point of view of Anterior and their hypothetical customers, it is true that the removal and/or summary of articles is the thing of prime importance. It is, from their viewpoint, a commercial service that is worth money (they hope!). However, I see things somewhat differently: Usenet articles which originate in the U.S.A and, I believe, Canada, are >automatically< copyrighted by their authors. (Berne Convention and all that.) IMN passes Usenet articles to their customers who have not already received those articles. IMN does not make any agreement with the authors of the articles for redistribution rights or royalties. IMN expects and receives payment from their customers. What I, as a Usenet author, see here is IMN selling my copyrighted postings for profit without my consent. I cannot put up with such behavior. Further, in my opinion, the only way IMN will make money is to limit its customers from redistributing articles received via IMN. I do not believe that IMN can legally restrict redistribution of articles which are copyrighted by others! IMN is Evil and Rude and possibly illegal. I say: Boycott IMN. -- You may redistribute this article only to those who may freely do likewise. Chip Salzenberg | or A T Engineering | Me? Speak for my company? Surely you jest!