where did plecofanatics go?

[psionic001]

These guys are just trying to save the knowledge that is classed as public domain anyway.
Regardless, most of it is not copyright unless specifically indicated by the author at the time of publication with their name and a © symbol...
Would it be better to have lost that information for the sake of an authors credit (which probably could have been inserted later)?

The authors were all given credit in the articles with their name, and website of origin.

No they weren't....

Please remove the DIY moonlight thread.

Its up and safe over on plecoplanet.com

Thanks.

[ppanther]

Actually, with or without the copyright symbol all intellectual property published is copyrighted to the author. The only way content becomes public domain is if the author explicitly states it as so or if the copyright expires (American IP law has extended this over 50 years beyond the life of the author - protecting Mickey Mouse).

If any of the original authors of the content object to the content being copied onto other sites they are well within their rights - however I imagine given that most of us submit these kinds of articles to multiple sites the majority wouldn't have a problem with it being published elsewhere Assuming of course the credit remains intact *and* the sites authors understand that the copyright still belongs to the author.

In either case, Plecofanatics will be back up by this weekend. I've spoken to both the hosting company and the domain registar and the site is now prepaid until mid next year (hosting and domain).

[Bas Pels]

Under USA law the (c) symbol, or a statement (e g copyright Bas Pels) are needed in order to be allowed damages, the copyright is in place none the less

Elsewhere, the (c) symbol is not needed, and damages can be granted - but our (Dutch) judges don't like to grant damages anyway

Still, we all write and post pictures, so we are all both owners of copyright and users of others' copyright - so we best be carefull, in order to protect our own copyright

@ duration, the 50 years in the USA is short, in the Euriopean Community it is 70 years after the author died. In case the outhor is a legal entity (someone employed by this entity made something, but the employment contract can automatically put all copyright at the entity) this is 70 years, as such entities don't die

[ppanther]

Plecofanatics.com is now back up

And thanks for the info Bas - very interesting that it affects damages.

[jbmm]

yipeeeee!

that's what I call taking action

[MatsP]

Under USA law the (c) symbol, or a statement (e g copyright Bas Pels) are needed in order to be allowed damages, the copyright is in place none the less

I'm not entirely sure that's the case - I'm pretty sure it's just making it more clear and easier to recieve damages. I'm not a lawyer, so don't take my word for it.

But yes, copyright (the right to allow others to distribute/publish your works) is automatic, doesn't require anything more than "you producing the material in original form" - it may be hard to PROVE that you are the original author/photographer/artist etc, which is why, in the US at least, you can register your work as copyrighted - you send files/original copies to the copyright office, and you can then refer to them as to who produced the work itself.

It is definitely illegal to take someone elses work and publish/reproduce it.

Yes, we all bend the rules a bit, but if you are running a publicly available web-site, you'd better make sure that the content provided is permitted by the copyright owner to be published there. You SHOULD NOT copy material from for example google cache.

Of course, if the owner doesn't care, you won't have a problem, but you are technically breaking the law, just like picking up and eating a few sweets from the "pick'n'mix" probably won't land you in jail or even get you fined, but it's technically stealing/shoplifting.

--
Mats

[Bas Pels]

Under USA law the (c) symbol, or a statement (e g copyright Bas Pels) are needed in order to be allowed damages, the copyright is in place none the less

I'm not entirely sure that's the case - I'm pretty sure it's just making it more clear and easier to recieve damages. I'm not a lawyer, so don't take my word for it.

Mats

It happens to be my trade, if anyone is curious, www.jurimark.nl

I have to warn my clients to use the (C), (R) and (M) symbols in the USA, in order to be able to retrieve eventual damages regularly

(M) is not very well known it stands for registered design

[jrjerin]

Anyways while you guys have a pissing contest, Plecofanatics.com is up today. Thanks to the member that paid for the site.

[CanadaPleco]

USA law doesn't apply.... I am in Canada!

I removed the article that whomever it was further up on this thread bitched me out.

I really can't believe how some people are complaining when all I was trying to do save some of the info. from internet death...

[psionic001]

+1 +1 +1
Totally agree mate.
Just trying to save a precious resource which is about to just disappear into thin air, and these people are worried about their name being stamped on a moonlight set-up for a fish tank which any average person can make with a dob of silicone and a switch!!!.

Thanks again for trying.... and FWIW, I'm still backing up the site just in case. I have about 3 gigs.... of other peoples posts including images!!!

USA law doesn't apply.... I am in Canada!

I removed the article that whomever it was further up on this thread bitched me out.

I really can't believe how some people are complaining when all I was trying to do save some of the info. from internet death...

[Bas Pels]

Obviously, I can't say about others, but I thought it prudent to warn about unexpected side-effects

Personally, I once faced the disappearence of a forum (in Dutch) where I had been posting a lot. Had anybody rescued that forum, I would have send him/her a nice bottle of something, not a lawyer

[Borbi]

Hi,

don´t consider this a judgement regarding the "plecofanatics"-case discussed here (I´ve never been active at PF nor care about it), just a general remark:

USA law doesn't apply.... I am in Canada!

This kind of attitude is the reason why I "publish" so little on the internet.
I don´t mind having anything I write up on more than one site. But I insist on being asked before. That is (for me) not a question of law, but of 1) fairness and 2) cordiality. Besides, I prefer to know where my stuff is uploaded on the internet.
After I found fish advertised with a picture of me showing a different species(!), I became quite precautious with this topic.
And since people like you (sorry) are swarming the net, I prefer a decent, personal discussion.

Cheers, Sandor

[Jon]

I saw "plecofanatics" in the title, and I knew a crapstorm would follow.