Posted on 06/19/2002 1:54:11 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
I just received official word that our settlement with the LAT/WP in their alleged copyright infringement and unfair competion suit against Free Republic (click Source link above for complete history of the case) is completely finalized with the court. I do not have a copy of the final order yet, but the basic terms are as follows:
- Unless we receive prior written permission on an article by article basis, Free Republic agrees to continue posting only excerpts (as allowed by fair use) and links from any of the LAT/WP or related publications.
- Free Republic agrees to remove all full text copies of any LAT/WP and related publications copyrighted articles from its archives and servers and to destroy all copies of same.
- Neither party is awarded any damages, attorney fees or costs except that Free Republic agrees to pay the Los Angeles Times $5,000 and the Washington Post $5,000 (these negotiated amounts have already been paid).
I will post the entire final order including the list of related publications as soon as I receive a copy and get it scanned in.
Well, my fingers are not cold and dead and my keyboard has not been ripped away. While this is not entirely a win for FR, neither is it a crushing defeat. Free Republic is alive and well and the fight against liberalism continues on. It's a crying shame that the hallowed words of the WP/LAT will no longer grace our pages, but, somehow, I am sure we will manage to live on without them.
And despite what our detractors may say, we have not committed any crimes or broken any laws and we have not admitted to any guilt. We have negotiated a mutual agreement and settlement with the LAT/WP and have agreed upon satisfactory terms for continuing forward without having to spend the rest of our lives in court.
Many thanks to all of you for your past and continuing support.
Regards.
Jim Robinson
Have you considered a distributed program like that "seti search" one? One that freepers could run on our computers?
Put up a holler if the legal fund needs more money.
And, for what it's worth and despite that [Or more probably, "because"] I am a near-obsessive news junkie and a Mr Limbaughesque "Relentless Seeker Of The Truth," I will never dignify either of their servers with a "Click;" knowingly spend a cent on one of their products -- nor willingly on the products and/or services of one of their advertisers.
Warmest FReegards -- Brian
Regarding archiving - what is our situation now? Do we have access to all threads from 1997 on? If we haven't archived all previous FR activity up till now for search and recall and review ... what the hell were we fighting for? I honestly don't know.
I give up. I'd like to visit some Freeper communities -some seem to live in a economy where everything is free of charge. Money for nothing and chicks for free.
Thanks for the thoughts Meyer ... this stuff just really p's me off because it is indicative of a larger world view I've observed among some here of a surly entitlement and a dismissal of any social commitment to the world beyond their immediate demand or greivance. It's just getting so old. And, it wasn't so long ago I was wobbly legged starting a business and my partner vendors and customers SUPPORTED me. They wanted me to succeed. It is completely beyond my comprehension that anyone here would deny a vendor's request that the use of material he has paid for and presented be trafficked through his site. That's either ignorance of business reality or just a dislikable lack of basic consideration. There's no principle to defend ... there's no free speech issue. We should support these sites, these conservative syndicators and great writers. It's a double click - there's no rational grounds for oppostition. It's just a confrontational, reflexive boorishnes that colors every issue and event. And it really, really blows.
The thought of that guy from JWR coming here two years ago and explaining his dilemma - and some here just flicking him is really disgusting me. I'd forgotten about that until tonight. Boys Behaving Badly. Selfish louts displease me greatly. I shun them in business, community events and my social circles. I don't like people who don't contribute to the team. Thanks for the shout out, I'm off sir. Regards!
It is past 9:30.
So, I shouldn't go to the library anymore. What business model is that based on? I must, instead, buy the paper to read one article. BS. Its free on the net. If they don't want it to be free, they won't put it on their free web page.
Regarding archiving - what is our situation now? Do we have access to all threads from 1997 on? If we haven't archived all previous FR activity up till now for search and recall and review ... what the hell were we fighting for? I honestly don't know.
I can guarantee you that every article that was ever pasted to FR is available whether convenient or not. What we are fighting for is the ability to discuss NEWS!! Especially to discuss liberally slanted news, which the left hates for us to be able to do.
I give up. I'd like to visit some Freeper communities -some seem to live in a economy where everything is free of charge. Money for nothing and chicks for free.
You're exadderating. Immensely. The information is already being offered for free. They just don't like the fact that we are reading it elsewhere (like at the library instead of the newsstand).
Thanks for the thoughts Meyer ... this stuff just really p's me off because it is indicative of a larger world view I've observed among some here of a surly entitlement and a dismissal of any social commitment to the world beyond their immediate demand or greivance. It's just getting so old. And, it wasn't so long ago I was wobbly legged starting a business and my partner vendors and customers SUPPORTED me. They wanted me to succeed. It is completely beyond my comprehension that anyone here would deny a vendor's request that the use of material he has paid for and presented be trafficked through his site. That's either ignorance of business reality or just a dislikable lack of basic consideration. There's no principle to defend ... there's no free speech issue. We should support these sites, these conservative syndicators and great writers. It's a double click - there's no rational grounds for oppostition. It's just a confrontational, reflexive boorishnes that colors every issue and event. And it really, really blows.
If they want to charge for it, then make it a pay site. Otherwise, once you put the information in a free public location, its there for anyone and everyone to copy. If the newspaper laid their paper down on the sidewalk with every page open, should they expect that people won't walk by, read it, and comment on it? Can they prohibit people photographing it (or otherwise copying it) if they themselves place it on a free public forum?
The thought of that guy from JWR coming here two years ago and explaining his dilemma - and some here just flicking him is really disgusting me. I'd forgotten about that until tonight. Boys Behaving Badly. Selfish louts displease me greatly. I shun them in business, community events and my social circles. I don't like people who don't contribute to the team. Thanks for the shout out, I'm off sir. Regards!
But he still put his information up for free for all the world to see. Granted, I may have visited his site more than once just to support him, but that was of my own free will. I would not do that for the LAT as they didn't deserve my support. Likewise, I buy magazines and newspapers that I like and read the rest either in the library or on line or not at all.
What you're advocating is copyright benefits for free information. You are drawing a comparison between this and people stealing software and the like. But Microsoft doesn't put its software up on a web site then tell people they can't have it. And, record companies don't post their music on a web site then tell someone not to use it. In short, you're equating piracy with fair use and there is no comparison.
This is much better than it could have been but what was the $5k to each of those fishwraps for?
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