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
Just the other nite a thread de-evolved into the same old 'We're at WAR, you dumby!' shouting match, and opponents of the current war policies were having their patriotic intentions questioned. -- This is exactly the kind of thing that gets us at "each others throats". ---- Thus, - it's the opposite of a good 'plan' for FR.Agreed, which is why I didn't just list Bush bashing or Keyes bashing. The mindless demagoguery on every issue is reaching a breathtaking crescendo, in my opinion.
It doesn't help any of us, and harms our common interests.
And you are of course right. Jim is the man, he is the captain. But just as a captain can only do so much to make a ship run and relies on the crew to do what is needed, I think there are way too many people who sit by and wait for Jim to fix things (and bitch at the way he fixes things), and way too many old timers actually making things difficult.
Flame wars bore me. I like arguing and debating. And I don't think flame wars convince anyone. At least arguments and debates have a shot at doing so.
It was worse than shaky ground. They had strolled out into the middle of a minefield. They could not afford to have their injunction thrown out on appeal. After all, they have labored long and hard to build their facade, claiming that they are the Great Defenders of the First Amendment.
Persevere,
Mindy
I'll be sure to never post anything from LAT or WP because I refuse to read either one.
FReegards and God Bless You.
Thanks Jim Robinson for the update (it is a good day)
Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!
Molon Labe !!
Exactly what Investor's Business Daily did a couple of years ago. They used to post their excellent articles and editorials on their website, but no more.
I'm not sure why they killed that, because for a niche paper like they IBD, it must have been great publicity to have their stuff posted here on FR. IMO, their editorials are much better than those on the WSJ, especially lately.
If you feel that what we're doing on FR is wrong or breaking any "rules" then get the f### out and don't come back. What's so hard about that?
I'm not being unfriendly, I just can't fathom the "we're breaking the law but here I am to comment on it" crowd.
Your points about PROFIT being made on other's work is totally valid, but I just have to reject any attempt at debate by someone who starts from the position that this law suit had anything to do with copyright law.
It didn't. If you know nothing else about this story know that, for it's a fact of life.
But, for the life of me, I can't see the difference between someone cutting out an article and posting it on, say, the office/supermarket/whatever bulletin board; and copying and pasting that same article here. Maybe I'm a little thick.
A comment by another poster that this was NOT about copyright infringement sounds dead on. There is something else at work here that smells of horse hocky. Hopefully we are hearing the death rattle of the LASlimes and the Washington ComPost! God knows our country would be better off without them.
FGS, Texan-American
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.