Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!srcsip!nic.MR.NET!ns!logajan
From: logajan@ns.network.com (John Logajan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: USENET -> GEnie uplink now working
Message-ID: <1989Dec28.193335.13308@ns.network.com>
Date: 28 Dec 89 19:33:35 GMT
References: <15097@well.UUCP> <935@crash.cts.com> <34975@grapevine.uucp> <457@watserv1.waterloo.edu> <1989Dec21.221719.13364@ns.network.com> <2913@infmx.UUCP> <1128890912086954@thelake.UUCP>
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Organization: Network Systems Corporation, Mpls., MN
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Robert Coleman writes:
> is there no legal way I can stop GENIE from 
> copyrighting MY material if I post it on USENET?

Steve Yelvington writes:
>There is nothing we can do to prevent the profit-making Times from quoting
>us. There is nothing we can do to prevent the Times from claiming a
>copyright on the reporter's story.

>However, there also is nothing the Times can do that could restrict us
>from reusing our brilliant words

Although I agree with this, my original posting on the subject was confined
to the question of whether specific site distribution restrictions were
enforceable.  Here I would use an alternate analogy, that of a broadcast
TV station that wishes to prohibit people on odd sides of the street from
viewing their transmissions.  Clearly such site restrictions are laughable
and could never be enforced, practially or legally.  Broadcasting over the
airwaves or over USENET is, in principle, the same thing.  If you want to
narrow cast to preserve your right of distribution selection, you have to
find means other than standard TV channels or USENET newsgroups.

> Even a lawsuit without validity can be expensive.

Agreed.  Fortunately there are remedies to that also.

-- 
- John M. Logajan @ Network Systems;  7600 Boone Ave; Brooklyn Park, MN 55428 -
- logajan@ns.network.com, john@logajan.mn.org, Phn 612-424-4888, Fax 424-2853 -