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landmark Inner circle within a triangle 5194 Posts |
Bear with me for a bit will you? This is long, but I need some help here.
A few days ago I posted in the DVDS, Tapes for Sale section the following: Quote:
I'm giving away the following VHS video tapes. Giving away, as in free. I got several replies, all from places hundreds of miles away, asking me to mail them . . . Okay, I guess that's par for the course. But then I got a PM that said (I'm paraphrasing to protect privacy): "Your heart is in the right place, but as long as you keep a copy for yourself it's against copyright law. The fact that VHS tape degrades is irrelevant. You are providing the benefit of the material to someone while still having access yourself." I thought about what was written and sent the following reply: Quote:
Thanks for your concern, truly, as I asked myself some of the same questions. I haven't heard back from this person. So interestingly, I never got a response to my offer from anyone local, though I did tell another poster who had sold me some of his merchandise that I would hold off on my offer until he sold his tapes, as some of the tapes he was offering for money were the same as I was offering for free. He was surprised I was offering to give my tapes away free. This I did unsolicited. Now I'm having second thoughts about all of this. 1) I don't want to cut into other people's sales. 2) If people can't accurately read the post in its entirety, how can I trust that they would adhere to my conditions which I consider important? 3) No offers anyway, so what the heck? So I've asked the management to take down my offer. I don't know. I got a lot of tapes on my hands. What would you do?
Click here to get Gerald Deutsch's Perverse Magic: The First Sixteen Years
All proceeds to Open Heart Magic charity. |
DJG Inner circle The northern hemisphere of Earth 1295 Posts |
<<2) If people can't accurately read the post in its entirety, how can I trust that they would adhere to my conditions which I consider important?>>
You wouldn't know regardless whether they read it or not I say recycle. Put the tapes out of their misery so other plastic babies might one day become something
Your choices in life can be compared to watching a magic trick: You can continue to believe the illusion in front of you, find the intrigue and desire to learn more, or quit paying attention the moment you feel deceived.
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Dan Bernier Inner circle Canada 2298 Posts |
There is a difference between was is the law and what ethics are the hot topic of the week. In other words, legally you are doing nothing wrong. Some, will try to convince you that it's unethical, but others disagree.
Stick to what you feel is the moral thing to do. It's your bed you have to sleep in.
"If you're going to walk in the rain, don't complain about getting wet!"
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Cyberqat Inner circle You can tell I work on the net from my 2209 Posts |
Actually, that's not true.
Legally his is in the wrong. The Copyright law allows you to make a single back up copy of such a work for your own use. If you give the tape away, the DVD must be given away with it. But law and ethics are indeed orthogonal and breaking copyright law right now is rampant in this generation. Whether that indicates a change in the ethics of it, really, is a personal choice. Edit: Or as D&D geeks would put it, it depends on whether you are a lawful-good, a neutral-good, or a chaotic-good
It is always darkest just before you are eaten by a grue.
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Uli Weigel Inner circle Berlin, Germany 1478 Posts |
What if you have learned everything on the tape in question? Should you also somehow erase that knowledge from your brain, because you sold the source of your knowledge?
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Dr. Eamon Inner circle ------------John Dream------------If you can Dream it, you can Do it! 1313 Posts |
LOL
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Dan Bernier Inner circle Canada 2298 Posts |
You're right Cyberqat. I got his post read all wrong. (lol)
"If you're going to walk in the rain, don't complain about getting wet!"
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Steve_Mollett Inner circle Eh, so I've made 3006 Posts |
How about selling them for a penny?
Author of: GARROTE ESCAPES
The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth. - Albert Camus |
Tom Cutts Staff Northern CA 5925 Posts |
I have a book which is coming apart, has some water damage, and some pages have faded or become stained, but it is still readable. I made a photocopy for myself including electronically cleaning the images before copying.
I'm going to keep my copy but I'd like to sell the original book. OK that was all hypothetical, not real. But in this instance does your idea of right and wrong change, landmark? |
Cyberqat Inner circle You can tell I work on the net from my 2209 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-04-01 18:48, Uli Weigel wrote: If a chicken and a half lays an egg and a half, in a day and a half, how many bones does it take to cover a dog house? Your questions is equally nonsensical. Copyright does not protect knowledge or ideas. It protects creative expression fixed in a tangible medium. So your questions is 100% irrelevant. Quote:
On 2011-04-03 18:46, Steve_Mollett wrote: Not unless you sell the DVD with them. You can legally own a backup of a tape you own. You cannot legally own a backup of a tape someone else now owns.
It is always darkest just before you are eaten by a grue.
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
How does one recycle video tapes?
At a guess, saving the artwork/case with the backup DVD would suffice for proof of ownership.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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Uli Weigel Inner circle Berlin, Germany 1478 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-04-03 19:35, Cyberqat wrote: Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man. Quote:
On 2011-04-03 19:35, Cyberqat wrote: Yes you can. Come to Germany. |
landmark Inner circle within a triangle 5194 Posts |
That's the ticket then. Off to Germany, I go . . .
Seriously, I appreciate the feedback. I've decided that I don't want to give them away. It's too much knowledge for too little effort among other things. I don't want to sell them. I don't think I should benefit from the original if I keep a copy. OTOH, I'm having a hard time throwing them out, but I think that's what has to happen. When Mrs. Landmark hears that she will be happy beyond all measure. Inspired by Jon, I've started to experiment with cutting apart the VHS tape covers and assembling them creatively inside the DVD jewel cases. Quote:
If a chicken and a half lays an egg and a half, in a day and a half, It's a trick question. Nobody is buried in Grant's tomb.
Click here to get Gerald Deutsch's Perverse Magic: The First Sixteen Years
All proceeds to Open Heart Magic charity. |
Andrew Zuber Inner circle Los Angeles, CA 3014 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-04-04 10:34, Uli Weigel wrote: The Dude abides.
"I'm sorry - if you were right, I would agree with you." -Robin Williams, Awakenings
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Steve_Mollett Inner circle Eh, so I've made 3006 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-04-03 19:35, Cyberqat wrote: What if you sell both for a penny, he loses one without your knowledge, and you happen to find it?
Author of: GARROTE ESCAPES
The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth. - Albert Camus |
gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3526 Posts |
Quote: I suppose if you gave that book away in a box on the street that had a "Free Stuff" sign on it the RIAA could haul you up on charges -so it's best not to take any chances. Use your copy, notarize it, and put the original in a fireproof safe deposit box, in case the copyright police come knocking at your door!
On 2011-04-03 19:22, Tom Cutts wrote: :exclaim:
*due to the editorial policies here, words on this site attributed to me cannot necessarily be held to be my own.*
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rklew64 Inner circle 1265 Posts |
So how many bones does it take!! I have to know please.
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landmark Inner circle within a triangle 5194 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-04-05 03:00, gaddy wrote: Basically, Gaddy, that was my feeling in terms of Tom's analogy. The missing part though is that it's a magic book, and as such perhaps shouldn't be out on the street. As I indicated above, one of my main concerns in the end was giving away too much magical knowledge without enough effort on the new user's part. I wouldn't feel the same with a physics textbook--it would go straight into the box.
Click here to get Gerald Deutsch's Perverse Magic: The First Sixteen Years
All proceeds to Open Heart Magic charity. |
landmark Inner circle within a triangle 5194 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-04-05 11:41, rklew64 wrote: None! Survivors aren't buried!
Click here to get Gerald Deutsch's Perverse Magic: The First Sixteen Years
All proceeds to Open Heart Magic charity. |
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