Usage of my drawing...

[Rigel Stardin]

This is just a general statement since I’ve been asked this question.

My drawing and deckplans are for private use only, you are allow to modified them anyway you want and change the description to any drawing posted to fit your personal gaming needs. They are not to be used in any commercial venture unless you have written approval from me.

 

[HG_B]

Make sure you put a copyright note on them.

 

[Rigel Stardin]

I wouldn't have any idea how do to that? If you mean putting "Copyright 2013 by Rigel Stardin" on every drawing, that would be pain in the butt. Second Rigel is my forum name and I don't wish my real name known at present. I'm well aware the honor system is from a bygone era but I'd much rather use it on COTI than talk legalese with the membership every time I post a drawing...

 

[rancke]

I wouldn't have any idea how do to that? If you mean putting "Copyright 2013 by Rigel Stardin" on every drawing, that would be pain in the butt. Second Rigel is my forum name and I don't wish my real name known at present. I'm well aware the honor system is from a bygone era but I'd much rather use it on COTI than talk legalese with the membership every time I post a drawing...

Um... under the Berne Convention and the current US copyright law you automatically have copyright to anything you create. However, I believe there may be some implications to posting on CotI that I'm not quite sure about. Note the copyright notice at the bottom of this and every other page.


Hans

 

[Dragoner]

This is just a general statement since I’ve been asked this question.

My drawing and deckplans are for private use only, you are allow to modified them anyway you want and change the description to any drawing posted to fit your personal gaming needs. They are not to be used in any commercial venture unless you have written approval from me.

The fact is, that people will steal your stuff; I found material I created plagiarized only because one of my players told me when they found it. The only sure way to stop it is to stop posting material, it's wrong that it has to be that way, but it is what it is.

 

[HG_B]

I'm well aware the honor system is from a bygone era but I'd much rather use it on COTI than talk legalese with the membership every time I post a drawing...

It's more for those not on this forum. Unless you do some type of notification, any claim you have is weak at best...

 

[DangerousThing]

It's more for those not on this forum. Unless you do some type of notification, any claim you have is weak at best...

Unless the forum rules state specifically that you lose all copyright, then you automatically have copyright whenever published. This includes electronically.

Of course,this only applies to those countries that are signatories to the Berne Convention, such as the US and most (if not all) of Europe. And many other places.

And since the forum clearly shows dates, I would say that it's a rather strong claim to copyright. Of course, I am not a lawyer or legal expert of any kind, nor do I play one on TV.

 

[DaveChase]

You don't have to place it on each picture, but do place something in the text description.

Also, create a file (and hard copy) of each image that you have produced that is of your own work. Date when created and where you posted it.

IF you decide you have to pursue legal enforcement (does not mean legitation) you will sometimes need to have proof of ownership.

Also, this only applies to your own creations not to your view of an already published image that you have rendered. (This situation is a bit more tricky with what is considered fair use and I will even attempt to go into detail here.)

Dave Chase

 

[rancke]

Personally I would welcome an explanation of how the site's rules affect copyright to material posted on these forums, both original material and material that is derivative of previously published Traveller material. Presumably there's a difference.

(Or a link to such an explanation if it already exists).


Hans

 

[whartung]

I like this line at the bottom Slashdot. Think it's clear and summarizes it appropriately.

"Trademarks property of their respective owners. Comments owned by the poster"

Simple. To the point. No drama.

 

[Timerover51]

I like this line at the bottom Slashdot. Think it's clear and summarizes it appropriately.

"Trademarks property of their respective owners. Comments owned by the poster"

Simple. To the point. No drama.

A trademark and a copyright are two totally different things. Trademarks do not expire and are filed entirely differently, and are not automatic by declaring then.

 

[aramis]

Unless the forum rules state specifically that you lose all copyright, then you automatically have copyright whenever published. This includes electronically.

Of course,this only applies to those countries that are signatories to the Berne Convention, such as the US and most (if not all) of Europe. And many other places.

And since the forum clearly shows dates, I would say that it's a rather strong claim to copyright. Of course, I am not a lawyer or legal expert of any kind, nor do I play one on TV.

Actually, it only applies to persons outside the country of the board in such countries. The US doesn't do automatic copyright internally, according the the copyright office.

 

[HG_B]

Actually, it only applies to persons outside the country of the board in such countries. The US doesn't do automatic copyright internally, according the the copyright office.

Bingo!

 

[Dragoner]

Bingo!

The caveat is that you can always be sued, and once over $60,000 it's a federal case where the lawyers circle like sharks.

 

[McPerth]

If you mean putting "Copyright 2013 by Rigel Stardin" on every drawing, that would be pain in the butt.

I'm totally ignorant about copyright laws even in Spain, not to say US ones, but would a remark as such you say in your signature be enough (I've seen some such remarks in signatures)?

Unfortunately, signature does not appear in drawings, but maybe (it's dangerous to assume in legal matters) they will make public your copyrigt claim.

 

[HG_B]

I'm totally ignorant about copyright laws even in Spain, not to say US ones, but would a remark as such you say in your signature be enough (I've seen some such remarks in signatures)?

The work itself that you want to protect must be marked. In the U.S. at least. When I ran a business in Espana I used it.

(see) Real Decreto Legislativo 1/1996, de 12 de abril, por el que se aprueba el texto refundido de la Ley de Propiedad Intelectual, regularizando, aclarando y armonizando las disposiciones legales vigentes sobre la material.

 

[aramis]

Remember: what the courts allow is not always congruent with what the laws say they are to allow.

That said, remember that, as a generality, treaties do not dictate how the signatory nations treat their own citizens/subjects, only the citizens/subjects of the other signatories.

 

[DangerousThing]

Actually, it only applies to persons outside the country of the board in such countries. The US doesn't do automatic copyright internally, according the the copyright office.

According to the copyright rule I was told when working at Penn State University, copyright is applied automatically with publication. However, if you register with the US Copyright office, then when you sue an offender, you can collect more than direct damages.

It's also still a good idea to put the copyright message on it with the official copyright symbol which I'm not sure I can put on here:

Copyright (c) XXX 2013; All Rights Reserved

The "(c)" should be the actual copyright symbol. And don't forget that copyright is pretty much just a protection of an expression of an idea, not the idea itself. So if somebody rephrases your words, and includes something of their own also, it would be difficult to prove violation in any case. Images are usually easier to prove violation for.

 

[Avenger Enterprises]

The original owner of this site did at one time claim that anything posted here was useable by his company. Not sure if FFE follow this practice, which is... questionable...

 

[rancke]

And don't forget that copyright is pretty much just a protection of an expression of an idea, not the idea itself. So if somebody rephrases your words, and includes something of their own also, it would be difficult to prove violation in any case.

But if someone paraphrases your words it's derivative work, even if you add something of your own. What I'm wondering about is if your words are themselves derivative of material that is copyright Marc Miller (i.e. Traveller-related). You'd presumably have copyright to the particular expression of the ideas you've posted, but do you have copyright to the derivative ideas you post in these forums? Or can others use your material as the basis of some further derivative work of their own (subject to the aforementioned prior copyright held by Marc Miller)?

Personally I think it ought to go without saying that if you work in someone else's universe, he and everybody else he permits should be allowed to use your ideas freely. But I know it doesn't always work that way.

(For the record, anything Traveller-related I post on these boards is freely available to use for inspiration by anyone doing legitimate Traveller work, amateur or professional.)


Hans